Diana Son

Playwright Biography

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Diana Miae Son is a Korean-American playwright, television producer and writer. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Korean immigrant parents and raised in Dover, Delaware. She notes her upbringing as rather “Americanized,” commenting that it was not until she was a teenager that she noticed the differences between her own culture and that of her friends. She completed her undergraduate studies at New York University, where she majored in Dramatic Literature. When she was a senior in college she interned at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, an off-off Broadway theatre and cultural institution.
Son's first play was called Wrecked On Brecht and was published in 1987. For eight to 10 years, she wrote and produced short plays in the downtown area of Manhattan. Her play BOY premiered at La Jolla Playhouse in 1996 and was directed by Michael Greif. Her first full-length play, Stop Kiss, debuted in 1998. It was critically acclaimed. The play was produced Off-Broadway in 1998 at The Public Theater in New York City. It was extended three times. Stop Kiss was the winner of the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding New York production. The play's initial run featured Jessica Hecht, Saul Stein, Sandra Oh, Saundra McClain, Kevin Carroll, and Rick Holmes. Son met Oh - who has participated in readings of every play by Son since they met - in 1995 in Los Angeles while involved in the New Works Festival. It was the winner of the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding New York production and Diana was awarded a Berilla Kerr Award for playwriting.
Despite being a successful playwright, Diana still took on a number of temporary jobs including waitressing and freelance writing that even during the successful run of Stop Kiss. Diana is known more frequently for her roles as television producer and writer. Son has worked in television since 2000, starting out as a story editor for The West Wing. She is known for her work including American Crime, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Southland also served as the show runner for 13 Reasons Why.
She has also taught playwriting at various institutions including Yale and New York Universities. As of 2015, Son is the Playwrighting Program Chair of the Dramatists Guild of America's Fellows Program, a mentorship and support program for playwrights and musical theater writers. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Women in Theatre, and the Writers Guild of America, East. Son is an alumni of New Dramatists. Son has written much of her work (plays and television) at the non-profit urban writer's colony The Writers' Room in Greenwich Village.
Compiled from Diana Son (2022, March 28) in wikipedia, AbiYouness & Taliento (2016)

Highlighted Play

STOP KISS (1998)

Synopsis

This play was complexed on the depths of human affection and compassion through the story. Callie, a traffic reporter, and Sara, a school teacher were brutally attacked when they shared their first kiss in West Village in 1998 New York City. This kiss, act of love turned into a nightmare, Sara became hospitalized in a coma, and their story became the issue on the news. This play reminds us that it is equally important to have a script with a political message, but also tell a genuine love story. Throughout this play, the story moves forward with straightforward dialogue, yet Son gives the space for audiences to breath by setting up the humor while this romantic relationship is developed, formed and ended with tragic consequences.

Original production of Stop Kiss, with Jessica Hecht as Callie and Sandra Ohas Sara, at the Joseph Papp Public Theater in 1998

Sample activity

Exchange of roles:In order for a whole group of students to be able to contribute to the creation of all the characters from the play. Inspired by Boal's Forum theatre, everyone plays the protagonist at different times. The students rehearse parts they are not playing, each student doing someone else's character. Students who are not in the scene say 'Stop' and take the role from the moment. In this way each student can give their versions of their own 'Callie', 'Sara' or Detective Cole' etc.
Swapping Characters:In order to obtain a better understanding of the characters, the students go around and swap their roles in the course of a rehearsal. Preferably swapping within a single relationship (Callie/Sara, Callie/George, Sara/Peter, Detective Cole/Callie, etc.) The students do not need to know each other's line by heart, it is enough for them to have a general idea of each character and a rough understanding of the content of the role.

Sample audience

This play would be ideal for Juniors and Seniors in High School, as well as college level students due to some violent content. There are several types of activities that could open up discussions about gender, gender identities, and hate crimes.

Discussion questions

In your opinion, what do you think is the main objective of the play Stop Kiss?
What does the title Stop Kiss mean to you?
The play goes back and forth through the past and present. If you directed the play how would you process the time? Would you put it in chronological time or keep it as written? Why?
Do you think it is important or not for playwrights of color to write plays that represent their communities? Why?
How do you feel about heterosexual playwrights writing about homosexual love stories?

Annotated Plays

From left, Kevin Carroll, Sandra Oh and Clarke Thorell in "Satellites,"Credit...Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

SATELLITES (2008)

Satellites discloses the necessity of new parents Nina ( 2nd generation Korean American) and Miles (African American who was adopted by a White family), interracial couple for individual racial identity, parenting, society and everyday life in the multicultural, transforming neighborhood in Brooklyn. As the play goes on, old and new people enter into their lives, challenging their intuitions on whom to trust. Son presents a variety of emotional questions of the cultural issues with the humor and remind us to remember to return home to restore from the messes.

photo by Jon Crispin

R.A.W ‘Cause I am a woman (1993)

R.A.W stands for ‘Raunchy Asian Woman,’ throughout the play Son reveals the stereotypes imposed onto Asian women. This play explores traumatic issues and topics regarding Asian women including interracial relationships, the experience of being a queer Asian woman, dating a traditional Korean man and sexually objectifying Asian women. Which are investigated and deconstructed to revive the four women’s individuality to express the diversity of their backgrounds and humanity.

Comprehensive List of Plays

Full length Plays

Stop Kiss. (1999)
Satellites. (2008)

Short plays

Wrecked On Brecht. (1987)
Stealing Fire. (1992)
2000 Miles. (1993)
R.A.W. (‘Cause I’m a Woman). (1993)
Fishes. (1998)
Happy Birthday Jack. Dixon, Michael Bigelow, and Amy Wegener. Humana Festival ‘99: The Complete Plays (1999)
The Moon Please. Lane, Eric, and Nina Shengold. Take Ten Ⅱ: More Ten-Minute Plays (2003)
Siberia. (2003)
Boy. Yew, Chay. Version 3.0: Contemporary Asian American Plays. (2011)
Blind Date. (2011)
Axis. Tricycle Theatre. The Bomb: A Partial History. (2012)

Filmography

The West Wing (2000)
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2004-2008)
Southland (2010)
NYC 22 (2012)
Do No Harm (2013)
Jo (2013)
Blue Bloods (2010-2014)
Love is a four-Letter Word (2015)
American Crime (2015-2016)
13 Reasons Why (2017)
Law & Order: True Crime - The Menendez Murders (2017)
Dirty John (2018-2019)

Christina House / Los Angeles Times

Additional Resources

Women in Theatre- Diana Son

Diana Son | K-Pod | Ep. 16

Bibliography

Winer, L. (2003, June 6). "Diana Son" [Video]. Women in Theatre: Dialogues with Notable Women in American Theatre. No. CUNY TV. League of Professional Theatre Women.

Sherman, H. (2009, December). "The Play That Changed My Life (Working In The Theatre #385)" [Video]. American Theatre Wing.

Saltzman, S. (1999, January 27). "New York Review: `Stop Kiss'". U.S. 1 Newspaper.

LeBleu, M. (2014, November 12). "Stopping the hate with laughter and a kiss at the Playhouse". Courier. Pasadena City College.

Wikipedia contributors. (2021, December 5). Diana Son. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 09:36, 2022, March 28, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diana_Son&oldid=1058792600

Zinoman, J. (2006, June 18) "Candor as a Cure for Writer's Block". The New York Times.

McNulty, C. (2014, December 19). "Charles McNulty's best stage shows of 2014". Los Angeles Times.

Brantley, B. (2006, June 19). "Settling Down on Shaky Ground, in Diana Son's 'Satellites'". The New York Times.

Rooney, D. (2006, June 18). "Review: 'Satellites'". Variety.

Harrah, S. (2006, June 21). "Sandra Oh helps put 'Satellites' back in orbit". The Villager. 76 (5).

AbiYouness, P. & Taliento, M. (2016, October 1). "STOP KISS A Dramaturgical Casebook". talientoteaches.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/stop-kiss-casebook-1.pdf

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