The Theatre Department will bring diversity to the University in its third annual Outworks Festival from Jan. 22-27. The festival will feature six lesbian-, gay-, bisexual- and transgender-themed plays and will take place in the basement of Hatcher Hall. The plays were chosen from more than 120 submissions from across the nation. They are directed and performed by a mix of undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty. “Outworks is the theatre department’s attempt to grow with our society in their view of social and political relationships,” said undergraduate director Lindsey Lanson. She said that she notices the themes of the plays make some audience members feel uncomfortable, but ultimately the plays are not “gay plays.” “They are good plays about humanity in general,” Lanson said. She said she hopes people can appreciate them as that. John Fletcher, theater professor, said he is proud to be associated with Outworks because it “challenges stereotypes about the South as a backward, intolerant place.” “At national theater conferences, faculty from other institutions often tell me how impressed they are that LSU supports new work about LGBT issues,” Fletcher said. The festival will feature a variety of themes and moods, from sociopolitical dramas to light-hearted comedies. The plots include a queer spy versus spy, campus controversies, a birthday party from hell, a dog’s eye view of relationships, lovesick phone sex operators and the lesbian nightmare. “Theater in general has an obligation to open society’s eyes to the simpleness of humanity,” said undergraduate actor Caitlyn Sabrio. “Theater is the one place people can see reality, without actually living it.” As an actor, Sabrio said once she saw that these plays were about people in general and not “gay people,” she got into her part as a lesbian college student, despite her true sexual orientation. The Outworks Festival began three years ago when Chris Krejci, Ph.D. student in the theatre department, began imploring the nation’s theatre groups for play submission. The theatre department accepted play submission from across the nation from late July until October. Then, a committee of theater students and teachers chose six plays to include in this year’s festival. The various directors held informal rehearsals during the winter break, and full rehearsals begin this week. Lanson said to organize six plays in two weeks with busy people is an accomplishment in itself. She said she is excited about getting to direct her peers. The plays are split into two bills – A and B. The bills will alternate nights, and there will be a double feature of both bills on Sunday, Jan. 27.