STAMP stages same-sex proposals
Theater group takes guerrilla approach to protest Prop. 8
Some choose simple engagements with flowers and candlelit dinners. Others take the audacious route and propose on-air or in sports stadiums. But then there are some, at least here on the Stanford campus, who propose in classrooms and lecture halls.
Members of the Stanford Theatre Activist Mobilization Project (STAMP) conducted 20 staged proposals between same-sex couples and straight couples in over 12 different classes and at the CoHo this week. The effort was organized in order to express opposition to California Proposition 8, which, if passed, would effectively ban same-sex marriage in the state.
The effort was organized by STAMP co-founder Amanda Gelender ‘09 and Vera Eidelman ‘09, the group’s “guerrilla theater” director. Gelender and Eidelman wanted to use drama to place students — especially those who may not be familiar with Prop. 8 — in the moments of joy that same-sex couples share with each other on a daily basis. The actors and organizers hoped that allowing their audiences to become part of such a special moment for any couple — gay or straight — would push them to consider whether or not the consequences of Prop. 8 are ultimately beneficial.
“So we recreated these moments of joy that represented the beauty of marriage and the remarkable power of two people committing to a life together,” Gelender said. “We wanted to convey, on a human level, what society would have to lose if we ban same-sex marriage.”
Since its founding in 2007, STAMP has worked to produce plays and other theatrical pieces — such as last year’s “In Darfur” and “Hair” — that relate to current political issues. These endeavors, claim STAMP leaders, stem from the belief that theater can evoke emotions that other forms of activism may not be able to.
A three-day series of improvisational performances began on Oct. 6 after three weeks of preparation. Gelender and Eidelman have also worked collaboratively with the campus’ Vote Down 4 & 8 campaign. Likewise, some members of the Vote Down campaign participated in the performances. Training culminated in a workshop last Sunday that sought to help first-time performers get accustomed to techniques in improvisational theater.
For Charlie Syms ‘11, one of the actors in STAMP’s campaign against Prop. 8, this was his first time working in guerrilla theater.
“It was really nerve-wracking to be part of this because I wanted to be true to what STAMP was doing,” he said. “That was a concern for me. Are people going to believe that I’m actually proposing?”
The answer, for the vast majority of students who witnessed the performances, was yes.
In fact, many were so emotionally invested in the performances that the proposals brought them to tears. A few students were even disappointed when they later learned the proposals were staged.
“I thought that it was very powerful seeing that between two people,” said Michael Madderra ‘11, who witnessed a proposal last Monday in his Political Science class. “But at the same time, I would have preferred knowing that this is a reenactment of what it really is like outside of campus. I’d prefer more honesty. I would have more trust in that.”
Mass emails were sent out Monday evening to various Stanford chat lists in response to students’ requests for an explanation, and on Tuesday and Wednesday, STAMP officers told students about their goals and the role of theater in efforts to defeat Prop. 8. Some classes even held discussions following the performances.
Plans are also underway for an open discussion about Prop. 8 moderated by STAMP, as well as similar performances in cafes in surrounding communities.
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