Dan (Dan Rothenberg) is a lucky guy. It seems that he had actually met his soulmate in Colleen (Colleen Crabtree). His aversion to small containers and alcoholism are welcomed and refreshing character deficiencies to Colleen, who by the way has more than a few of her own unusual and unique idiosyncrasies. From date one, they each felt as though they had finally found the one person who would love them for the screwed-up, therapy-going, social-mutant that they each was. Now, on the eve of their six-month anniversary, Dan knows it will call come crashing down to an end when he contemplates telling colleen the one last thing he has yet to tell her about is past. Dan needs to confess the small detail that for two years he was… sorta gay.

A continuation to his 2005 one-person play “Regretrosexual”, Dan Rothenberg picks up on his personal saga with “Regretrosexual: The Love Story”. In this latest confessional comedy, Dan regales the audience with his adventures in San Francisco as wingman to his best friend Jason, who eventually came out to him. And, in an ultimate effort to be accepted, Dan decides that he too is gay.

For two years, Dan had the gayest time of his life in San Francisco

Living the gay life made Dan feel desirable and confident; he didn’t have to try to find someone or have the fear of rejection that came with dating women. Dan explains that as a man, it was a rare occasion when he could not “finish” during a physical encounter, so it was easy to pass as a gay man. Only after a brief crush on a lesbian comic and a breakthrough during therapy does Dan come to terms with the fact that he was indeed straight. It was a necessary period in his life for him to evolve as a person. But how do you explain that to the woman you love?

As a gay man, Dan could approach anyone with sheer confidence

What’s more, the whole gay thing seems to be the only hangout that Colleen seemed to have. Something about a Greg and a train wreck… It made the subject hard for Dan to breach. So when the rhinestone chaps were discovered, Dan lied. But when they are at six months. This was the threshold of commitment. Beyond this point, anything untold about their pasts was deliberate concealment, a lie. The night to come clean was tonight. But will Dan risk losing Colleen? Will his past cost him his future with Colleen?

This play is a fun romp on the flip side of the typical coming out story. Rothenberg has the advantage of breaking the fourth wall to reason one on one with his audience. Crabtree bears the burden of playing every other person in Dan’s past and present: from his nagging mother, to his apathetic therapist, from his quasi-gay love Jason, to current straight lover Colleen. She spends the entire first act going through more costume changes than most Broadway productions.

Colleen Crabtree & Dan Rothenberg in "Regretrosexual - The Love Story"

This duo is a wonderfully likable pair of Oddkins who have found each other. This wife-husband team has developed and performs a very funny and enlightening piece that illuminated the pitfalls of sexual identity as well as the complications of being in a committed relationship. Never before has a play been the consummate champion for both Gay lifestyle and personal honesty.

Go see this one; you’ll have a good time.

Regretrosexual is currently running Thursday, Fridays & Saturdays @ 8pm through March 15th.

Hudson Guild Theater
6539 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90038

For tickets and reservations call:  (323) 960-7822 or www.plays411.com/regretrosexual

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