Diversionary Theater, the third-oldest and one of the largest LGBTQ+ theaters in the country, serves as both a creative platform and a community gathering space where voices can grow louder, especially during challenging political times.
The theater's cabaret room pays homage to LGBTQ+ history with walls and bar tops decorated with community photographs provided by Lambda Archives, San Diego's LGBTQ+ historical organization.
"These are places we come to celebrate and to organize," Jenny Case, executive director of Diversionary Theater said.
The space features newspaper clippings documenting both attacks against the queer community and the protests that followed, alongside decades-old photos from Pride celebrations, marches and moments of love.
Even the stage design carries historical significance with bejeweled elements referencing "Friends of Dorothy" and ruby slippers, an old code used historically to identify members of the gay community.
Case talks about the inclusion model Diversionary Theatre has always stood for.
"San Diego is such a vibrant community for both the LGBTQIA+ community but also the theater community," Case said. "So if you love good theater, you can come to diversionary theater and you know that you're gonna see an excellent show no matter how you identify."
Diversionary opened in 1986, with pieces of the building slowly coming together through donations from Fritz Klein. What began as a medical office gradually became the theater's permanent home, with Klein eventually gifting the entire building to the organization before his passing.
This year marks a significant milestone for Diversionary Theatre, as Sherry Eden Barber becomes Diversionary's first female artistic director since its founding.
Barber, who previously toured with "Hamilton," came in from New York and brings a fresh perspective to her role.
"I get to be a part of the fight," Barber said. "Theater humanizes us, and it's so important to me that as the government tries to make us smaller, we go bigger."
Like many arts organizations, Diversionary faces funding challenges in today's political climate.
"We've absolutely had funding cuts," Barber said. "A lot of our community members lose jobs and such, we're feeling, you know, how do you still come together, how do you prioritize buying tickets and seeing a show... But that's why we continue to say we're gonna keep the lights on."
For its 40th anniversary season, Diversionary will present four shows under the theme "love as revolution." The lineup includes "Manifest P," "To My Girls" by JC Lee, "Straddle" co-written by Barber, and a unique re-imagining of "Rent."
Barber said all the productions share one common message about love being a revolution.
"The arts are what we always turn to when people need to feel seen and heard," Barber said.
To check out Diversionary Theatre's upcoming shows, click here.
