But these, and much more, are addressed in the three short one-act plays presented this and next weekend at Alpena Civic Theatre.

Directed by Lucas Moquin, with Bill Powell as assistant director, these plays provide the perfect night out for lovers, haters, and everyone in between. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, you can load up on enough love that it just might kill you.

“A Picnic Scene”

A light-hearted comedy with just enough lover’s jealousy and frustration thrown in to make it interesting, “A Picnic Scene” features a couple who is attempting to have a “romantic” picnic in the park. A duo of brightly-colored nearby birds find their behavior peculiar, and comment on their observations, flitting around as birds do. Meanwhile, Arin accuses her lover Jamie of flitting around as well. Taylor Boes wrote this play.

Courtesy Photo by Bronwyn Woolman Two cute little birds, Vie Luther, left, and Hannah Matzke, observe two strange creatures (humans) as they bicker on a blanket in a park in “A Picnic Scene.”

All four actors exhibit bright new talent on the ACT stage. The couple, played by Evelyn Bender (Arin) and Romeo Dozier (Jamie), are so convincing in their bickering that you can feel the anxiety and frustration from your seat. Anyone who’s ever been in a relationship can relate to this play. On the lighter side, cute little birds Vie Luther (Pek) and Hannah Matzke (Tirp) offer comic relief as they watch, perplexed at the human couple’s behavior. If one didn’t know better, one might mistake these two for “love birds.”

“Pyramus and Thisbe”

Shifting historical gears, we now journey from present day back to Shakespearean times for “Pyramus and Thisbe,” an abbreviated spoof of “Romeo and Juliet.”

In this play, originally written by the Greek poet Ovid, two enamored would-be lovers pine over each other through a wall, played by Mia Hauff. You read that right. A person is an animated wall in this one-act play. Don’t try to imagine it. Just get your tickets now.

This tragicomedy is dramatic, and then some. It’s so over the top it’s hard not to laugh, especially during the elaborate, drawn-out theatrical death scenes. I mean, people are dying here. But it’s funny because it’s not realistic.

Joey Lanier brings all the fun as Pyramus. Just one look at his contagious smile tells you he’s up to something, and capable of making the audience laugh until they nearly cry.

On the other side of the wall, Aribella Murillo matches Lanier’s theatrics as Thisbe. The pair take up the whole stage with their presence, and almost fight for the spotlight at times, in a humorous way.

Speaking of light, Jessica Luther plays Moonshine, and Romeo Dozier dons a lion costume to bring an added element of goofiness to an already hilarious production. I mean, the lion is “scary”? More like scary cute. You half expect him to start singing “The Rum Tum Tiger.” But instead, he just roars a horrifyingly funny roar.

“Love Letters”

And now for the tissues. Seriously, bring them. And not just that old one in your pocket from a week ago (throw it out, for the love of Pete!). I’m talking about an entire box of tissues. If you’re not a heartless beast, you will need them.

It may not look like much, as the two seasoned actors take the stage, seated next to each other at small wooden tables with cloth coverings, and they get out their lines. Are they just going to read the whole time? What is this?

This, my friend, is the last play in the series for a reason. This is the play that makes you feel all the elements of love — lust, longing, rivalry, jealousy, comfort, anger, you name it.

This play may be familiar to some patrons, as it was presented five years ago at Thunder Bay Theatre, featuring the exact same actors. In “Love Letters,” by A. R. Gurney, Carol Rundell and David Usher return to their roles as Melissa and Andy.

The seasoned actors are exquisite, as always. No other duo could pull this off quite so well.

Melissa and Andy came from very different homes, each with their own familial challenges. They have been exchanging letters since their playground days, and we peer into their lives, one letter at a time. It may sound mundane, and some of the letters are, but so flows the river of life, from calm waters to raging rapids. Emotions surface throughout this exchange of letters, both in Melissa and Andy, and into the audience. Sarcasm is thick on Melissa’s end, and the dutiful achiever in Andy can’t stop succeeding and appearing to be happy, despite his underlying desire to be with her.

They sail through the ups and downs of life together, but apart, even though it is clear they are meant to be. Or are they? Are they in love, or are they in love with writing love letters?

Find out yourself at ACT.

This three-part production opened Thursday and runs at 7:30 p.m. tonight and Saturday, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, then again the following Thursday through Sunday, with the final show at 2 p.m. on Feb. 20.

Alpena Civic Theatre is located at 401 River St. For tickets, call the box office at 989-354-3624. Hours are 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 3 p.m. to curtain on evening performances and noon to curtain on matinees.

Tickets are $15 per seat for all shows. Student tickets are $8 per seat.