FROM STONEWALL TO MILLENNIUM: LESBIAN REPRESENTATION IN THREE LATE 20TH-CENTURY PLAYS BY AMERICAN WOMEN _______________________________________ A Dissertation presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School at the University of Missouri-Columbia _______________________________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy _____________________________________________________ by VANESSA MARIE CAMPAGNA Dr. Cheryl Black, Dissertation Supervisor MAY 2015 © Copyright by Vanessa Campagna 2015 All Rights Reserved The undersigned, appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, have examined the dissertation entitled FROM STONEWALL TO MILLENNIUM: LESBIAN REPRESENTATION IN THREE LATE 20TH-CENTURY PLAYS BY AMERICAN WOMEN presented by Vanessa Campagna, a candidate for the degree of doctor of philosophy, and hereby certify that, in their opinion, it is worthy of acceptance. Professor Cheryl Black Professor Heather Carver Professor Kevin Brown Professor Cornelius Eady Professor Kim Marra Professor Felicia Hardison Londré In memory of my grandparents, Lowell and Cecilia Westhoven, who always encouraged me to take my studies seriously. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am thoroughly indebted to the mentorship of Dr. Cheryl Black, advisor to this dissertation. Dr. Black’s professional guidance was instrumental in identifying, articulating, and bringing to fulfillment this project’s conceptual framework, methodology, and purpose. The numerous iterations of each chapter that Dr. Black not only read, but for which she offered careful edits, insightful suggestions, and (of equal importance) encouragement, nurtured me in becoming a more critical thinker and, surely, a stronger researcher. Perhaps most importantly, I am profoundly grateful to Dr. Black for her vested interest in my ideas, for listening to my voice, and ensuring that neither was buried within the scholarship, nor lost in the editing process. I have been empowered by my advisor, which is both fitting to the thematic scope of my project and, on a personal level, completely rewarding. Thank you, Cheryl…a million times over. Additionally, I am grateful to my committee members: Dr. M. Heather Carver, Dr. Kevin Brown, Professor Cornelius Eady, Dr. Kim Marra, and Dr. Felicia Hardison Londré. Their continual support of my development as an artist and scholar—perhaps best evidenced by the time they took to raise important questions and considerations early in the process—assisted me in engage more deeply and critically with the research topic. Their respective intellects and sharp editorial eyes are inestimably appreciated. I also offer my sincere thanks to Dr. Clarence Wyatt, Dr. David Timmerman, Professor Douglas Rankin, Dr. Emily Rollie, Professor Robert Thompson, and other colleagues and students at Monmouth College. Writing a dissertation while in a full-time faculty position has been manageable—and even enjoyable—because of the tremendous institutional and personal support afforded to me. ii Finally, I extend heartfelt appreciation to the following, whose personal and/or professional impact on my life contributed to the writing of this dissertation: Susan Campagna, my loving mother; a single parent and the epitome of hard work Gina Campagna, my sister, very best friend, and constant supporter Cassie Fuller Rayce and Carlene Farthing Joseph and Barbara Reres The Faculty in the Department of Theatre at the University of Missouri Members of the Graduate Theatre Organization at the University of Missouri Noel and Justin Grabouski Ruthie Dessert Brandon Stevens Jessica Simorte and Max Manning Sammy and Ralphina Amanda Boyle Danielle Trebus Lisa Korte-Wilson Yvonne Sexton Peggy Mosbacher iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………….......ii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS……………………………………………………………........vi ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………...viii Chapter 1. LESBIANS IN MAINSTREAM AMERICAN THEATRE ………….......……...........1 Justification………………………………………………………………………..17 Research Questions, Methods, and Procedures……………………………………23 Defining Terms……………………………………………………………………29 Literature Review…………………………………………………………….........31 Organization………………………………………………………………….........37 2. OUT OF THE CLOSET AND ONTO THE BEACH: JANE CHAMBERS’ LAST SUMMER AT BLUEFISH COVE……………………………………………….....40 Historical Overview of the 1970s…………………………………………….........41 Last Summer at Bluefish Cove by Jane Chambers………………………………...57 Liberationist Impulses…………………………………………………….........63 Assimilationist Impulses………………………………………………….........71 Enfranchisement as Manifest in the Desire to be Openly Homosexual Without Consequence………………………………………………………87 3. NATHAN HAS TWO MOMMIES: QUEER FAMILES AND QUEER FUTURES IN PAULA VOGEL’S AND BABY MAKES SEVEN…………………………..........102 Historical Overview of the 1980s………………………………………………...106 And Baby Makes Seven by Paula Vogel…………………………………….........124 Enfranchisement as Manifest in Queer Families and Queer Parenting….........131 iv 4. LIVES LIVED FULLY: DIANA SON’S STOP KISS……………………………...152 Historical Overview of the 1990s………………………………………………...157 Stop Kiss by Diana Son…………………………………………………………..176 Enfranchisement as Manifest in Sexual Agency……………………………...186 Enfranchisement as Manifest in the Pursuit of Safety and Legal Protection…198 5. CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………...213 BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………………………..232 VITA………………………………………………………………………………………..253 v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Joan Pringle, Susan Sullivan, and Katherine Cortez in the 1984 Theatre on the Square production of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove (Jane Chambers. Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. New York: The JH Press, 1982)..75 2. Lauren Craig and Hollie Barron in the 1980s Actors Playhouse production of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove *(http://www.pbase.com/johnglines/bluefish_cove)……………....…………….....75 3. Jean Smart in the premiere production of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove (Shandol Theatre) *(http://www.pbase.com/johnglines/bluefish_cove).................................................82 4. Carolyn Cope and Jean Smart in the 1980 Westside Mainstage production of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove *(http://www.pbase.com/image/106879150)……........……………………...….....82 5. Susan Slavin and Carolyn Aaron in the 1980s Actors Playhouse production of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove *(http://www.pbase.com/johnglines/bluefish_cove)…..……………………….....82 6. The cast of the 1983 production of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove (Theatre on the Square) (Jane Chambers. Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. New York: The JH Press, 1982)..84 7. A 2011 comic by William Haefeli, published in The New Yorker (Permission provided by Kyle Tannler, Condé Naste, on behalf of William Haefeli)……………………………………………………………………………110 8. Alison Bechdel’s “Pride & Prejudice,” from Dykes to Watch Out For (1987) (http://dykestowatchoutfor.com/dtwof-archive-episode-11)………………....…...115 9. Peter Frechette in the 1993 Circle Repertory Company revival production of And Baby Makes Seven (From the Collections of the Museum of the City of New York)............................143 vi 10. Mary Mara, Cherry Jones, and Peter Frechette in the 1993 Circle Repertory Company revival production of And Baby Makes Seven (http://www.playbill.com/features/article/a-tight-knit-family-from-falsettos-to- mothers-and-sons-a-look-at-gay-famili-323088/print)............................................144 11. Fred Phelps picketing the funeral of Matthew Shepard (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/lupica-world-better-fred-phelps- article-1.1728849)………………………………………………………………...165 12. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church picketing a military funeral (http://www.godhatesfags.com/photos/2005/20051202_topeka-ks.html................165 13. Jessica Hecht, Kevin Carroll, and Sandra Oh in the 1998 premiere production of Stop Kiss (Joseph Papp Public Theater) (http://www.proofsheet.com/public_theater/kiss/index.htm. Image permission from Michal Daniel)………………………………………………...…...........…...........177 14. Saundra McCain and Jessica Hecht in Stop Kiss at the Joseph Papp Public Theater (1998) (http://www.proofsheet.com/public_theater/kiss/index.htm. Image permission form Michal Daniel)……….......……………………………………………………......177 *denotes photo credit due to Pat Field and The Glines, Inc. vii viii FROM STONEWALL TO MILLENNIUM: LESBIAN REPRESENTATION IN THREE LATE 20th-CENTURY PLAYS BY AMERICAN WOMEN Vanessa Campagna Dr. Cheryl Black, Dissertation Supervisor ABSTRACT From Stonewall to Millennium: Lesbian Representation in Three Late 20th-Century Plays by American Women explores the relationship between the lived experiences of LGBT people (especially lesbians and bisexual women) and staged depictions thereof. In the dissertation’s three analytical chapters, I offer close, critical readings of three representative plays by American women, one from each of the final three decades of the 20th century: Last Summer at Bluefish Cove by Jane Chambers, And Baby Makes Seven by Paula Vogel, and Stop Kiss by Diana Son. Motivated by the New Historicist perspective that the significance of literary texts “can be fully grasped only in relation to the other expressive possibilities with which it interacts,”1 I illuminate deeper meanings within the plays by investigating the social/political climates in which they were written and debuted. Exploring past modes of living and staging LGBT identities and experiences is valuable because it helps contextualize the current historical moment, which is marked by aggressive social/political campaigns aimed at LGBT empowerment and enfranchisement.