“Places to Touch Him” will be Chuck Zito’s last show for Diversionary Theatre as executive director. The title of Guillermo Reyes’ drama seems a fitting commentary on the many ways Chuck has reached out to touch our community with a string of nonstop hits at San Diego’s award-winning, gay theater.

At the end of June Chuck heads back to New York for family reasons and will be sorely missed by many. His theatrical shoes will be hard to fill. But as he sets his sights on New York and packs his belongings, we might find it an appropriate time to pause and reflect upon a legacy that includes a long string of audience and critical hits: Love Valour Compassion, Gross Indecency, The Boys in the Band, Jeffrey, Fifth of July, The Killing of Sister George, and many more.

The community should bring their hands together and applaud Chuck Zito with a prolonged standing ovation. For more than three years Zito has raised the bar higher and higher for acclaimed performances that oftentimes far outdistanced moneyed productions in the larger theatrical venues of San Diego.

His latest project is no exception. Places to Touch Him is all about compromise. In order to work your dream through the system – whether it is an individual’s compromise to parents, to job, to lovers or other strangers – there is often a need to sacrifice personal ambition for the higher cause.

In Reyes’ drama we find a rising Latino politician, César (Benito Gutierrez), confronted by a personal yearning for a fantasy-come-true lover in the form of a young, hot plaything named Domingo (Ciceron Altarejos). Even though César knows it may kill his promising career, he invites Domingo to share his home and life. Luckily for the community, Domingo voluntarily escapes from César’s world and runs out to find his own way, without the moneyed pathway that’s been tantalizingly waived in his face.

Much of the drama takes place with spirited conversations in a bar, many between César and his political advisor and friend, Matt (Thomas Hall), who encourages César to give up Domingo for the cause. It is here that the audience gets to know Domingo a little better. He’s a father to a young child, caretaker to his aging father, and intent on improving his status with higher education. He’s also an understandable contradiction: He wants the freedom to enjoy gay sex with as many partners as possible and a lover at the same time.

Reyes admits that he is still workshopping Places to Touch Him and will continue to tweak it until he’s completely satisfied. Still, it works on many levels. And he tackles subjects as varied as immigration, politics, family, sex and partnering.

Reyes usually adds a bit of flesh to dress up his productions and he doesn’t let his audience down on this one. Domingo struts his stuff in a thong that lets it all hang out, and there’s an intriguing ménage a trois between Domingo, Josh (Diego San Miguel) and a reluctant (at least initially) César.

Director Jeffrey Ingman (named interim director of Diversionary while they look for Zito’s replacement) balances the action of the play and pulls out competent performances by his cast of four.

After seeing this production you can’t help but think about the people in your life who have really touched you. If they are still around, you might want to tell them how good it felt.

That segues into a parting note for Diversionary’s director: Good luck, Mr. Chuck Zito; you have touched many!