Outworks 2011 extends an invitation of love through the festival’s seven short plays based on themes of different sexualities in the Music and Dramatic Arts Studio Theatre.
Celebrating Outworks’ sixth year, the festival offers an uplifting and positive outlook on acceptance of different sexualities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, and “erases the lines between ‘us’ and ‘them,'” according to a Theatre Department news release. The show runs through Sunday with performances at 7:30 p.m. each night and at both 2 p.m. and 7:30 on Sunday.
“Outworks is an invitation to love. It contains seven short plays that invite the audience to witness a different kind of love from a different perspective,” said Sarah Ford, theater senior. Ford directs “Leave Me Alone,” a piece about two boys struggling with their sexual identities and relationship.
Annemarie Stassi, University theater performance alumna, coordinated Outworks 2011. She participated in the festival three years in a row while attending the University.
Stassi said it’s been a great experience coming back and coordinating the festival.
“Outworks sends love to anyone who’s ever doubted that they’re deserving of it, especially people who’ve been hated for the way that they love,” Stassi said. “Everyone has so much to give.”
This year marks the first year Outworks presents seven cohesive plays rather than six individual plays. Along with coordinating Outworks, Stassi also directs “The Queen Without His Crown,” the opening monologue about a lack of love felt by the main character Charlie, and “If a Ball Could Dream.”
“The rest of the plays in the festival respond to Charlie’s lack of love,” Stassi said.
Charlie doesn’t like anything about himself and doesn’t accept his sexuality, so all the characters throughout the performances tell their stories to him and change the framework of his mind and invite him to be loving of himself, Stassi said.
Kat Barry, president of Spectrum, a University organization formed to increase awareness of needs and concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students, said the organization is bringing a delegation of members to see the performance.
“Spectrum likes to support Outworks because it’s great they do that on campus,” Barry said. “I would love to increase our involvement with Outworks since the club has access to lots of people interested in what Outworks does.”
Barry said Outworks is really exciting, especially at a place like the University because they can have a week-long production of themes and a subject that doesn’t receive much attention on campus. She said protests are great, but Outworks is refreshing because it brings positive and exciting energy without the negative association.
Kaitlyn Stockwell, theater performance senior, worked with Outworks twice in the past. She directs “Second Kiss,” based on a 16-year-old confused with her sexuality. Stockwell chose the piece because she wanted something lighthearted and easily relatable but something that she could play with aesthetically.
“We decided early on that the festival would be an invitation for people who see the show to jump on board and be loving and open to homosexuality, especially with everything going on with issues like gay marriage and ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,'” Stockwell said. “The Outworks Festival will be a fun experience that’s also important to the community.”
Stockwell suggests having an open mind and embracing the performances of Outworks.
“Throughout the entire process, all the directors, actors and designers emphasized love as the main point of the production,” Stockwell said.
Stockwell hopes audiences come to see the show with that same love and also hopes it will be a positive experience for viewers, just as it been a positive experience creating Outworks.
“Change is happening, and we’re inviting people to be a part of this loving movement,” Stassi said.
 
 
 
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Contact Jeanne Lyons at [email protected]