As democracy fails, those without wealth or power will wield whatever leverage they can to influence our corrupt system. Roxanne and her colleagues, "specialty service" prostitutes in the Washington DC area, have decided enough is enough: they're striking until sanity is restored in Congress.

Lysistrata is a comedy written by the Greek playwright Aristophanes in the year 411 BCE. Like much ancient Greek comedy, the play was racy, political, and irreverent. It was not explicitly feminist or anti-war, however; it was just meant as a good time. I hope this is also a good time, if perhaps a bit more feminist than the original, as befits modern times.

Frances and Leo met, loved, married, hated, and divorced before their daughter Carmen was ever born, and then spent decades after locked in a battle for control — with Carmen as the battleground. So fierce is their competition that they even die almost simultaneously, leaving Carmen to weave together a family history using the only thread she’s got: their mutual love of Billy Joel. And while the Hindu deity Ganesh orchestrates the paths this family must take towards acceptance, Frances and Leo are stuck -- together -- in Limbo.

A mayfly couple tries to fill their lives with action, meaning, pleasure, and serenity — all within their allotted 24 hours.

Five relationships navigate hairpin turns, with some approaching the end of their run, while others are embarking on new adventures. In the chaos of love, some grow stronger while others retreat. Whether they experience entrapment or liberation, whether they blurt out the truth or cling to the lies, at the end of this difficult, neurotic, hilarious meal, no one is quite the same.

Like an appetizer that doesn’t quite satisfy, Claire and William discover that their youthful passion can’t sustain them through the daily grind of adulthood.

And much as one might regret his choice of entree, Edgar questions his choice not to be a real father to Sophie. Sophie, meanwhile, learns she doesn’t much care for dinner dates with Dad.

Grace is sorely tempted by novelty, and struggles to remain faithful to both her “usual” (the linguine), and her husband (Nick). Rebecca wants to try, possibly to take, whatever Grace is having, be it her entree or her husband. Nick will take whatever basic comforts, food or women, are offered to him, while James longs for the adventure represented by Grace... and the sturgeon. This foursome is a tangled mess of indecision, insecurity and mis-aligned loyalties.

Above it all ride Patrick and Lily, whose neuroses mask a surprisingly functional relationship. But are they ready for the next step -- parenthood? What are they giving up? What if their kid hates them? Despite the insanity swirling around them, this is their time to mincingly edge towards the precipice and reaffirm that whatever dish gets served up next, the meal is a good one.

Patrick and Lily meet for an anniversary dinner in an upscale cafe. Lily announces her gift: impending parenthood, but are they ready for this step? Bracing against the world’s and their own insanity, this is their time to mincingly edge towards the precipice and reaffirm that the ride is worth it.

Madge can't decide how best to steal the show from her dear friend at an upcoming wedding. Her sister Stella is a bit more worried about interplanetary invasion.