The College of Wooster Department of Theatre and Dance presents fall production Oct. 19-21

The College of Wooster Department of Theatre and Dance will present its fall production, Stop Kiss by Diana Son, Oct. 19–21 at 7:30 p.m. in Freedlander Theatre (320 E. University Street).

Guest directed by Francine Parr, Stop Kiss is a full-length drama that focuses on the relationship between two young women. Callie, played by Ada Wagner ’27, and Sara, played by Sabrina Clinger ’27, begin as strangers, but their sense of humor and shared experiences lead them to develop a strong bond that surprises them both. They slowly discover they might be falling in love, but when their tentative first kiss provokes an act of violence, their lives are transformed in ways they couldn’t have predicted. 

Grace Krage ’24 and Cam Love ’25 rehearse for the show.

Other students in the cast include Tyler Buchanan ’27, Mali Chappell-Lakin ’25, Ethan Juhasz ’27, Grace Krage ’24, and Cam Love ’25. The production is stage managed by Claire Alderfer ’24, with assistant stage managers Kate Conway ’24 and Amanda Harvey ’27. 

Francine Parr is a native of Akron, Ohio, and much of her work focuses on making theatre more accessible, community-based, and representative of diverse groups of people. She serves as the artistic director of the Arts Inclusion Incubator and Millennial Theatre Project at Akron Civic Theatre. The Millennial Theatre Project, which Parr also founded, works to bridge the gap between adult and youth community theatre and make theatre more diverse and equitable. The Arts Inclusion Incubator works to create opportunities for emerging marginalized performers and performing arts organizations.  

Stop Kiss contains strong language, homophobia, and graphic descriptions of violence and is not recommended for audiences under 13. The play will be performed without intermission.  

The cast of Stop Kiss practicing on the Freedlander Theatre stage.

This production is open to the public. Tickets are free for students at The College of Wooster; $6 for seniors, Wooster faculty and staff, and visiting students; and $9 for the general public. The Freedlander Theatre box office will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. beginning Monday, Oct. 16, and will be open from 1 p.m. until the start of the show Oct. 19-21. Tickets can be reserved in-person, by calling the box office at 330-263-2241, or online at wooster.edu/tickets.

Image 1: Mali Chappell-Lakin ’25, Sabrina Clinger ’27, and Ethan Juhasz ’27 in rehearsals for Stop Kiss

Posted in News on October 6, 2023.