Love is in the air again at Shelterbelt Theatre, just in time for the weeks leading up to Valentine's Day.

"From Shelterbelt With Love" marks the theater's 11th year of presenting original short works for the stage, starting tonight and running through Feb. 12.

Two of the nine playwrights whose works were chosen this year are from Omaha: Amy Lane and Liz Mulhern.

Lane's play, "Rosemilk," centers on a writer who is stalked by excessive inspiration wherever he goes. On a blind date, he finds a new source of motivation and a new voice for his writing. Devin Tumpkin and Matt Hemingway are cast in "Rosemilk."

Mulhern wrote "An Only Slightly Foreign Domestic Issue," in which a seemingly ordinary couple faces a seemingly ordinary bit of happy news. A surprising revelation puts all in a new light. Liah Burke and Mark Vondrasek are cast.

Other plays on the bill:

"Fighting Mr. Right": A woman with an unusual prerequisite for physical affection spells out the rules for a blind date.

"An Old Album": A washed up singer visits an ailing fan and her daughter, stirring memories and changing them all.

"Pigeons in Love": A conversation over morning coffee turns into an argument, fracturing a relationship. Pigeons and a window ledge play a part.

"Birds of a Feather": Ornithologists seeking a rare bird find more than they bargained for, while a bird sanctuary caretaker reveals a shocking secret.

"The Secret Life of Water": Intestinal distress on a tropical vacation leads to a scientific discussion of the emotional capacity of water as a couple find themselves heading in opposite emotional directions.

"Four Dry Tongues": In a small space, four friends with very different sexual appetites suddenly find themselves with perfect alignment of desires.

Sonia Keffer, Julia Hinson and Mulhern are directing the nine shows. Others in the casts: Michael Lane, Colleen O'Doherty, Myles Dabbs, Jesse Hapke, Vanessa Strazdas, John Payton, Robin Payton, Demian Ryder, Caleb Glazeski, Jay Huse and Kate Simmons.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1269, bob.fischbach@owh.com