In “Straddle”, Diversionary Theatre opens its 2026 season with a story about intimacy, conflict, and the realities of a long-term marriage.
The feel that Diversionary is giving variety in this new chapter, is nice. Sometimes theatre companies use the same tone, which can become monotonous. Others engage in big risks, and it becomes messy. In their first production of 2026, Diversionary is presenting Straddle, a world premiere by Harrison David Rivers and co-conceived with the company’s artistic director, Sherri Eden Barber. As I read, Sherri found a gap in Lesbian stories featuring women over 40, and also made this production part of Diversionary’s 40th-anniversary season, which is a cool fit.
Dodie (Summer Broyhill) and Vita (Marti Gobel) have been married for a while and have two children together. For their upcoming anniversary, they go on a sexy getaway at a fancy hotel. Things start hot and heavy in the room, though Vita is uneasy; she wants to talk to her wife, but Dodie is focused on celebrating and having a good time. When she decides to go up the hallway to get ice, the mood totally changes, and the relationship struggles surface.
Diversionary gave us a gorgeous set design for To My Girls, a production that earned Mathys Herbert the 2025 Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Scenic Design. Well, they are doing it again: McKenna Perry brought a stunning, detailed hotel room with differently shaped mirrors, an original and colorful headboard, a fancy coffee maker at a fancy coffee station, a bathroom with a sliding door, and yes, lots of pillows. As mentioned, the play starts off utterly sexy, not only because of the action but also because of Hunter Kaczorowski’s costumes, which included chaps, pleather, and lace, along with some props that will remain nameless. Delicia Turner Sonnenberg is the intimacy director, ensuring the hot-and-heavy scenes are at the level they should be.
Sherri Eden Barber’s trace is straight and to the point, having both actrecess move throughout the space, using it all, creating a solid frame while audiences engaged. There is a novelty involving water that was fitting and meshed well with Annelise Salazar’s lighting, which began with a soft bronzed color, then contoured with cold whites and darks.
There are songs before and during the performance. A collective effort between Hunter Kaczorowski, Steven Leffue, and Sherri Eden Barber, totally highlighting the different moods. One of the songs was “Sex (With My Ex)” by FLETCHER, which I had never heard before and loved.
The play is 70 minutes with no intermission. Even though it is short, it has spaces that feel more like filler than anything. Because the core of the story happens basically at the end. That core is everything, with impeccable timing across all the elements and the messaging. So, putting it all together, it feels like it could have been resolved sooner.
Both actresses delivered the scenes accordingly. Summer as the overpowering yet immature Dodie and Marti as the in love but tired Vita. I appreciated both performances; however, because I have seen Marti in such powerful, strong, raw roles, Vita felt unsure. Maybe she conveyed it all too well, and that is why I feel weird about it. I don’t know.
What I do know, and this play reassured me, is that relationships are hard no matter the gender.
Currently playing until March 15.
Jaz Villalino is the Stage Manager for this production.
