The Ottawa queer community has a lot more to look forward to in terms of up-and-coming theatre. Out There is yet another piece to the puzzle in the reformed fine art scene — this theatre company focusses its artistic talent on giving a voice to HIV/AIDS.

Out There's artistic director, Christopher Isaacs, is a survivor himself. While attending the International AIDS conference in Toronto last year, he noticed a major conduit for artistic expression in the various stories that came with those affected by HIV/AIDS. Isaacs saw a specific lack in the Ottawa queer community — giving artistic voice to the disease.

"There still is a stigma out there and there are very few AIDS plays, and very few creative plays about it — they are generally a thing of the past. Professional theatres might feel that plays about AIDS are not marketable and they don't feel the need to present them," says Isaacs.

Out There was formed Jan 1 of last year, and the troupe wrote their first piece, Testing Positive in February. The play was performed at the AIDS conference, work-shopped and subsequently performed for World AIDS Day in Pakistan.

Isaacs says that Out There is based on vaudevillian origins of theatre, emphasizing more project and collective work and submissions from the community. As well, Out There is completely not-for-profit and will present its pieces in the most accessible venues, such as the Bronson Centre.

"We're hoping for more of a production co-op idea, where ideas ripple off into the community. We need to remember that the project is the product," says Isaacs.

At the moment, Out There is subsisting on private donations and is trying to keep its production costs as low as possible. The troupe is hoping to get the ball rolling through word of mouth and has received interest from local AIDS groups such as the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, Bruce House and Snowy Owl. Out There was turned down for a Canada Council grant last year, but organizers hope for better luck with their pending application.

The company is working on two up-and-coming pieces: Pied!, based on the fairy tale The Pied Piper, and a collection of Red Ribbon stories which will be presented as a collective of short scenes and monologues. Isaacs is still looking for submissions for Red Ribbon stories in the form of dialogue, poetry, short stories, anecdotes, thoughts, feelings, original music — he says that Out There will work with any format.

Isaacs hopes that in the coming months, more stage volunteers will come forward and more people will submit their "Red Ribbon" stories to the company. He defines a "Red Ribbon" story as "a story that someone owns, that expresses a bare experience with HIV."

Out There is hoping to form a "board of trusted servants" to help with submissions. Isaacs is also looking to attract a youth voice and makes it clear that anyone affected by AIDS is welcome to help with the company.

"I see myself as a guide and want to help everyone feel free to express themselves without fear of retribution," says Isaacs.