SHOW GUIDE

April 24 to May 15, 2020 Hilberry Theatre Inside

Dear Educators THE PLAY Synopsis, Characters, Setting 2 Wayne State University is proud to produce plays for young people’s The Play 3 enjoyment and to actively explore the beauty, diversity, complexity and challenges of the world around them through the dramatic THE CREATORS arts. We wish to support the development of their creative voice, The 4 imagination, and understanding of drama and its role in our global society. CURRICULUM SUPPORT Activities presented assist in achieving the Michigan Common Core State Standards (MI-CCSS) This play guide is designed to be a tool in helping you prepare Speaking and Listening 5/6 your students for our performance as well as extend the production Writing 6/7 experience back into the classroom. History/Social Studies 7 Differentiated Learning Activities 8/9 Activities presented assist in achieving the Michigan Common Core State Standards (MI-CCSS). THE THEATRE Location and Seating 10 Your comments and suggestions about this guide, presentation First Time Visitor’s Guide 11 and/or programming are welcome. Email [email protected]. MORE TO SEE 12 Your Students’ Role

You may wish to have a discussion with your students before attending the play. Remind your students that they have an important role to play at the performance being the audience. It is because of the audience that the theatre exists. It will be their energy and response that will directly affect the actors onstage.

Young audiences should be reminded that live theatre is not like watching TV, a movie or DVD; the actors cannot pause or be rewound, there are no commercial breaks for running to the bathroom, the volume cannot be turned up to hear better if someone other than the actors are talking.

Encourage your students to listen and watch the play. They can laugh and cheer for their favorite characters. At the end of the play, applause is appropriate and is the opportunity for your students to thank the actors while the actors are thanking you for the role you played as the audience.

Theatre and Dance at Wayne SHOW GUIDE Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance Copyright 2018 College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY DRAMATURG Taylor Benjamin GRAPHIC DESIGN Thomas Karr BOX OFFICE Hilberry Theatre, 4743 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202 313-577-2972 ADMINISTRATION 4841 Cass Ave., Ste. 3206, Detroit, MI 48202 313-577-3508 All rights reserved. With the exception of classroom use by teachers and MARKETING 4841 Cass Ave., Ste. 3206, Detroit, MI 48202 313-577-3010 individual personal use, no part of this Show Guide may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by an information storage and retrieval John Wolf, Chair and Executive Producer system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Some materials published herein are written especially for our Guide. Others are reprinted by permission of their publishers. theatreanddanceatwayne.com | theatreanddance.wayne.edu The Play

Synopsis Characters After a decade-long hiatus from the stage, an actress (She) is set to make SHE: The Last Kiss A woman in her mid-forties. her comeback in the 1930s melodrama as doomed heroine Plays the role of Ada Wilcox. Ada Wilcox. Despite having the support of her husband and her daugh- ter, her world turns upside down when she find that the role of her HE: character’s ex-lover will be played by none other than her own ex-lover. A man in his mid-forties. Plays the role of Johnny Lowell. Forced in to close proximity with He - and his lips - the lines between She and her character begin to blur. On top of their attraction to each other, ADRIAN SCHWALBACH: She and He must also contend with a myriad of theatrical challenges, in- A director. cluding a broken ankle, a slippery script, a director who implores them to KEVIN: “trust your instincts,” and an understudy who’s kisses don’t leave much The reader. to be desired. Plays the understudy, the doctor and the butler

Art imitates Life. Life imitates Art. But as art and life begin to separate, ANGELA: the characters look at each other with newly clear eyes - an act that An actress in her mid-twenties radically changes their conceptions of themselves, their desires and their Plays the Maid (Act 1) and Angela (Act 2) relationships. AN ACTRESS: An actress in her mid-twenties. Plays Millicent (Act 1) and Laurie (Act 2) Stage Kiss captures Sarah Ruhl’s singular voice. It is a charming tale about what happens when lovers share a stage kiss—or when actors THE HUSBAND share a real one.

SHOW GUIDE • 2 The Play and Horizons Reviews

Jessica Hecht and Daniel Jenkins in the original production at in 2014

Stage Kiss enjoyed it’s world premiere at The in Chicago, in 2011, before making its New York City debut at Playwrights Horizons in 2014 under the direction of .

“CRITIC’S PICK. Suffused with warmth and humor. Sarah Ruhl frothily whips together romantic comedy and backstage farce in this lively comedy about a pair of actors... who find life and art mixing together when they rekindle an old romance during rehearsals for a play.” — New York Times

“FOUR STARS. Sarah Ruhl delivers a brilliant comedy that aims for big laughs and hits its target. Funny: There’s nothing like it.” — New York Post

“At once a knowing send-up of the hazy half-truths of stage naturalism and a goofy meditation on the nature of desire and sexual fantasy, [Stage Kiss] manages to be both wholly original and instantly recognizable to the audience. As a satire of theatre and theatricals, it’s right up there with Neil Simon’s ‘The Sunshine Boys.’’-

“There’s not one but two plays-within-a-play in Sarah Ruhl’s Stage Kiss, a highly meta-theatrical, fundamentally enjoyable, slightly slight, not-so-romantic comedy pondering the complexity of onstage osculation.” —­ Variety

“Stage Kiss is part parody, part inside-baseball valentine to theater, part falling-down silly physical comedy about love.” —­ Newsday

“The gorgeously articulate author of The Clean House and is in top form with this delightful piece” — Theatremania SHOW GUIDE • 3 The Creator - Sarah Ruhl

Sarah Ruhl is a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and a Tony Award nominee.

Her plays have been produced on Broadway at the Lyceum by Theater, off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage, and at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi Newhouse Theater. Her plays have been produced regionally all over the country and have also been produced internationally, and translated into over twelve languages.

Ms. Ruhl received her M.F.A. from where she studied with . She has received the Steinberg Distinguished Playwright award, the Susan Smith Blackburn award, the Whiting award, the Lily Award, a PEN award for mid-career playwrights, and the MacArthur “genius” award. Her book of essays 100 Essays I Don’t Have Time to Write was published by Faber and Faber.

She teaches at the Yale School of Drama and lives in Brooklyn with her family.

SHOW GUIDE • 4 Curriculum Support

SPEAKING AND LISTENING Sarah Ruhl’s [Sharing of any writing project orally in class will also fit under the Speaking and Listening plays include: (SL) Standard]

The Clean House CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1, 2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade level topics and How to Transcend a Happy Marriage text with peers and adults in small and larger groups. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 7.1, 8.1, [9-10.1, 11-12.1] For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in small groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade level topics and text, building on others; ideas Scenes From Court Life and expressing their own clearly [and persuasively].

Dead Man’s Cell Phone CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1, [2.4] Describe people, places, things and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feel- Dear Elizabeth ings clearly [audibly in coherent sentences].

Demeter In The City CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4, [4.4, 5.4] Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount and experience with appropriate facts and Eurydice relevant, descriptive details [to support main idea or theme] speaking clearly at an under- standable pace.

In The Next Room (or the vibrator CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4, 7.4, 8.4 play) Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details: appropriate eye contact, Late, a Cowboy Song adequate volume and clear pronunciation.

Melancholy Play CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4, 11-12.4 Present information, findings, and supportive evidence, conveying a clear and distinct Melancholy Play: a chamber perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing musical perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience and range of formal and informal task. The Oldest Boy CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.6, 7.6, 8.6, 9-10.6, 11-12.6 Adapt speech to a variety of context and task, demonstrating command of formal English Orlando when indicated or appropriate. (adapted from the original by ) CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.9, 2.9, 3.9, (5.9, 6.9) Passion Play Compare and contrast the adventures and experience of characters in stories. (in different forms or genres in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics) Stage Kiss

Three Sisters SPEAKING AND LISTENING continued (Translated from the original by ) CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.7 Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading the text to what the perceive when they listen or watch.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.7 SHOW GUIDE • 5 Curriculum Support

Compare and contrast a written story, drama or poem to its audio, film, staged or multimedia version, analyze the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g. lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.7 Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.7 Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g. recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry) evaluating how each version interprets the source text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.(6.2) 7.2, 8.2, [9-10.2, 11-12.2] Determine (a theme) two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; [including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account: provide an objective summary of the text.]

WRITING

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.3, 2.3, 3.3 Write narratives in which they recount a well elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thought, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3, 5.3, 6.3, 7.3, 8.3, 9-10.3, 11-12.3 Writes narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, descriptive details, and clear event sequence.

WRITING continued

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1, [2.1] Write opinion piece in which they introduce the topic or name of book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reasons for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure. [use linking words to connect the opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section]

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1, 4.1, 5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or text, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1, 7.1, 8.1, [9-10.1, 11-12.1] Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. [Write an argument to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or text, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence]

SHOW GUIDE • 6 Curriculum Support

HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.3 Evaluate various explanation for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textural evidence acknowl- edging where the text leaves matters uncertain.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6 Identify aspects of a text that reveals an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g. loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of partic- ular facts)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.6 Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.6 Evaluate author’s differing points of views on the same historical events or issues by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning and evidence.

SHOW GUIDE • 7 Curriculum Support DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES (modify as needed to meet the needs of your students) First Loves In Stage Kiss, playwright Sarah Ruhl sets the story in motion by reuniting two people who were each other’s first loves. As their relationship evolves, she explores both the pleasures and the difficulties of renewing this special connection. Any first-time experience is memorable because of what is known as the “primacy effect:” we tend to remember first impressions of people, places and activities more strongly than subsequent encounters with them. Since all of our senses tend to be engaged at once, and new experiences unleash “feel- good” chemicals in our brains, first-time experiences are deeply grooved into our memories. If repeated over time, they lose their punch and our recall of them can be much less powerful and specific.

The first experience of romantic love can have a lasting impact. If it occurs in our teenage or young adult years it may feel especially intense because the sensations are so new and engrossing. Bonding with a romantic partner may be the first step towards achieving independence from our families and taking ownership of our lives. Existence feels filled with endless exciting possibilities. Because the relationship tends to consume so much attention and energy, when it falters — usually due to changes in feelings or life circumstances — the sense of loss can be equally deep, if not devastating. Strong memories and unresolved feelings can lead to former couples wondering what might have been. These days, with the ease of contact through social media, some end up trying to take up where they left off. Those who abandon existing relationships to reengage with their first loves may not only be propelled by a longing for what was lost but also for their younger selves, who were filled with the vitality and passion that may have ebbed as they matured, or their current long-term relationships became less passionate.

According to psychologist Nancy Kalish, as soon as romantic feelings wane and the more mundane aspects of daily life intrude, or the feelings for the present-day mate resurface, these renewed involvements can fail. If, however, prior relationships have ended and the couple engages in a mature love, those who reunite can be quite happy together.

Writing Exercise: Recall a powerful “first experience,” such as an exciting place to which you traveled, a type of food you loved instantly, or a person you met and felt very close to right away. Use sensory details (what you saw, heard, smelled, tasted and/or felt through your sense of touch) to describe the experience and how it made you feel.

SHOW GUIDE • 8 Curriculum Support

DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES (modify as needed to meet the needs of your students) Post-show Discussion Depending on the time available and your group members’ interests, guide them to respond to questions selected from those suggested below.

Encourage everyone to participate, while having respect for differing opinions. Individuals can share their thoughts with a partner or in a small group. Ask for several volunteers to share their groups’ answers with the larger group.

• Overall, how did you feel while watching the play? Engaged? Distanced? Entertained? Bored? Confused? Inspired? What made you feel this way?

• What did you enjoy most about the play? What did you have trouble connecting to?

• Have you ever encountered a first love again? How did it make you feel? If not, what do you imagine it would be like to see this person again?

• What did you learn about the craft of acting from experiencing the play? What did you learn about the design and production of a play?

• What was the funniest moment in the play?

• After seeing the play, do you agree with those who consider Sarah Ruhl to be one of the most original playwrights working today? If so, why? If not, why not?

• What did you appreciate most about the performances by the actors?

• How did the set, props, lighting and visuals contribute to your experience of the play?

• Would you recommend Stage Kiss to other theatergoers? Why, or why not?

SHOW GUIDE • 9 The Theatre

The Hilberry Theatre

4743 Cass Avenue (at the corner of Cass and Hancock) Detroit, MI 48202

The Hilberry Theatre was completed in 1917 for the First Church of Christ, Scientist. Field, Hinchman and Smith – predecessor to the architectural firm of Smith, Hinchman and Grylls – designed it in a Classical Roman Ionic style. In 1961, Wayne State University acquired the building and converted the auditorium into an open stage theater. Named after the president of the university, Clarence B. Hilberry, the theater was created to house a graduate repertory company, which opened its first season in 1964.

Your seats will be assigned by the Group Sales Manager so if you have any specific needs, please let them know in advance.

Accessibility: The ramps on the Hancock Avenue side provide access to the lobby for those patrons who may have difficulty with stairs or need accessible access for their wheelchair or motorized scooter. Within the lobby, a ramp is available to assist patrons into the theatre’s seating area.

Assisted-Listening Devices: We offer, free of charge, assisted-listening devices for those patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. These are available from the coat check, located to the left of the concession stand.

Seating: Limited wheelchair-accessible seating is available in the Hilberry Theatre. Patrons wishing to purchase these seats may call the Box Office at 313-577-2972 to make arrangements.

Restrooms: Restrooms are available on the second level (men up the staircase to the right, women up the staircase to the left). A wheelchair-accessible restroom is located in the lobby, to the right of the concession stand. SHOW GUIDE • 10 The Theatre

First Time Visitor’s Guide

IS IT YOUR FIRST TIME AT THE THEATRE? Welcome! We can’t wait to have you join us. Live performances WHAT ABOUT MY CELLPHONE/TABLET? A ringing or the glow of a cellphone or tablet screen takes the are an inspiring, riveting experience. For some, that can be audience (and the performers) out of the show. intimidating. We hope this section provides you with answers to commonly asked questions but don’t hesitate to contact us if you Please turn your device to airplane or silent mode or, even better, need anything further. turn them off, so that everyone can enjoy the show.

START TIMES Out of respect for the audience, we strive to start shows on time. The RESTROOMS We don’t want you to miss out on any of the action of the play, so starting time is often referred to as the “curtain.” please visit the restroom before the performance begins. Restrooms are located in the lobby. We urge our audience to arrive at least a few minutes before curtain to allow time to find your seats and get comfortable. Arriving late Men’s restrooms are up the staircase above the concession stand. may mean disrupting the rest of the audience because our ushers Women’s restrooms are up the staircase above the box office. A must use flashlights to safely guide you to your seats. You may also wheelchair-accessible restroom is available on the main level next be asked to sit in another location to avoid disturbing others. to the concession stand. You’re welcome to arrive 30 minutes early. DURING THE PERFORMANCE Please feel free to have honest reactions to what is happening on CAN I BRING DRINKS OR SNACKS INTO THE THEATRE? stage. You can laugh, applaud and enjoy the performance. However, Few things are as distracting as the noise from a candy wrapper or a please don’t talk during the performance; it is extremely distracting spilled drink making the floor sticky. to other audience members and the actors. Save discussions for intermission and after the performance. This is why we ask that you finish any drinks or snacks in the lobby, although bottled water is acceptable inside the theatre. IF I ENJOY THE SHOW, WHAT’S NEXT? We’re thrilled you enjoyed the show! The best thing you can do is CAN I TAKE PHOTOS OR RECORD VIDEO OF THE SHOW? tell your friends about your experience. No. Elements of the show may be copyrighted, so it’s illegal to photograph or film the show. If caught taking photos or video, you Word of mouth is the number one way people learn about us, so will be asked to delete the recording. telling others how much you enjoyed yourself is truly appreciated. A more significant reason we ask you to refrain from taking pictures Share your experience on your favorite social media site, call a or filming the show is that it’s very disruptive to your fellow friend, or tell your colleagues at work. audience members.

The glow of a camera dramatically lights up the theatre. However, we encourage you to take photos before the show, at intermission, or afterward and share your experience on social media. Be sure to tag us!

Facebook: /TheatreandDanceatWayne Instagram: @theatreanddanceatwayne Youtube: WayneStateTheatres

SHOW GUIDE • 11 Our season is full of exciting plays, musicals, and dance concerts. Included below is a list of each production and specific weekday morning matinee performance. If you’d like to bring a school group to any of these, please contact our group sales manager at 313-577-0852 or visit our website to submit your reservation online. If you’d like to come to a public More to see performance, call the box office at 313-577-2972 or order your tickets online at theatreanddanceatwayne.com.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL TOBACCO ROAD Bonstelle Theatre Underground at the Hilberry Dickens’ beloved holiday tale returns for its fourth year! The Underground at the Hilberry is accessible by stairs. If you have a mobility concern, please call the box office (313-577-2972) 24 hours in advance so we can assist you. Field Trip Dates Field Trip Dates Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 24 at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 1 at 10 a.m. Scrooge and his ghostly guides are back for a fourth Erskine Caldwell’s celebrate American novel, Tobacco year of this beloved holiday tale. A Christmas Carol Road, comes to life in an adaptation by Jack Kirkland. follows miserly old Scrooge when he’s visited by his former business partner, Jacob Marley. Warned that his It follows a family of Georgian farmers who struggle humbuggery will curse him in the afterlife, Marley sends during the Great Depression as their once profitable the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future to help tobacco crop slowly dies. Jeeter Lester, the father, lives in Scrooge reform his curmudgeonly ways. Will the old squalor with his wife Ada, their two children, Dude and codger redeem himself? Can the spirits inspire him to Ellie May, and his mother. When the family learns that a greater purpose? Utilizing magical special effects and their house and property are now owned by the bank, a mechanically marvelous set, A Christmas Carol will Jeeter is given a chance to earn money so that they may delight everyone who experiences it. Based on Charles keep living there, but he refuses. Desperate to save their Dickens classic story, this 75-minute long production is family, the once-proud father makes sacrifices that will written by John Wolf and Tom Aulino. impact their lives in ways unimaginable.

Disney + Cameron Macintosh’s THE WINTER’S TALE MARY POPPINS Shakespeare’s wistful tale of loss and romance Bonstelle Theatre Hilberry Theatre Field Trip Dates Field Trip Dates Tuesday, April 14 at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. Friday, April 17 at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. Pop open your umbrellas and take flight with us as Including one of Shakespeare’s most famous and funny everyone’s favorite, and practically perfect, nanny takes stage directions, “’Exit, pursued by a bear,” The Winter’s the stage in this supercalifragilisticexpialidocious musical Tale is a romance, a comedy, and a fairy tale that has adventure. Mary Poppins is an enchanting story that entertained audiences for 400 years. The story begins in follows the Banks family as they struggle with life in Sicilia where the king accuses his wife of having an affair Edwardian England just after the turn of the 19th century. with his childhood friend. As his unfounded jealousy The children, Jane and Michael, are terribly ill-behaved. consumes him, he puts his wife on trial and abandons Mrs. Banks is lonely and bereft, aching for dreams long their newborn girl, Perdita, in the wild. But as with all ignored. And Mr. Banks just wants to live an orderly, well- fairy tales, the child survives and, now living in Bohemia, established life. Helping them is the mysterious nanny she blossoms into a free-spirited young woman. It’s who can talk to birds, magically transform a gloomy park there that she meets and falls in love with a young man into a painterly scene, and, just maybe, with a spoonful of who may just be the son to her father’s former friend. sugar, get the Banks back on track. In a magical twist that must be seen to be believed, she might just find the homecoming she’d never expected. STAGE KISS by Sarah Ruhl COMPANY ONE DANCE CONCERT Hilberry Theatre Bonstelle Theatre One performance only! Field Trip Dates Tuesday, May 5 at 10 a.m. Field Trip Dates Friday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. When two actors with a history are thrown together as romantic leads in a forgotten 1930s melodrama, they Bring your class to the historic Bonstelle theater! quickly lose touch with reality as the story onstage follows Company One’s morning dance concert is for schools them offstage. Stage Kiss, by renowned playwright Sarah and community groups. The engaging concert is also Ruhl, is a charming tale about what happens when open to the public. Through movement, spoken word, characters share a stage kiss — or when actors share a real and the creative process the dancers will engage you in one. an experience to remember. Come ready to see, think, and wonder. The show is great for aspiring artists, as well “A gift and a rarity: a superb new romantic comedy that’s as, students studying history, humanities, anthropology, moving, smart and flat-out hilarious… You will have social sciences, and more. K-12 and special education difficulty breathing. Stage Kiss is that funny.” — Jesse students welcome. Stick around after the show for a Q Green, New York Magazine and A with the dancers!