Continuing its explorations into different facets of human lives and emotions, Post Productions will premiere its first romantic tragedy on May 11th: Diana Son’s hit play, Stop Kiss.
Starring Fay Lynn, Lauren Crowley, Dan MacDonald, Matt Froese, Cindy Pastorius and Alex Alejandria, Stop Kiss is a charming story about Callie and Sara — two very different women who develop a close friendship that is interrupted by tragedy just as it begins to develop into romance. During scenes that take place both before and after the tragic incident (which is not shown), audiences will find themselves charmed by the characters, falling for them as they fall for each other, and cheering for their strength and perseverence. Tragedy and evil can stop a kiss, perhaps, but love endures.
“When Michael O’Reilly lent me the script last year,” says co-director Michael K. Potter, “I was struck by two things: first, the ending moved me to tears and I could visualize it, clear as day, in my mind; second, all of the characters leapt off the page as real people with complex needs, fears, desires, hopes. Stop Kiss runs the whole gamut of emotions – it’s hilarious and tragic, charming and awkward. It’s a real see-saw of emotions that draws you in and lingers with you afterwards. That’s exactly the sort of story we at Post Productions love most.”
Bringing such a complex mixture of emotions and personalities to life was no easy task, but an emotionally nimble, likable, talented cast was the first step. “Not only did we need everyone in the cast to be capable of navigating this terrain, we especially needed to ensure that the women playing Callie and Sara had a real connection, a believable chemistry together. So the audition process was exhausting. We tried every combination of actresses who auditioned multiple times. And there was a lot of talent in that room! But the chemistry between Fay Lynn and Lauren Crowley was obvious early on.”
The romance, comedy and drama of Stop Kiss will be accentuated by the music of Flower Face – the solo music project of 20 year old Windsor native Ruby Mckinnon, whose latest single has reached more than 200,000 plays with no label support, professional promotion or management – and whose songs have earned radio play on college stations all around the world since 2014.
“The use of sound and music is extremely important to Post Productions,” explains co-director Michael O’Reilly. “The original music we commissioned for True West helped establish the mood of that play, with the music starting well before curtain with the actors preset on stage, and recurring through scene transitions and intermission. In Doubt, we used period music associated with the time and sound collage to assist the setting: New York City street sounds, church bells, organ music, and school and playground sounds helped place us in a ’60s parish school in NYC. For Stop Kiss we wanted something delicate that could convey the unwritten nature of our lives. Local artist Flower Face came to mind instantly. Her songs reveal disappointment and possibility as companions, and life as a joyous struggle – exactly what is needed for a romantic tragi-comedy.”
Directed by Michael O’Reilly and Michael K. Potter. Produced by Michael K. Potter, Michael O’Reilly and Fay Lynn. Stop Kiss will be performed at The Shadowbox Theatre (103B – 1501 Howard Ave, the corner of Howard and Shepherd) May 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 2018. All performances begin at 8:00 PM (doors open at 7:30). Tickets can be purchased for $20 online.
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