STOP KISS a Dramaturgical Casebook Written By: Diana Son

STOP KISS A Dramaturgical Casebook Written by: Diana Son

Drew University Department of Theatre and Dance The Directing Lab September 28th – October 1st, 2016

Directed by Ciana Proto, C’17 Dramaturgy by Philipe AbiYouness, C’17 and Michelle Taliento, C’17

Stop Kiss Production Team

Directed by Ciana Proto

Set Design by Emma Barakat Costume Design by Hailey Benson Light Design by Everton Johnson Props Design by Mikaela Simon Sound Design by Production Stage Manager: Aliyah Keisler Production Assistant Stage Manager: Alcides Costa Dramaturgs: Philipe AbiYouness and Michelle Taliento

CAST

Callie: Ava Serene Portman Sarah: Milly Pinkos George: Carlos Pajaro Peter: Shafer Ward Mrs. Winsley: Shanna Quackenbush Nurse: Marley Crank Detective Cole: Maliik Hall

Table of Contents

I. Letter to the Director …………………………………………………………………………………5 II. Playwright Biography …………………………………………………………………………………6 III. Production History……………………………………………………………………………………..7 a. Pre-Production and Writing the Play b. Original Production c. First College Productions IV. Historical Context………………………………………………………………………………………13 V. Miscellaneous Research…………………………………………………………………………….16 a. Orlando Shooting and Hate Crimes Research b. Real Life Cases c. Character Research d. LGBTQ Spectrum Research VI. Annotated Script VII. Annotated Map VIII. Outreach and Potential Board Ideas IX. Bibliography

Introduction

This production casebook was developed in part through the influence of the Fall 2015

Dramaturgy class at Drew University.

This casebook includes research about the play and playwright, as well as miscellaneous research including character-based topics. There is also an annotated script, and an annotated map of New York City including locations that are mentioned within the pages of the script.

It also includes production related planning and research relating to community outreach, lobby displays, and further program information. 5

Letter to the Director

Hey there friend and (now) collaborator!

We are so excited to embark on this project with you! We can’t wait to see how you bring this compelling script to life with your vision and creativity.

Let’s talk about the ways that we, as dramaturgs, can serve this production. Our job spans from pre-production, through the rehearsal process, and potentially throughout the run of the show. Pre-production is when we perform all the preliminary research and create the casebook. The casebook is supposed to be a resource for you, the cast, and the production team. It has information on production history, dramatic criticism, character research, socio- cultural research, as well as an annotated script and map. It’s meant to serve as a foundation of information and ideas that will hopefully inspire and drive your work and the work of the entire team. The casebook will live in the Google Drive and in the rehearsal room once we create the physical copy.

Our function during rehearsals is to be a resource to you and the cast. We will be there to ask questions that will make sure the world of the play is consistent and factual. We will also be there if you or anyone else on the team has questions! We can look up information, find images, and provide background. We are there for all of your Googling needs.

A very important thing for our collaboration in this process is communication. We don’t want to overstep any boundaries, but we want to be as useful as possible to the entire team. If we have questions or information that we think will inform and improve the show, we will siphon it through you. Our voices are meant to guide your vision while your vision guides the show.

This casebook includes some of our preliminary ideas for the lobby and board display. These ideas very well may change as we continue to have discussions about audience experience. That’s another part of our job, audience outreach. So if you think you’d like us to coordinate things such as talkbacks, informational packets, or promotional materials, let’s talk about it and we can come up with something.

With that, hopefully our job seems a little clearer. Did we say we’re excited? Probably. We’ll leave it at that.

Your Dramaturgs,

Michelle Taliento & Philipe AbiYouness

Playwright Biography

Diana Miae Son is a Korean-American playwright, born and raised in Dover, Delaware.1 Son has one older brother, and they were born to Korean immigrants.5 Her father was a student at the College of Phamarcy in Philadelphia, and her mother was an exchange nurse; they married and later owned a pharmacy where Son spent most of her time as a child.5 She notes her upbringing as rather “Americanized,” commenting that it was not until she was a teenager that she noticed the differences between her own culture and that of her friends.4 Son completed her undergraduate studies at New York University, where she majored in Dramatic Literature and won the Berilla Kerr Award for Playwriting.5 Son’s first play was published in 1987 and was entitled Wrecked on Brecht.1 She wrote in the Manhattan area until 1996, when her play BOY was produced at the La Jolla Playhouse in California.1 Fishes was later produced at the New Georges Theatre in New York in 1998, shortly followed by the production and success of Stop Kiss in 1999.4 The play was extended a record- breaking three times at the Public Theater.2 Between her plays, she also took on a number of temp jobs including waitressing and freelance writing that she was still working even during the successful run of Stop Kiss.4 Despite being a well-respected and successful playwright, Son is noted more frequently for her roles as television producer and writer for American Crime, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Southland, and Blue Bloods.3 Son has frequently spoken out about the wage gap between television and movie writers and playwrights.4 Currently, she is working on the TV series American Crime and Love is a Four Letter Word.3 She has also taught playwriting at a number of institutions, including Yale University and her alma mater, New York University.5 Son is married to Michael Cosaboom, whom she met at NYU, and has three sons. They currently live in New York City.5

1 “Diana Son.” Experience Literature – Drama. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Accessed May 27, 2016. 2 "Kiss and Tell." Dramatist Play Service - At Play 37.5 (2000). Accessed May 27, 2016 3 “Diana Son.” IMDb. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1788547/ Accessed May 27, 2016. 4 Winer, Linda (6 June 2003). "Diana Son" (Click through for video interview). Women in Theatre: Dialogues with Notable Women in American Theatre. Accessed May 27, 2016. 7

Production History “(It is a political play) in the sense that politics is a way of looking at events that happen to people. I would never personally say ‘This is a play about homophobia. This is a play about gay bashing. This is a play about the civil rights of gays and lesbians in America.’ I would describe the play as a love story.” – Diana Son5

The play Stop Kiss was commissioned by Horizons/Amblin-Dreamworks in 1997, and Playwrights Horizons held the first staged readings that same year.6 Son continued developing the project in 1998 at Playlabs in Minneapolis, the Mark Taper Forum, and finally, the 1998 Public Theater production marked the official opening.6 Eventually, the production moved to the Royal National Theatre in London in 1999.6 The original production garnered a number of nominations and awards. This includes a nomination for the 1999 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play, and a nomination for the John Gassner Award for Diana Son.7 Sandra Oh won the 1999 Theatre World award for her performance as Sara.7 Son also won the GLAAD Media Award for Stop Kiss.5 Generally speaking, reviews for the Public Theater’s production of Stop Kiss were overwhelmingly positive. Shows were frequently standing-room only, and the show was extended twice.5 The play gained such popularity that in 2000, director Robert Greenwald optioned the play for film, with Son herself at the helm of the screenplay.5 Unfortunately, the project never came to fruition. However, the play continues to see major success as it has been produced hundreds of times around the world at community theatres and colleges.5 When asked about writing the play, Son often describes the process toward her interesting changes in chronological time. She wrote the “scenes she thought would be in the play … then filled in the rest.”5 The order of the first 12 scenes were rearranged in previews.5 Son says this about themes in Stop Kiss: I am consistently interested in the conflict between how other people identify you and the more complex way in which you know yourself. I am

5 Yurgatis, Daniel. “Director’s Notes on Stop Kiss.” Nova Southeastern University. February 2007. Accessed May 27, 2016. 6 Saxton, Brian. “Defining the Themes of Diana Son’s Stop Kiss: Analyzing the Design Process.” Georgia Southern University. 2006. Accessed May 27th, 2016. 7 “Stop Kiss – Lortel Archives.” Lucille Lortel Archives. Accessed May 27, 2016. 8 quite aware of the contrast between how you assume things are one moment, and how they can utterly, irrevocably change in the next.”5

I. Original Production Production Information: Stop Kiss was originally produced at the Public Theater in New York City. Previews began on November 17th, 1997, and It was officially opened on December 5th, 1998. It was extended twice, first until January 31st, 1999, and then again until February 21st. The production closed on February 21st, 1999. It ran for 40 performances. Cast and Crew: Directed by Jo Bentley; Starring: Jessica Hecht, Sandra Oh, Kevin Caroll, Rick Holmes, Saundra McClain, and Paul Stein; sets by Narelle Sissons; costumes by Kaye Voyce; lighting by James Vermeulen; sound and orignal music by David Van Tieghem; production dramaturg; Mervin P. Antonio. Presented by the Joseph Papp Public Theatre/New York Shakespeare Festival, George C. Wolfe, producer; Rosemarie Tischler, artistic producer; Mark Litvin, managing director. Reviews: The New York Times: “Manhattan growls Original Poster for "Stop Kiss," Dec. 1997 like an underfed pit bull in ‘’Stop Kiss,’’ a sweet, sad and enchantingly sincere play by the young American writer Diana Son. The sirens, the horns, the tattoos beat by unknown hands and feet on doors and floors: the sounds of the city are edged in threats, signs of violence that has happened or is waiting to happen. Yet it’s all so irresistibly exciting, isn’t it? … ‘’Stop Kiss’’ has probably generated the warmest advance word of mouth of any downtown production this 9 season. Only two days into previews, it had sold 85 percent of the tickets for its five-week run, and it is easy to understand why.” – Ben Brantley8

Variety: “The Public Theater has a small treasure in Diana Son’s “Stop Kiss,” a poignant, funny play about the ways both sudden and slow that lives can change irrevocably. Sensitively directed by Jo Bonney and acted with astonishing ease and invention by a talented young cast, this entirely engaging new play is an alternately comic and heartrending series of snapshots of urban lives and the Original Production: Sandra Oh (L) and Jessica Hecht (R) pleasures and hazards that can define and shape them … The play has some small faults, to be sure: The scenes in which a tough-talking cop interrogates Callie about the attack seem straight out of “NYPD Blue,” all too easily brought to mind by a reference to the show; some of the comedy is a little glib and schticky; and the final scene, culminating in the kiss of the title, feels underwritten (the bonding over corn-eating styles is frankly corny). But such problems don’t detract significantly from the painful, beautiful spell cast by this winningly performed play and its whispered message: that we must hurry to embrace the possibilities in our hearts, for our lives and loves always hang by a thread.” – Charles Isherwood9

CurtainUp: “What we have then is a seriocomedy – a thoroughly modern story that uses a gay love story to point out the unexpected places to which love can take us. It is also very much a play about specifically New York – its bright lure and its darker side. Above all it is a well-crafted work. The story moves forward with dialogue that while crisp and straightforward rather than poetic, Original Production: Jessica Hecht (L) and Sandra Oh (R)

8 Brantley, Ben. “Comic in Spirit, Serious at Heart.” The New York Times. December 06, 1998. Accessed May 27, 2016. 9 Isherwood, Charles. “STOP KISS.” Variety. December 14-20, 1998. Accessed May 27, 2016. 10

effectively uses the poet’s technique of telescoping action and character … While scheduled to run only until December 20th, I’ll bet my critic’s hat that Stop Kiss will be extended. After all, in a season not notable for freshness, this play is the breeze we’ve all awaited – bouncing from laughter to pathos without missing a beat and engaging your interest and emotions unflaggingly.” – Elyse Sommer10

II. Seattle Repertory Theatre Production Information: Stop Kiss opened at Seattle Repertory Theatre on January 31st 2000, and ran until March 4th, 2000. Cast and Crew: Directed by Steven Dietz; Starring Amy Cronise, Jodi Somers, David V. Scully, Alban Dennis, Mike Regan, and Tamu Gray; Sets by Scott Weldin; costumes by Carolyn Keim; lighting by Rick Paulsen; and sound by Steve Amy Cronise (L) and Jodi Somers (R) LeGrand. Reviews: Seattle Times: “Son’s two-deck shuffle of many short scenes, past and present, is dealt out quite smoothly by director Steven Dietz, with help from lighting designer Rick Paulsen … it takes a while for the 90-minute production (no intermission) to catch the nuances of Son’s surprisingly delicate script, the subtle hesitations and interactions that should add up to making us care deeply whether Callie pierces the veil of flippant passivity that keeps her at a safe, ironic distance from life. And whether the over-sheltered Sara comes into her own … “Stop Kiss” dances a bit nervously around the question of whether there’s a difference between falling madly for one member of the same sex, and being “really” gay. But it’s rare these days to see any tender stage courtship unfold between two believable individuals. And in “Stop Kiss,” there’s much at stake for both of them.” – Misha Berson11

Seattle Weekly: “A kiss can be either the most innocent or the most intimate of moments between two people, a moment filled with ambiguity or complete certainty. It’s this central dichotomy of an everyday but extraordinary act that Diana Son’s outstanding new play Stop

10 Sommer, Elyse. “A CurtainUp Review: Stop Kiss.” CurtainUP. December 06, 1998. Accessed May 27, 2016. 11 Berson, Misha. “Unflashy ‘Stop Kiss’ goes beyond girl meets girl.” The Seattle Times. February 1st, 2000. Accessed May 27, 2016. 11

Kiss examines, an act that has consequences past what either of its participants could have dreamed. Despite the way in which the later scenes constantly undercut the light mood of the early romance, Stop Kiss is unexpectedly light and optimistic in its approach to its dire subject matter. Instead of ending in an image of intolerance, the final two scenes between the women, in the uncertain present and the perfect past, exhibit how accepting love into our lives can be a source of courage and freedom.” – John Longenbaugh12

III. First College Productions I. Simpson College – Indianola, Iowa Production Information: February 23-24, March 2-4, 2001. Cast and Crew: Directed by Professor Jennifer Ross Nostrala; Scenic designer: Kevin Bautch, Light designer: Craig Kaufman, Costume designer: Annie Cady, Props designer: Jennifer Fenton, Sound designer: Allison Smith, Production Stage Manager: Joey S. Begovich, Assistant Stage Manager: Nicole Goble. Starring Brooke Jackson, Katie Braden, Sue Gerver, Josh Mann, Steve Rich, and Jared Gerlock.

II. Willamette University – Salem, Oregon Production Information: 2001-2002 season, specific show dates unknown. Cast and Crew: Directed by Professor Julie Akers, Scene design: Bobby Brewer- Wallin, Costume design: Bobby Brewer- Wallin, Lighting design: Clay Everett.

III. Princeton University (Theatre InTime, student organization) – Princeton, New Jersey Production Information: March 28-30, April 4-6, 2002. Cast and Crew: Directed by Chris Wendell, Starring: Barbara Luse, Jean Su, Micah Willamette University Production Baskir. Review: “The play’s many themes are presented in such a way that the audience is not moved to anger over the hate crimes. Instead, Wendell’s treatment of narrative diminish those big issues to a more personal treatment. It becomes the story of Sara and Callie and

12 Longenbaugh, John. “Stop Kiss: Weight issues get an effectively light treatment.” Seattle Weekly. February 09 2000. http://archive.seattleweekly.com/2000-02-09/arts/stop-kiss/ Accessed May 27th 2016. 12

their burgeoning relationship — rather than one focusing on the political implications of such a bond. The dramatization of these ideas transcends gender preferences, and presents the evolution of two young women. This play takes us on the journey of two women at a time of re-evaluation. They are seeking to make a connection . . . seeking the answer to their happiness. Their ventures together show them that the answer comes not from the Big Apple, but that it is more similar to the eight ball that appears in the play. The eight ball, coincidentally, always stops on two answers, and, in the end, the girls learn to stop asking. In a city where everyone appears to be going somewhere, Callie shows a different reality. Caught in the whirlwind of the city, Callie and Sara learn to stop, take in the moment, and kiss.” – Mayra Ceja13

13 Ceja, Mayra. “’Stop Kiss’ lingers on poignant love story rather than political issues.” The Daily Princetonian. April 04, 2002. Accessed May 27th 2016. 13

Historical Context

While this play was written in 1997 and produced in 1998, the script indicates that the action of the play occurs in, “New York City” “Now.” This can be interpreted as each production being relevant and accurate to the New York City of the time. Here is some info on New York City in 2016. As of the 2015 US Census, there are apprx 8.5 million people living in New York City. Although the majority of individuals are described as white, according to the census, NYC continues to be a melting pot with a decent size of it’s population base being Black or African American (25.5%), Hispanic or Latino (28.6%), Asian (12.7%) or Mixed race (4%)14

Crime Rates—

Crime rates have decreased significantly since the 1990s at rates predominantly over 50% across the board.15 How does this speak to this production? One could argue that an occurrence like what befell Sara and Callie would be much more likely when this play was written and originally produced. Although it is important to note that statistics only show so much and assaults still occur almost on a daily basis in the city.

Labor—

New York City labor has been on a productive rise in recent years. According to the Bureau of Labor Market Information Division of Research and Statistics (a division of the New York State Department of Labor) between the years of 2009 and 2014, which were marked by a countrywide recession, several industries of New York labor increased their employment. 9 of these 13 industries are projected to grow faster than the US economy until the year 2022. Among these industries are construction, trade transport and utilities, information, educational services and leisure and hospitality. This is reflected in Stop Kiss because several of the characters work in these industries. Sara works in Education, Callie works in transport as well as information, George in hospitality and leisure.16

14 “New York City Quickfacts,” US Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/3651000 Accessed August 20, 2016. 15 “Police Dept NYC Compstat,” NYPD Compstat Unit. Accessed August 20, 2016. 16 “Significant Industries: A Report to the Workforce Development System,” New York State Department of Labor. September 2015. Accessed August 20, 2016. 14

LGBTQ—

The fact that this play is set in New York City and focuses on a homophobic assault on two women could be read as a critique on the supposed progress of equality for LGBTQ individuals. New York is a city that is acclaimed and recognized for its emphasis on diversity and acceptance and many might see it as a city that can provide a sense of cohort for LGBTQ individuals with local landmarks like the crossroads of the West Village and Chelsea, which includes several sites which are synonymous with gay culture like, Big Gay Ice Cream which is a, “LGBTQ-owned soft serve spot with a unicorn painted on its window.”17 Most would agree that New York City provides a welcoming culture for LGBTQ individuals, but setting this play in such a diverse and cultured city shows that hate still exists and progress is a continuous journey.

Gentrification—

New York City, like most big cities in the United States, has been subject to a good deal of gentrification (PBS.org defines gentrification as, “Gentrification is a general term for the arrival of wealthier people in an existing urban district, a related increase in rents and property values, and changes in the district’s character and culture”18). Gentrification is a complicated issue and reports have shown that the influx of more wealthy individuals into areas that are being turned around socio-economically cause real estate prices to rise, thus pushing out traditionally non-white, economically disadvantaged individuals who lived in these areas previously. According to the Wall Street Journal, individuals living in poverty in gentrifying areas dropped by 4.9% between 2000 and 2009 which supports the idea that poor individuals are being displaced.19 However, antithetical arguments suggest that data is inconsistent and individuals might not be pushed out because institutions like public and subsidized housing generally exist in these areas. While gentrification is not a black and white issue especially concerning New York City, it is apparent that areas of the city like Williamsburg, Bushwick, and all of Harlem are definitely affected in many concurrent ways by the gentrification process.

17 Sokol, David. “Gay NYC,” NYC The Official Guide. 10 May. 2016. Accessed August 20, 2016. 18 Grant, Benjamin. “What is Gentrification?” Flag Wars. PBS.org. Accessed August 20, 2016. 19 Barbanel, Josh. “Gentrification Effect in New York City Is Overblown, Report Suggests,” Wall Street Journal. 10 May. 2016. Accessed August 20, 2016.

Education—

The New York City educational system is the largest school district in the United States.20 “The core goal of education is to help students get to the next level and succeed. Surrounding that core are the three elements of student support: instructional guidance, teacher empowerment, and student-centered learning. Beyond the classroom, the supports needed are effective school leadership and strong parent-community collaboration.”21 When Rudolph Giuliani took office as the mayor of New York in 1994 one of most emphasized parts of his platform was that he would reform and “fix” New York City Schools. The result of this plan turned out to be what many would describe as a failed attempt. Michael Bloomberg who succeeded Giuliani as Mayor, “who was elected with the help of a powerful Giuliani TV commercial,” criticized Giuliani’s handling of the New York school systems saying, “Giuliani never got his hands around the school system. There is no question that it's gotten worse the last eight years, not better.”22 Mayor Bloomberg is credited with reforming New York Public Schools into what they are today. As a New York Times article describes, “Former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has been out of office for a year and a half, but his influence over New York schools is practically as strong as ever.” Since then, organizations like StudentsFirstNY and Families for Excellent Schools have been working to monitor teacher evaluations, promote and establish charter schools, and counterbalance the teachers’ unions. 23

20 “About us,” New York City Department of Education. Accessed August 20, 2016. 21 “Framework for Great Schools,” NYC Department of Education. Accessed August 20, 2016. 22 Vilixiv, “New York City Schools Then and Now,” Daily Kos. 27 Sept. 2009. Accessed August 20, 2016. 23 Taylor, Kate. “Bloomberg Is No Longer Mayor, but His Schools Agenda Thrives in Albany,” New York Times. 29 July. 2015. Accessed August 20, 2016.

Miscellaneous Research

I. Orlando Shooting and Hate Crimes

“A hate crime or bias-motivated crime occurs when the perpetrator of the crime intentionally selects the victim because of who the victim is. While an act of violence against any individual is always a tragic event, violent crimes based on prejudice have a much stronger impact because the motive behind the crime is to terrorize an entire group or community.” -- “Hate Crimes and Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People.” 24

General background:

25On June 12th Omar Mateen opened fire on Pulse gay bar and nightclub in Orlando, FL. It is believed that Mateen had affiliations with terrorist group, ISIS. This has been massively described as a hate crime, driven by terror and hate. There is minimal evidence surrounding Mateen’s motivation, but he had exhibited a history of violence and homophobia during his life. According to his father, Omar had displayed anger, “at the sight of two men kissing in Miami a few months ago.” This shooting has been described as the most destructive act of terror in the US since 9/11 and the biggest hate crime against a gay target in US history.

Articles:

“In Orlando Massacre, Terrorism and Hate Crime Collide”26 http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/orlando-massacre-terrorism- hate-crime-collide-n590646

24 Marzullo, Michelle A and Libman, Alyn J “Hate Crimes and Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People.” Human Rights Campaign. 2009. Accessed July 26, 2016. 25 Domonoske, Camila. Kennedy, Merrit. Bowman, Emma. “Suspect Purchased Guns Legally Ahead of Deadliest Shooting In Modern U.S. History.” National Public Radio. 12 June. 2016. Accessed July 31, 2016. 26 Melber, Ari. “In Orlando Massacre, Terrorism and Hate Crime Collide.” NBC News. 12 June. 2016. Accessed July 26, 2016. 17

QUOTES:

“The mass murder at a gay nightclub in Orlando is both the deadliest terror attack inside the U.S. since 9/11 — and the deadliest hate crime against a gay target in American history.”

“[the attacker’s] father, Seddique Mir Mateen, also told NBC News that his son was angry at the sight of two men kissing in Miami a few months ago, which may have motivated his attack on Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando.”

“According to the most recent FBI statistics, for the year 2014, there were 1,017 hate crimes against gay Americans — or 18.6 percent of all hate crimes. That includes 65 in Florida.”

“After Sunday's attack, the Human Rights Campaign stated that "22 percent of all hate crimes in Florida" are based on sexual orientation, "trailing only race as the most common motivation," according to data from Equality Florida.”

“In most states, people convicted of misdemeanor hate crimes may still legally purchase guns.

The majority of states "have not enacted laws to prevent convicted misdemeanant hate criminals from having easy access to guns," according to a 2016 report, "Hate and Guns," by the Center for American Progress.”

“For the deadliest attack on U.S. soil since September 11, 2001, one fitting tribute began Sunday evening at Ground Zero in New York, where the skyscraper was shining with rainbow colors.”

“an attack on one is an attack on all”

“Orlando shooting: 49 killed, shooter pledged ISIS allegiance”27 http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/orlando-nightclub-shooting/

QUOTES:

“Mateen was a normal husband at the beginning of their marriage but started abusing her after a few months, she said. She said Mateen was bipolar, although he was not formally diagnosed.

27 Ellis, Ralph. Fantz, Ashley. Karimi, Faith. McLaughlin, Elliot C. “Orlando shooting: 49 killed, shooter pledged ISIS allegiance.” CNN. 13 June. 2016. Accessed July 26, 2016. 18

She also said Mateen had a history with steroids. He was religious but she said she doesn't think his religion played in to the attack.”

“In the past two weeks Mateen legally purchased a Glock pistol and a long gun, ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Trevor Velinor told reporters.”

“Pulse describes itself as ‘the hottest gay bar’ in the heart of Orlando. Hours before the shooting, the club urged partygoers to attend its ‘Latin flavor’ event Saturday night. The club is a vast, open space that was hosting more than 300 patrons late Saturday and into Sunday morning.”

“People inside the cavernous nightclub described a scene of panic made more confusing by the loud music and darkness.”

“Christopher Hansen said he was getting a drink at the bar about 2 a.m. when he just saw bodies going down.’ He heard gunshots, ‘just one after another after another’.”

“One person hiding in the bathroom covered herself with bodies to protect herself. Some entertainers hid in a dressing room when the shooting started and escaped the building by crawling out when police removed the air conditioning unit.”

“The City of Orlando is posting names of the deceased on a website after next of kin are notified. The youngest person among the first seven named, Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, was 20 years old.”

“The attacks were denounced on Sunday by numerous groups, including the Vatican, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and the Council on American-Islamic Relations.”

“ ’Like everyone in the country, I am devastated about the horrific events that have taken place today. Pulse, and the men and women who work there, have been my family for nearly 15 years. From the beginning, Pulse has served as a place of love and acceptance for the LGBTQ community. I want to express my profound sadness and condolences to all who have lost loved ones. Please know that my grief and heart are with you.’ ” a closer look into the history of LGBT hate crimes…

In May 2009 the Human Rights Campaign Foundation published a research overview titled, “Hate Crimes and Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People”28

28 Libman, Alyn J. Marzullo, Michelle A. “Hate Crimes and Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People.” Human Rights Campaign. Accessed July 26, 2016. 19 http://www.hrc.org/resources/hate-crimes-and- violence-against-lgbt-people

“On May 16, 2007, [Sean] Kennedy was leaving a bar in Greenville, S.C., when a man approached, called him an anti-gay name and punched him. Kennedy fell to the ground and later died in a hospital. Local law enforcement officials asked for the case to be USA Today published an FBI Report on victim demographics prosecuted as a hate crime. But because South Carolina has no hate crimes law, charges were reduced from murder to involuntary manslaughter, and Kennedy's assailant was sentenced to three years in prison.”

293031“Since 1991, more than 100,000 hate crime offenses have been reported to the FBI. In 2007 alone, 1,265 LGBbiased hate crimes were reported to the FBI, which is a 6-percent increase from 2006. Sexual orientation consistently ranks as the third-highest motivator for hate crime incidents (17 percent of total attacks). Attacks motivated by race-based bias are the most prevalent (51 percent in 2007), followed by religion-based attacks (18 percent in 2007). Bias-motivated attacks on the basis of gender identity are not tracked on the federal level.”

“Anecdotal evidence suggests that hate crimes against LGB and transgender persons are under- reported in the United States. Some victims do not report sexual orientation-motivated hate crimes because they do not want to be identified (“outed”) in police reports as lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender.”

In 1990, the Hate Crime Statistics Act was passed. “The purpose of the act was to develop a systematic approach for documenting and understanding bias-motivated crimes in the United States.” - This is nine years before Stop Kiss was published, eight years before it premiered.

Other pieces of legislation that work to make sure hate-driven crimes are reported and investigated as such include:

29 “Charleston Shooting: What is a Hate Crime?” USA Today – Federal Bureau of Investigations Report. Accessed July 26, 2016.

- The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act/Matthew Shepard Act

“The FBI hate crimes statistics from 2007 show that the most common location of sexual orientation bias crimes is a residence or private home (30 percent). Twenty-four percent of the crimes occurred on streets, highways, roads and in alleys, and 11 percent occurred at schools. Seven percent of sexual orientation-motivated hate crimes occurred in parking lots or garages, and 4 percent occurred at bars and nightclubs.”

Studies have shown a huge trend of blame towards gay and lesbian victims of violence and abuse

“A study of 320 adults found that lesbian and gay victims were blamed for being attacked at a higher rate than heterosexuals.”

“The study also found that when lesbians and gays made eye contact or verbally responded to their attackers with a question or an obscenity, the victims were blamed more often for their attack than their heterosexual counterparts.”

“It was also found that observers blamed lesbian, gay and bisexual victims more when attacks occurred just after publicly displaying affection for their partner (handholding, kissing hello or goodbye).”

“Though most people feel sympathetic toward hate crime victims, lesbians and gays are blamed for their attacks at higher rates. When a person survives a particularly severe hate crime, the incident may go on to impede their well- being, leading to higher attempts at suicide, drug or alcohol abuse and sexual risk-taking behaviors, including possible exposure to HIV/AIDS”

II. Real Life Cases of Hate Crimes

Angie Zapata – July 17th 2008

Angie Zapata was an 18-year-old Transgender woman who was brutally beaten and murder by Allen Ray Andrade while they were on a date

Zapata was raised in a family of six in Fort Lupton, 21

Colorado. Although she had identified as transgender from a young age, she did not start to completely identify as Angie until she was 16.

Angie underwent considerable harassment while in school for being transgender. Her sister Monica Zapata recalls Angie coming home from school one day crying, asking, “Monica, why won’t people accept me?”

Zapata met Allen Ray Andrade on a mobile social networking site called MocoSpace

The two had communicated via email and text messages extensively and eventually decided to go out on a date. Andrade stayed the night at Zapata’s apartment and the following day was when the murder took place.

“While Angie was gone Andrade says he began to question Zapata’s gender, while looking at pictures around her apartment. When Angie returned, Andrade says he confronted her about being transgender, grabbed her genitalia, and proceeded to beat her with his fists and a fire extinguisher. After he believed her to be dead, Andrade ransacked her apartment. While searching her apartment, he heard her gasping for breath as she regained consciousness and struggling to sit up. He then beat her further with the fire extinguisher and killed her. Andrade then stole Angie’s credit cards and fled the scene in her car. Angie’s sister Monica later found Angie lying in her living room floor dead, covered in a sheet.”

Andrade was arrested two weeks later on the grounds of premeditated murder, felony motor vehicle theft, a felony hate crime and felony identity theft32

Larry King – February 12, 2008

Larry King was 15-years-old when he was shot twice in the back of the head by 14-year- old Brandon McInerney at E.O. Junior High School

Lawrence King, known by most as Larry King grew up in the foster care system of California. Before his death he was homeless living at an emergency center at Casa Pacifica. According to friends and

King (left) and McInerney (right)

32 “The Angie Zapata Murder: Violence Against Transgender People Resource Kit,” glaad.org. Accessed August 12, 2016.

acquaintances, during Larry’s time here he found confidence and a base of support. It has been recounted that, “or the last two weeks of his life, Larry came to school wearing make-up, high-heeled boots and jewelry.”

Prior to the shooting, Larry had asked Brandon to be his valentine, a gesture that made McInerney uncomfortable to the point of murder33

Unnamed woman – December 13, 2008

“In Richmond, California on December 13, 2008, an openly gay 28 year-old woman was attacked and gang raped by four men, including two juveniles, on a street outside her parked car. The perpetrators took her to a second location and assaulted her again, all the while making slurs about her sexual orientation. As Shawna Virago noted, ‘The only way we know about (the Richmond) case is because of the bravery of the survivor coming out. Hatred and bias are a routine occurrence for many LGBT people.’ Two men and a teenager were charged on January 6, 2009. Thirty-one year-old Humberto Hernandez Salvador, 21 year-old Josue Gonzalez, and 16 year-old Darrell Hodges were charged with kidnapping, carjacking and gang rape. A 15 year-old boy was also arrested in connection with the attack. Hate crime enhancements were added to charges against Salvador.”34

III. Character Research35

Callie –

Callie works for a 24-hour radio station as a traffic reporter. In an article published by CBS Los Angeles’s website, traffic reporter Denise Fondo describes it as, “a huge responsibility.”36 They are responsible for delivering information on accidents, construction, back ups, and road closures. In the article, the frantic nature of the job is described. Updates are communicated to the reporter via “online maps, traffic sites and ground cameras.” While

33 Strangio, Chase. “Remembering Larry King,” American Civil Liberties Union. Chase Strangio. Accessed August 15, 2016.

34 “Hate Crimes Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Individuals,” The Leadership Conference. Accessed August 15, 2016.

35 Character research was done based on what the director requested s not all characters have dramaturgical research.

36 “Traffic Reporting Is A Commuter’s Best Friend,” CBS Los Angeles. 23 May. 2013 Accessed August 15, 2016

23 the information is given in a hectic manner, the reporter must deliver it in a calm way. Traffic reporters in the US earn approximately $42K annually.

Sara –

Sara accepted a teaching fellowship at an elementary school in the Bronx. The regulations on teaching fellows vary from school to school and organization to organization but fellows through the NYC Teaching Fellows program are not allowed to be certified to teach in any state so there is a good chance that Sara did not study education while in college37. But then again, Sara is on a fellowship set up through the school

Detective Cole –

In recent years there has been an upward increase in harassment offenses, as reported by the NYCPD. As of this week, reported murders and rapes are up by approximately 45% of what it was in 2015 (this is according to a week to date statistical report). While New York City at the time Stop Kiss was written was a more crime heavy area statistically, the week to date statistics show that reported murder and rape rates are up. This could, however, be a result of increased bystander intervention rates.

37 “New York City Teaching Fellows FAQ,” NYC Teaching Fellows. Accessed August 20, 2016.

The New York Shakespeare Theatre is a gr8 24 festival. Promise.

Jessica Hecht is mildly famous.

Rick Holmes is OK.

This is the number 4. Comes after 3, before 5.

The Emotions were a Soul/R&B singing group originally consisting of three sisters. They rose to prominence in the 1970s

St. Louis is a major city in Missouri known for things like the Gateway Arch and being right on the Mississippi river.

PS 32 is also known as The Belmont School. They are a learning institute that attempts to incorporate the arts into the entirety of they’re curriculum. The grades run PreK-5th.

“Friends Schools” are institutions that provide education that aligns with the beliefs of the 28 Christian sect known as the Quakers, also known as the Religious Society of Friends.

The William Howard Taft High School (now known as William Howard Taft Educational Campus) is a public high school in the Bronx. It is different than PS 32, which is where Sara works but they obviously have connections

Rudolph Giuliani was an attorney who was elected mayor of New York City in 1993. He stayed in office for two terms. Giuliani has been described as a “divisive” figure. He took a very tough approach to monitoring crime and often was criticized of racial profiling. He also received criticism for his inability to reform the NYC public school system.

The Holland Tunnel runs under the Hudson River, westward into New Jersey.

The Williamsburg bridge is a suspension bridge which connects the lower East Side of Manhattan with the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn.

The D Train runs from Norwood in the Bronx down to Coney Island

The White Horse Tavern is a pub/restaurant on Hudson Street and 11th

The Sinatra Bar does not seem to be the name of an actual bar in NY so George might be referring to a bar that fits that sort of genre (upscale piano bar with a smoking room)

River dance is not actually a style of dance but rather a theatrical show which consists of mostly traditional Irish music and dance.

When Mrs. Winsley says “Graceland for gay people” might refer to Graceland mansion in Memphis, TN which is a coveted destination for Elvis fans. She is probably comparing the sense of sanctuary found there for Elvis fans with the sense of sanctuary available in the West Village for homosexual people with it’s plethora of gay bars and clubs.

NYPD Blue was a show that ran from 1993-2005 which followed police officers from New York’s 15th Precinct.

Vong is a French-Thai fusion restaurant on the East side of Midtown Manhattan. The restaurant closed in 2011. Prices ranged from $31-60

Dylan Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer.

The Sorbonne is another name for the University of Paris, an academic institution founded in 1150 and active for a collective 700 hundred years approximately.

A Dirty Martini normally consists of vodka, dry vermouth, olive brine and olives.

Three dollar movie theatres still exist in NYC

Chesterfield is a suburb in Missouri just 30 minutes west of downtown St. Louis.

When individuals are in comas or vegetative states, responding to commands such as “open your eyes” or “squeeze my hand” are typically signs of regaining consciousness. It takes longer for some people than others depending on how bad of a state they are in.

Tomae is a sushi bar in Greenwich Village

Deer Park is a brand of water bottles. It is a Nestle company.

Evian is a natural mineral water that works to be sustainable and healthy

Vermont Natural Springs is a natural spring water manufacturer based out of Massachusetts

Dos Equis is Mexican-German beer. They produce Lager and Amber beers in addition to other products.

Tapas are small dishes that derive from Spanish cuisine

Aggies was a “trendy, modern diner” that existed on Houston Street but has since closed.

Jasmine is a Thai restaurant in NYC

Dairy Queen is an ice cream place. 10/10 would recommend. Brownie Blizzard is off the hook.

Love Boat was a romantic-comedy TV show that premiered in 1977 and ran for roughly ten years. It took place on a cruise ship.

The John F. Kennedy Airport is a major international airport located in Queens, NY.

Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is a part of Interstate I-287

Long Island Expressway also known as I-495, is an “auxiliary interstate highway” on Long Island.

The Midtown tunnel is also known as The Queens–Midtown Tunnel Which crosses under the East River and connects Queens and Manhattan

Van Wyck Expressway is part of I-678 which runs north and south. The Van Wyck sections runs through up to JFK

Callie is totally showing her badass traffic reporter side right hur 69

St. Vincent’s is a hospital located on W 11th St. in Manhattan

Benny’s Burrittos is a Mexican restaurant located in the West Village

Bambi is a deer in the Disney movie of the same name

Wilcannia is a small town located in North Western New South Wales, Australia

Lunar means having to do with or resembling the moon

Mootwingee is a county of New South Wales

Bynguano Range is also part of New South Wales

Australia is, in fact, an English speaking country (predominantly).

Full name of that bar is Henrietta Hudson. It is a lesbian bar with drinks, pool, and dancing.

Callie is referring to the fact that in Arabic, which is the dominant language of Egypt, one reads from right to left as opposed to Romance (French, Spanish) and Germanic languages (English, German) which are read left to right.

81 82

Outreach and Potential Board Ideas

First kiss—

One idea that we have in the works is that audience members will have the opportunity to write the story of their first kiss and post it somewhere on the board. This echoes the themes of discovery, innocence, and sexuality that are present in the play. People would either write them on post it notes or use thumbtacks. Maybe the materials we use for people to post these stories could echo a part of the play somehow. We would also like to include the stories from the cast and crew about their first kisses. It would also be interesting to create a promo video where they tell these stories and use it to bring people to the show. We could also intersperse stories from non-theatre majors to bring a wider audience to the show.

Personal stories—

Another potential idea for the board that could work in conjunction with the first kiss idea is that people write down a personal story that they’d like to share or that they wouldn’t like to share. They can either put it in a box where no one will see it or post it on the board if they want it to be public. This idea is sparked out of the “straddle or swerve” conversation that Callie and Sara have and also the theme of secrets and being true to oneself.

New York—

A theme that could set the mood of the show nicely is New York City. Using images and symbols associated with New York like street names, landmarks, and more niche popular spots we could set a milieu of the big city and within the aesthetic of this theme we could convey the information that we want to. We would also include some relevant information about the city. Maybe we could put the annotated map up on the board.

LGBTQ—

We would like to include some information on the sexuality spectrum on the board. It would also be interesting to include the research we found on hate crimes specifically Orlando, as Ciana said she might want to incorporate that into the board.

History—

Information about Diana Son and the production history of the play will be included.

Outreach…

We discussed reaching out to Gay Straight Alliances at local high schools, seeing as the themes of sexuality and acceptance are very evident in this show. We would of course have to be clear in communicating that the show does include nudity and some profanity, which might deter clubs from getting administration approval. We would, however, try to get the clubs to come to the show.

We also would like to reach out the Women & Gender Studies Departments about the show seeing as the show has a lot to do with gender, sexuality, and societal norms concerning the two.

Ciana also discussed making the show an formal event for WOCO (Women’s Concerns Housing).

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