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STOP KISS a Dramaturgical Casebook Written By: Diana Son

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STOP KISS a Dramaturgical Casebook Written By: Diana Son 1 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 2 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 3 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 4 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 6 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.
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