Searching for Mr. Right is a hilarious new play that tells the story of how gay men looking for Mr. Right sometimes all too often settle for Mr. Right Now!

Written and directed by Gay & Lesbian Times columnist, Roman Jimenez, Searching for Mr. Right will debut in a limited four-day run at Diversionary Theatre from Thursday, Feb. 7 through Sunday, Feb. 10.

The very busy Jimenez recently sat down with the GLT to discuss his first experiences writing and directing this sharp and original look at how gay men approach relationships and sex, and how they sometimes don’t always make the best decisions when pursuing either!

Gay & Lesbian Times: How long have you been “searching for Mr. Right”? Are you single or partnered?

Roman Jimenez: I am very recently attached to a wonderful guy named Steve. Since I’ll be 35 in a month, I’ve been searching nearly that long. I thought I found him a few times, but it turns out, all the guys I mistook for Mr. Right, were really just Mr. Right Now.

GLT: Explain the premise of the show, Searching for Mr. Right. What is the story?

RJ: This play is a fun, quirky look at how gay men approach dating, relationships and sex. It’s an ensemble piece, inspired by shows like “Sex and the City,” meaning there are many different stories about a lot of different people, and they all wrap up nicely at the end. The underlying theme is about looking for love in all the wrong places and how, ultimately, some of the romantic choices we make have hilariously funny consequences.

GLT: Does the story take place in San Diego? If so, what’s unique about searching for Mr. Right in America’s Finest City? If not, where does the story take place and why?

RJ: Actually, that’s a great question! It’s never really specified. The show can really take place anywhere there are gay people and fag hags. It’s been my experience, through my travels — Chicago, New York, Sydney, and many other big cities and small towns — that gay men are pretty much the same. In every city you have some people looking for a long time, and some just for a good time. No matter where you are, there’s still disappointment when you find someone who wants something different.

GLT: Is the premise of the show, or elements of the storyline, taken from your dating experiences?

RJ: Oh god, yes! I’m a little embarrassed to admit that, but yeah, this play is extraordinarily autobiographical.

GLT: Will friends recognize elements of their lives or dating horror stories in the show? Have you implicated anyone you know in the play?

RJ: Everyone will identify with what they see on stage, whether they’re my friends or not, because these situations are so hilariously honest and real.

GLT: What are audience members going to see reflected on stage in their lives?

RJ: Audience members are going to see themselves in the show, in every scene and in every character. A friend read the script awhile back and said that I’ve held up a mirror to gay life in the big city and written down the best parts! Anyone who has ever been on a date will laugh out loud, and totally identify with just about every character and situation in this story. And, anyone who has ever had a one-night-stand will identify with the rest of it! It’s very real, and very funny.

GLT: Is this your debut as a playwright? Is this your directorial debut?

RJ: Yes, this is my theatrical debut as a writer, producer and director! But as an actor, I have acted in more than 40 productions. I’m drawing from a lot of that experience here.

GLT: How was your first experience?

RJ: It had always been my dream to write a play and have it produced and performed.

I was watching “Sex and the City” one night, and it was one of those episodes with the girls sitting around a cocktail table exchanging fast-paced, witty dialogue that was brutally honest and viciously funny. Like a lightning bolt, I said out-loud, “We need a gay version of this!” So I set out to write it.

I didn’t exactly know what to do next, so I decided to lean on a lesson my older brother Lance taught me: No one is responsible for making your dreams come true except for you.

With that as my impetus, I contacted Diversionary and told them I wanted to rent their space and put up the show myself. (I felt I would save them the trouble of turning it down in case it sucked!) Before you knew it, I wrote a check, signed a contract, and was in knee-deep.

Then I panicked. I didn’t know anything about building a set! By the most fortunate of coincidences, I happened to hand the new script to my next door neighbor Ken Callaway and his wife Christine. They read it, fell in love with it, and offered to help. They became my co-producers, and we were off and running. It turns out, Ken knows everything about building a set and has a good friend, Lance Dickinson, who is a very busy and talented lighting designer in Hollywood for feature films, who, it just so happens, missed working in the theater. Thanks to the writer’s strike, he was available, and has donated his time!

What three straight people are doing helping to tell the story of eight gay men looking for romance is beyond me, but one thing I do know is, Searching For Mr. Right wouldn’t exist without their huge contributions.

GLT: Talk a bit about your cast – in ads, we’ve seen a few very attractive men playing, presumably, lead roles. How did you cast the play?

RJ: Well, I held auditions, offered peanuts for pay, and out of the 30 people who auditioned, I hired the eight hottest guys! Aren’t they gorgeous?

OK, I’m kidding. I actually held auditions back in December, and then cast from there. Of the 30 who auditioned, I was lucky enough to find some amazingly talented actors who are, as you correctly point out, very attractive. Some of the casting decisions were tough, because we had such a great showing of phenomenal talent. Fortunately, everything has worked out, and I can’t imagine anyone playing the characters other than those actors who have brought them to life so well.

And in truth, not everyone looks like they just stepped out of a Sean Cody video. I mean, one of the characters in the play is, basically, me, a big beefy bearish guy. Of course, I happily took artistic license. While I did cast a bear, you can bet I made sure he was cuter than me!

GLT: What can audience members expect when they sit down for Searching for Mr. Right?

RJ: A hilariously funny theatrical experience that anyone who sees it will think is all about them, their lives and their friends.

GLT: What’s next for you?

RJ: Well, in my real life, I work as the Director of Corporate Communications for a small embryonic stem cell research company. My company has been in the news a lot lately, and that’s been taking a lot of time. With that, the two columns I write, and being a member of the tennis, softball and bowling leagues, I’ve always been a pretty busy guy. Add the play to the mix, and I’ve really been burning the candle at both ends. As soon as this is all over, I’m going to sleep. When I wake up, I’m going to get my softball team ready for the upcoming season.