A Celebration of Equality & Love for Pride - Stop Kiss at South Camden Theatre Co.

by Alex Davis

Walking into the auditorium at South Camden Theatre Company this past Friday night, I’m immediately hit with a wave of nostalgia. The late ‘90s-early-oughts soft-ish rock playlist has flipped a switch in me, and I know when we are. The small set dressed with a perfectly

imperfect laundry pile stacked on the small couch, tiny, one-chaired kitchen table, and

“cramped” kitchen counter space transports me back to the tiny closet bedroom in the small

apartment I paid far too much for, and I know the where. Before a single actor has set foot on

stage, the show is alive.

“Stop Kiss”, written by Diana Son, follows the story of Callie (Dana Lee Capanna), a seasoned New Yorker, and Sara (Lisa VillaMil), new to the city, but eager to make it her home, and the relationship they build as they move from strangers, to friends, to best friends, to something more, and what happens when being your authentic self is seen as a threat or “other”. Only discussed, the pivotal moment of the story is the culmination of Callie and Sara’s relationship - a long awaited kiss - and a violent altercation with a stranger because of it, leaving Sara hospitalized.

The play moves between 2 time periods - before the incident, and after the incident. The opening of the show incorporates every actor, using prerecorded lines of dialogue from the other characters as Callie moves through the scene, silently. This scene feels like beautifully choreographed chaos - the lighting in this moment, and throughout the rest of the show, is impeccably designed, moving seamlessly between the 2 time periods while giving the audience enough indication to know which time frame we were experiencing (serious kudos to lighting designer Jen Donsky).

Dana Lee Capanna and Lisa VillaMil are exceptional in their roles. From their first moments together, their chemistry is electric. Their initial nervous energy with each other feels genuine, and they build from there with a progression that feels incredibly natural. The actors have a way of making the uncomfortable conversations that the characters have feel real. And while the 2 leads thrive together, they also stand out in their own ways. Campanna has a way of seeming effortlessly present on stage; the moments where the character is actively thinking through something, or stumbling over her words really feel alive. VillaMil’s Sara is everything you’d expect for a new New Yorker - she plays with the freedom and curiosity that comes before NYC has the chance to beat you down. Her highs and lows feel true and authentic; her happy feels joyous, and her angry feels earned.

Capanna and VillaMil are surrounded by one hell of a supporting cast - Kathy Harmer plays both Mrs. Winsley, a witness to the incident leading to Sara’s hospitalization, and a nurse taking care of Sara in the hospital, and does a tremendous job creating 2 distinct characters, one seeming more cold and uptight, the other more warm and engaging. Daniel Burgess plays George, a friend/friend-with-benefits of Callie, and finds a way to play George’s aloof nature and jealous moments while remaining charming and likable. Christopher Cauffman Cooke plays Peter, Sara’s ex-boyfriend from St. Louis. He is immediately so natural in the scene, and excellently escalates his vibe from awkward nervous tension, to rude, to self-righteous anger. Tim Herman plays Detective Cole and does a fantastic job of playing the detective who rides the line between wanting to help and not wanting to be bothered. As always, Herman puts on a masterclass - his acting is so genuine and grounded, it’s as if you’re peering into a moment in time.

The production team should not be left out of praises here. As mentioned earlier, the lighting design is incredibly effective, and the set design evokes this exact place and time. I think what’s so remarkable about the design elements of this show is that, while they seem so simple, it’s clear each piece was deliberately chosen - whether it was the specific cut on the pair of jeans Callie and Sara wore, or the subtle lighting changes leading into scene changes - great care was put into the design, and it shows. Director Jonathan Edmonson clearly put in a great deal of work, and, boy, it pays off. The decision to have the actors remain in character during scene changes was brilliant - sometimes sweet, but often haunting. The ability to direct the pace of the show so that it feels quick and natural without feeling muddy? No easy feat. And yet, he accomplishes it. But what I believe to be his biggest triumph of this show are the moments of quiet. There are a number of moments throughout the show where action is taking place - emotional, intimate action - but there is quiet. These are some of the most powerful moments in the show because of this juxtaposition, and the gravity of what is taking place in the scene. Quiet moments on stage are not easy - they take a great deal of courage from an actor, and a strong vision from the director.

“Stop Kiss” runs until Saturday, June 17th. Tickets can be purchased at

https://www.southcamdentheatre.org/stop-kiss/. It is a powerful story told masterfully by this

group, and should not be missed.