"Pass: to be successful in a test or examination; amatory or romantic advances; to die; to decide not to do something; to allow to happen without comment or intervention (eg. to pass for being straight, instead of gay)"
Set in the early 2000's, being a gay role model at school has its challenges. Why is Toby outing Mr. Ramsey in the school newspaper? Did Ramsey play a role in Kevin's suicide by staying in the closet? PASS pits the responsibility of an adult role model in a charged era of diversity against one's right to lead a life as one sees fit, not as others expect.
Keywords: LGBTQ2S+ ; diversity; school; education
Semi-finalist, Short & Sweet Festival, Australia, 2018
Pass received a staged reading in Toronto in August, 2010.
Scene 17 from the play received a staged reading at Void Room Theatrics, The Play Offs, Toronto, April 2016.
A version of Scene 4 exists as an independent ten minute play entitled Gay Positive. It received a reading at Toronto Cold Reads, 2018.
Genre: Drama
Acts: 2
Run time: 90 minutes
Suitable for students 14+
Content note: The play contains a suicide, and its aftermath.
Cast size: 6 actors
Male roles: 5
Female roles: 3
Trans/Non-Binary/Gender Non-Conforming roles: 1
Casting notes:
Characters:
CLAUDE RAMSEY- 30-35- English teacher. A little too tightly wound.
TOBY- 15- Full of bravado- not necessarily confidence
BART 40- History teacher at a different school; Claude’s new lover. Self-confident, perhaps to a fault
JAVIER- 15/16. Most popular guy in class. Good looking. Bully.
JASMINE- 15- not the brightest light. Can be non-binary/gender non-conforming
ANNIE- Any age- Supportive straight colleague, who can only be so supportive since she is not in Claude’s shoes
KEVIN - 15-quiet; Toby’s “boyfriend”?
KEN NOBLE- 45- Kevin’s dad
SHIRLEY NOBLE- 45- Kevin’s mom
Casting note: JASMINE/ANNIE/SHIRLEY - 1 actor; JAVIER/KEN - 1 actor
This will result in a cast of 6.