Play addresses issues of homosexuality, love

Diana Son’s “Stop Kiss,” directed by Bruce Burgun, brings a story of love and addresses issues of homosexuality at the Wells-Metz Theatre.

“These aren’t dated circumstances. These things still happen everywhere, all over the country, all over the world,” said Kate Catherall, who plays Sara. “I think there are a lot of people who don’t really realize that.”

“Stop Kiss” is the story of Callie, played by third-year Master of Fine Arts student Lilia Vassileva, and a brutal beating she experiences when she and Sara kiss on a park bench in Greenwich Village, N.Y. Throughout the performance, the audience
witnesses her relationships with the other characters, including her on-again, off-again boyfriend George, played by Brian Bradshaw; Detective Cole, played by David Kopp; the Nurse, played by Bradley Wantz and Mrs. Winsley, played by Maddy King.
The production is composed of 23 scenes that follow the main story line, similar to the feel of the TV series Son writes for, Law and Order. But most of the drama happens offstage, Bradshaw said.  

Callie is on stage for the entire show, King said.

“She’s handling it like a champ, because it’s straight 90 minutes of her with no break,” Bradshaw said. “There’s no intermission. The biggest break she gets is when she has a long costume change.”

Though most of the cast went into the show knowing each other, they bonded during exercises Burgun had them practice, Bradshaw said.

“There’s potential for some awkward moments, but once you get past that sort of self-consciousness, the end results are amazing,” Kopp said.

Burgun’s accomplishments include his work on more than 100 professional productions throughout the Midwest. The cast agreed that working with Burgun is an incredible opportunity and a unique experience.

“It’s enlightening in a sense that he really gives us the freedom onstage to do things that a lot of directors don’t. He’s not very ‘Go here, stand here, do this, say it like this,’” Bradshaw said. “He lets us explore onstage to find things that work for us, and then he tweaks it.”

The set is a typical New York loft apartment with brick walls, a futon and shelving, Kopp said.

The show takes place during the 1970s, but is still modern because the issues it addresses still occur, King said.

M.F.A. candidates worked behind the scenes in the production, with Katie McDermott as scenic designer, Jennifer Sheshku as costume designer, Chris Wood as lighting designer and Adam Weil as technical director. The sound designer is second-year Ph.D. candidate Thomas Oldman.

“Stop Kiss” will be showing at 7:30 Feb. 6 and 7 and Feb. 10 through 14 at the
Wells-Metz Theatre, with a matinee at 2 p.m. Feb. 14. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students, seniors and those 30 and under. Student rush tickets are available for $12 with valid IU Bloomington student ID on the day of each performance.

“I think the audience should leave the theater sort of questioning themselves a little bit, because while the play certainly has comedic moments, it’s about a love story,” Wantz said. “I think that it needs to be a wake-up call that hate crimes just don’t happen, and that people who are gay and not in the norm are still under threat.”