What’s in a ‘Kiss’?

In 2003, we acted in a play that was particularly significant for us because we were surprisingly “cast against type.” Before that, we so often played “singing” heroes like Jose Rizal, Emilio Aguinaldo and Jesus Christ, without a doubt coveted characters for any actor to portray—and we were convinced we would eventually die a martyr.

But this article isn’t about us—we were just lucky to be where we were at the time. After all, which actor would not want to get directed by Monique Wilson, who’s known for her collaborative approach as she is for her exacting standards.

Moreover, acting alongside some of our personal favorites (that’s no hyperbole)—Tami Monsod, Jamie Wilson and then-promising newbie Rabbi Gannaban—had earned us some bragging rights.

The play was Diana Son’s “Stop Kiss,” whose lead characters in its Off-Broadway debut were originated by Sandra Oh (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Killing Eve”) and Jessica Hecht (“Breaking Bad,” “Special”).

We were all thrilled to come together in support of the “coming-out” of sorts of two of Philippine theater’s most exciting ingenues: Casting Jenny Jamora and Missy Maramara in the lead roles was, simply put, a stroke of genius.

In New Voice’s staging of Diana Son’s delectable drama “Stop Kiss,” we were thrilled to get cast in the role of Detective Cole, who’s called in to investigate a despicable hate crime.

When Rabbi couldn’t do the show’s extended run, we were tasked to quickly learn a second role, Peter. You can imagine how alternately scary and exciting that was for an actor raring to earn his thespic stripes.

Devoid of its theme’s sensationalistic possibilities, the play examines the life-or-death repercussions of an innocent kiss shared by two women, Callie (Jenny Jamora) and Sarah (Missy Maramara), that leads to a violent attack.

Sixteen years later, Jenny and Missy are pulling a too-good-to-be-missed switcheroo for the play’s eight-performance run at Power Mac Center Spotlight, Circuit Makati from July 12-21 (call 0915-8359210 for inquiries).

Under the helm of Ed Lacson Jr., Missy plays Callie, while Jenny takes on the role of Sara. Joining them onstage are Tarek El Tayech, Gabe Mercado, Robbie Guevara, Jay Valencia-Glorioso and J-mee Katanyag.

Asked about the relevance of the play so many years after its first staging in Manila, Jenny aptly notes, “Violence against women and members of the LGBTQ community is still happening. Just about a month ago, a lesbian couple was beaten up and, ironically, it was almost the same situation [as the one being depicted in the play] … of women being sexualized because of the act of kissing. When they refused to give that to the man taunting them, they got physically beaten for it!”

But physical actions aren’t the only ones that lead to violence, Jenny points out: “There’s also violence committed in statements like those of the CFC-FFL (Couples for Christ-Foundation for Family and Life)—a blind dismissal of an entire community, and a refusal to see the human rights violations committed against them.”

“The play and its themes are relevant as ever,” Missy concurs. “There’s still stigma and violence against the rainbow community. It’s even sadder that lesbians and bisexual women are underrepresented in media. If you set these contentious discussions aside, there’s also the fact that ‘Stop Kiss’ is a wonderfully written love story.”

How did the role switch come about?

“It was Jenny’s idea,” Missy recalls. “She noted that we were at that point in our acting journeys where a switch would be interesting to do. I love a good challenge, and since that scared me to death, I agreed to do it.”

The revival has also allowed Missy to look at her life in retrospect, and how she has evinced growth as a person since.

“We were so young in the production’s premier performance in 2003, and we didn’t know anything at all!” Missy says, laughing. “Looking back, the innocence—or should I say naïveté—was what made it work, because Callie and Sara didn’t know anything, either. They were discovering things in the moment.

“But that first staging taught me a technique in performance, and instilled in me a desire to mine the text for deeper meanings. Diana Son is a genius at subtle word play and double entendre!

“And when the lesbian community watched, they laughed at so many parts I didn’t know were funny! It’s a fascinating eye-opener for worlds beyond my own.

“After the first staging, I tried my best to see for myself what Callie and Sara’s lives were like: I went to Henrietta’s in New York, then I got to walk around St. Louis, Missouri. Now I want to ride a helicopter (laughs)!

“The firsthand experience of being in those cities helped make Sara and Callie’s world real for me—mainly because it showed me that there is no intrinsic difference between living in Manila and New York, except maybe the harsh winter.

“Big cities are scary and lonely, and they can suck you into a job you just do to get by. But you’re still so full of hope for genuine connection, and the longing to make a difference in another person’s life.”

Between Sara and Callie, which is more challenging and fun to essay?

“I found Callie more challenging to bring to life, because Sara is really close to my personality,” Missy says. “And because Callie’s onstage twice as long, with all the emotional shifts between scenes!

“Callie is so different from Sara, and it’s fascinating to see the story from this point of view. It’s also so much fun to find Callie differently from how Jenny portrayed her 16 years ago, and to see how Jenny brings Sara to life this time around.”

Jenny agrees, “I think Callie is still more challenging to play, not only because she’s got 99-percent stage time, but also because she’s shifting from what is sometimes a very emotionally different present to past, and then back again.

“Sara’s challenge is about bringing in a detailed previous circumstance to how she behaves in the present scene. The life she left in St. Louis hangs over her all the time, and it drives her. And then, when the embodiment of that former life is brought onstage in the form of her ex-squeeze Peter, her faculties to communicate are all taken away from her. It’s a great acting challenge still!”

For theater aficionados, you don’t want to miss “Stop Kiss” and how its two once-promising and now-seasoned lead actresses bring Callie and Sara’s shared stories to life, now in wiser and more lived-in portrayals. Take our word for it, when you see the play’s indelible final frame, you’ll know just what we mean.