Christmastime is Queer 4

The Playwrights 6 scribes offer an enjoyable evening of short plays incorporating gay or lesbian topics. David Church's "Christ on the Couch," adeptly directed by Kay Cole, presents a surrealistic mix of time periods. The encounter between Sigmund Freud (drolly funny Sean Smith) and Jesus Christ (the fine Joe Souza) is filled with references to contemporary events and celebrities. On his birthday, the despondent Christ pays a visit to the sympathetic shrink. The supreme being is annoyed that the messages of the Bible are often distorted to suit personal or political agendas. Church's satiric points are obvious, but the play leads to an uplifting conclusion.

In Monica Trasandes' diverting "Cintra, My Gift to Me," middle-aged lesbian Anna (Paula Fins) yearns to reconnect with her former flame Coco (Josette DiCarlo). When Anna and a much younger woman, Cintra (Nell Teare), attend a holiday party given by Coco and her husband, Charlie (Charls Sedgwick Hall), a series of comical intrigues play out on the dance floor. Vesna Hocevar directs an able cast in the short but sassy vignette.

Sexual ambiguity is cleverly explored in the evening's best offering, "Hot Tottie," by Laura Black, smartly directed by Jonathan Levit. Following an office Christmas party and a drunken one-night stand, gay man Lance (John Michael Beck) and lesbian Carla (Betsy Moore) wake up in his apartment. The denial that each character struggles with could be considered heterosexual panic. The actors make the most of Black's incisive and hilarious dialogue.

Larry Dean Harris' sweet "Zat You Santa Claus?" likewise mixes screamingly funny lines with ruminations on interesting issues. Eleven-year-old Billy (the engaging Michael O'Hara) wants the department store Santa (the superb Hall) to grant his wish to no longer be gay. As this Santa happens to be black, his advice includes reflections on bigotry. With the help of an eager department store elf (Samantha Kern, delightfully amusing), Santa helps Billy deal with his problems. Michael A. Shepperd provides effervescent direction.

Amy Heidish's "Dance + Deck the Halls" has the snappy pace of a stylishly performed sitcom. Boyfriends Blake (Michael Taylor Gray) and David (Alecs Vildosola) arrive for a Christmas Eve rendezvous at David's apartment to find an unexpected third party, David's flamboyant roomie Jesse (Christopher Grant Pearson). Unfortunately, no one realized Jesse and Blake are acquainted: Blake is Jesse's boss and had recently fired him. Under Kelly Ann Ford's spry direction, plenty of laughs precede a felicitous resolution.

Presented by Playwrights 6 at the Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. Dec. 2-17. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m. www.celebrationtheatre.com.