The LGBT Theatre Alliance will host its third annual LGBTQA Prom at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 24 in 119 Theatre Building.

Austin Eyer, School of Theatre faculty member and founder of the LGBT Theatre Alliance and the LGBTQA Prom, came up with the idea in 2015.

“Austin Eyer recognized the distinct lack of celebration for open queerness in the Penn State community and in the School of Theatre,” said Lena Skeele, co-head of the LGBT Theatre Alliance. “[The LGBT Theatre Alliance] was just a space for queer artists in the School of Theatre to come together and just have a place to have meetings and talk.”

From this organization, Eyer desired to reach a more vast group of students on campus. Thus came the LGBTQA Prom.

To raise awareness and money for the prom, Skeele came up with an idea for a cabaret (affectionately nicknamed “Cabargay”) full of performances by all LGTBQA members, including State College drag’s own Laurel Charleston.

Skeele was nervous that the prom wouldn’t reach the entire campus and only a few theatre majors would attend: “There’s nothing worse than throwing a party and no one showing up.”

Much to her surprise, on the night of the first LGBTQA Prom, loads of faculty members, actors, theatre technicians, and students from all different backgrounds and majors poured in to the Theatre Building to celebrate and support the LGBTQA community.

This year, Skeele hopes to “pique the interest of more and more non-theatre people at Penn State.” She wants everyone on campus to hear about the event and dance with her at the prom.

In previous years, the prom has been a night of performances, food, and themed fancy-wear. This year, the theme will be the 1920s, so get out those flapper dresses and bowties for a Great Gatsby-esque night of partying.

“I want this to get so huge they have to give us school funding,” Skeele said.