Just Say Love

Through Aug. 29, $10-$25, Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge St., 215-627-1088, quinceproductions.com.

by Josh Middleton

theater

Director Daniel Student may be gaga for the ladies, but he'll be the first to admit he's gayer than half the queens in the Gayborhood. Growing up in a home with lesbian mothers and a gay brother, he's been a card-toting member of the community since his early tweens. "I joke with my friends that as the only straight person in my family, I had to be the one to come out of the closet." Student has utilized his unique insight to direct a variety of LGBTQ plays, earning him a reputation as Philadelphia's leading straight authority on gay theater. That's why Quince Productions approached him to direct Just Say Love, a lighthearted romantic comedy about two guys who enjoy a one-night stand, then work backward to connect on the other side of the sheets. He says he gravitated toward the script because it normalizes same-sex relationships by dealing with subject matter that people of all backgrounds will understand. "Anytime a group of people can come together in a shared space and witness a love story that goes through the trials and tribulations we can all relate to, it's an experience worth taking."