An Online World of Love’s Hits, Glitches

“Cyberqueer” at the Celebration Theatre is an often dazzling, sometimes frustrating debut for first-time playwright Jake Specchio, whose great promise occasionally falls through the cracks of his own inexperience.

A high-tech comedy, “Cyberqueer” is primarily set in cyberspace--a gay and lesbian computer chat room, to be exact. In this sexually charged fantasy world, everyone is beautiful, no one ages, and AIDS has been reduced to a distant murmur.

Despite warnings from his best friend, Wally (Andy Steinlen), lonely academic Nelson (Andy Kreiss) goes online looking for love. Nelson creates an idealized alter ego, the muscular Thor (Tom Paris), who quickly finds a soul mate in the mysterious Darkhorse (Scott Utley). However, no matter how he struggles to get into the swing, Nelson cannot accept a love based in deception.

Paris and Utley are torridly sexual as the cyberspace lovers. Julianne Grossman splits sides as Wicca, the spell-spewing “goddess” who rules the chat room through mysticism and sheer bullheadedness. Mark Bringelson’s sparkling direction is abetted by Bradley Kaye’s imaginative set and Sherri Grider’s over-the-top costumes.

Despite a provocative premise and plenty of belly laughs, this outrageous romance is ultimately damaged by a few overly familiar sexual stereotypes and an O. Henry “surprise” ending we see coming megabytes away.

* “Cyberqueer,” Celebration Theatre, 7051 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Thursdays-Sundays, 8 p.m. Ends May 26. $15. (213) 857-8085. Running time: 1 hour, 20 minutes.