KIND NESS
About the Production
KIND NESS is a poignant but surreal coming of age comedy that follows the friendships of six characters from their elementary school days through their college years in the 1950's. Ordinary enough—except that one of the six is a gorilla named Buzz. In this work which mixes projections, theater, music and movement, the word “kindness” takes on two meanings: compassion and sympathy as well as likeness and commonality.
Production Team And Cast
Conceived and Written by
Ping Chong, in collaboration with the cast
Directed by
Ping Chong
Lighting Design
Blu
Sound Design
Brian Hallas and Phil Lee
Costume Design
Mel Carpenter
Projection Design
Jan Hartley
Set Design
Anguss Moss
Stage Manager
David Kronick
Cast
Roger Babb, John Fleming, Brian Hallas, Jeannie Hutchins, Lenard Petit, Louise Smith and Louise Sunshine
Performance History
Workshop
Northeastern University, Boston, MA (April 1986)
Premiere
La MaMa E.T.C., New York, NY (May 1986)
Tours
Central Park Summer Stage, New York, NY (August 1988)
Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee, WI (November 1989)
Lafayette College, Easton, PA (February 1989)
Kirby Theatre, Amherst College, Amherst, MA (February 1989)
Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (February 1989)
Painted Bride Art Center (January 1990)
Trinity College, Hartford, CT (January 1990)
Lied Center for Performing Arts, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (March 1991)
Dance Place by District Curators, Inc. Washington, D.C. (May 1991)
Theatre 95, Cergy-Pontoise, France (April 1992)
Illusion Theatre, Minneapolis, MN (April 1992)
Seattle Group Theater, Seattle, WA (April-May 1993)
Press
Kind Ness, The Chicago Reader, April 30, 1992
Kind Ness, Chopin Theatre, April 1992
'Kindness' Exhibit Creates Primal Environment, The Heights, September 16, 1985
The Script was published in "New Plays IV" by Theater Communication Group
Awards
1987 USA Playwrights' Award
Home Box Office, Inc. and Theater Communications Group’s 1988 Playwrights USE Award
Partners
The Massachusetts Arts Council
The National Endowment for the Arts
The New York State Council on the Arts
The Dalglish Foundation
KIND NESS Program(1993)