'Stop Kiss' examines growing attraction between two women, gay-bashing that follows
By MICHAEL SMITH World Entertainment Writer 06/22/01
Jolyn Duncan is Callie and Zsa Mandvill is Sara in "Stop Kiss." JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
"Stop Kiss," a drama that examines the budding relationship between two women and a violent act that changes their lives, requires a certain dynamic between the actors, a special chemistry, a spark that makes the performance believable.
That necessity is the only reason director Vern Stefanic would spy on his actors.
"We had to have something very special," Stefanic said. "There aren't words on the printed page in this play that say `I like you.' The relationship between these two women is a very gradual and subtle thing that happens. We had to have naturalness, a natural air between two women.
"And then (co-stars) Jolyn (Duncan) and Zsa (Mandvill), the more we did the readings, the more I was intrigued by that match because of the natural chemistry. In fact, one night after auditions, I snuck out and I just watched them go out to the parking lot together after they had done their reading together. I saw that in just their walking out together and kidding around and standing in the parking lot and talking, they were having the dynamics of a relationship that I knew we'd have to project in the show. They sold me right there."
The play by Diana Son, a playwright who also has written for the TV smash series "The West Wing," presents two New York women in their 20s who become acquainted. One is a glib radio traffic reporter. The other is an idealistic teacher of disadvantaged children in the Bronx. Neither has ever before been attracted to a member of the same sex, and they aren't sure what to do about it once this mutual event occurs.
The work has an intriguing structure and is somewhat cinematic considering its short scenes, one to four minutes in length and 23 of them in all. The intriguing part is that half of the scenes (for example, Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.) deal with the relationship from the start, building up to the titular kiss in the final scene; the other scenes (Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.) regard the aftermath of the kiss -- a violent gay-bashing attack that will test the resolve of their commitment.
"I think that's the beauty of the play and a bit Hitchcockian," Stefanic said. "In finding out in the second scene that there is a beating that occurs, we learn early that something awful happens, and I think it's the classic definition of suspense in that the audience gets to see something bad is happening played against the steps leading to it. It's terrifically exciting."
On the surface, the play is about two people becoming attracted to each other, Stefanic says. But their journey of self-discovery is about more than that, and the playwright's intent was to explore, among other things, "what gives society the right to interfere with your journey if your journey's not bothering anyone," he says. "And two people kissing, in (Son's) mind, is not bothering anyone."
"It's not a gay play," he says. "The playwright has been criticized by gays for not being political enough. But she's also criticized for having two women kissing, so she can't win either way. The work is clearly not mainstream. It's got a certain edge to it, and I wouldn't necessarily blame someone for not wanting to be part of it. But what I hope is that the community wants to come and experience it and that maybe we can do something that influences some lives."
Duncan and Mandvill are joined in this production by fellow performers Julie Gersib, Lisa McCrossen-Combs, Steven Modovsky, Jeff Murrin and Kevin Roden. Leigh Anne Winters serves as stage manager, and Devin Meadows is the production designer.
WHAT: "Stop Kiss," Theater Club presents a dramatic play by Diana Son
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, also 8 p.m. June 28-30
WHERE: Nightingale Theater, 1416 E. Fourth St.
TICKETS: $8, may be reserved by calling 857-9154.
Michael Smith, World entertainment writer, can be reached at 581-8474 or via e-mail at michael.smith@tulsaworld.com.