Five college and one high-school students sit in front of a classroom of 25 peers and community members at the Community Campus in Portsmouth. They’re actors, playing out a scene set in a New Hampshire hospital break room. Their dialogue turns to the subject of homosexuals, and finally to a gay woman, Robin, who was admitted to the ER several weeks prior. The woman’s partner, Grace, is not allowed to see Robin because of the legal requirement to only allow spouses and family members to visit, a rule that when not followed can result in lawsuits against the hospital. The play presents the concerns of the hospital staff and of Grace, and the legal, moral, and emotional battles that each of these real life characters must face when put in a similar situation.

The theme of the play was rooted in the true story of Molly and Olivia and the tragic end to their relationship. Olivia was injured in a jet-ski accident and admitted to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Although the couple had spent thousands of dollars to protect their relationship with legal rights, Molly was not allowed to see Olivia, who died alone.

Justin Fredenburg, a junior at the University of New Hampshire  and a member of the theater group WildActs, played a nurse in the “Drawing a Bigger Circle” on Saturday, Nov. 12. Fredenburg also attended the play development workshop in September, which was created by a California company called Fringe Benefits, a non-profit educational theater company that travels to schools throughout the country to stimulate discussions and develop plays which address issues related to diversity and discrimination. They are dedicated to building bridges between LGBT youth and their straight peers, teachers and families.

“The first day we shared stories about the problems homosexuals run into,” said Fredenburg. “The people telling (the stories) were honestly confused about why homosexuals can’t have marriage equality and why they were discriminated against.” For Fredenburg, hearing story after story of and by people who have experienced discrimination for their sexual-orientation gave the issue a tangible importance.

According to an online Harris Poll in 2004, 35 percent of adults in the United States said that neither civil unions nor marriages should be allowed for same sex partners. Twenty-seven percent favored same sex marriages and 31 percent favored civil unions.

UNH associate professor of theater David Kaye cofounded WildActs in 2001 and now helps to direct the theater group, which focuses its plays on issues relating to equality and human rights on campus. He also helped produce the Community Campus event. Kaye said the play workshop involved college students, faculty, administration, a high-school student and community members of all different sexual orientations, religious backgrounds, and levels of comfort with the issue of same sex marriages. When they began writing the play, the first question they asked, he said, was, “How can we talk about this with people who are uncomfortable with the idea and let them hear this point of view?” Then the theater group had to decide on a target audience upon whom the story might have the most impact. Determining that voters would be the most influential candidates in case it came to a Constitutional Amendment in New Hampshire, they also had to pick a group of voters who would have an impact in the community.

“We wanted to find a place where there are a group of community leaders,” said Kaye. “If they agreed with the point of view in the play then the issue had a chance of moving beyond the individuals.” So they chose Rotary Clubs as their target audience, presenting the plays and a discussion during their meetings. Already the group has performed the play at one Rotary meeting, and has four more lined up in the Seacoast area.

David Bleiler, a UNH junior and member of WildActs, played a doctor who is torn between hospital policies and Grace’s emotional pleas to visit her partner. Bleiler, who has a strong Christian background, attended the workshop discussions. “I’ve never looked down my nose (at homosexuals),” said Bleiler, who realizes this isn’t a commonly held approach by Christian followers. “A lot of the times I feel I have to keep my faith concealed” to avoid stereotyping by homosexual peers and friends.

Seacoast Outright, a non-profit organization in Portsmouth, was another financial backer and supporter of the play. The organization’s goal is to provide support groups and social events for gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, and questioning (GLBTQ) youth under the age of 21 and to educate the public on issues that GLBTQ youth face. Seacoast Outright executive director Tawnee Walling hopes the play created discussion among audience members about marriage equality. “I believe in marriage for everyone,” said Walling. “If the government is going to bestow rights on one person then they should bestow rights on everybody.” Many of the members of Seacoast Outright worry that they won’t have the same opportunities for marriage as their straight peers, said Walling.  

Portsmouth interdisciplinary artist/poet Jennifer Belkus, a volunteer at Seacoast Outright, created an art installation for the reception area, called “Wall and Center,” to address feelings of aloneness and belongingness of straight and GLBTQ youth. The free-standing wall, with an open door in its center, has written art on two sides—one side with negative art on the feelings of aloneness, and the other side with positive art on the feelings of belonging. Belkus asked for written submissions from Seacoast Outright, Gay-Straight Alliance clubs, English teachers in every school in the state, and youth correctional facilities. The submissions were not limited to GLBTQ youth, but open to youth of all sexual orientations.

“They weren’t restricted to topics of their gender,” said Belkus. “Point was that if they chose to address issues of identity then this was the form to share that in.” The queer identity is often misrepresented and treated as invisible, she says. In the end Belkus received about three dozen contributions from two-dozen writers. She was assisted in the project by Andrew and Bonnie Periale of Perry Alley Theater.  Many of the youths who contributed to “Wall and Center” believe that marriage equality, regardless of sex, is a necessary goal.

Jess Carrigg, an 18-year-old resident of Durham, was one contributor to “Wall and Center.” Carrigg, a member of Seacoast Outright, submitted a poem and a song about diversity and her own sexual orientation. She believes it is important to get the word out about the GLBTQ youth and their problems. “I hope to influence people who are afraid to open up their feelings,” said Carrigg. “(Same-sex marriage) shouldn’t be discriminated against because it’s something (homosexuals) can’t help.”

Amanda Miller, 21, a contributor from Manchester, submitted an essay called “Hands,” which describes all the different people who have had an influence in her life. As a peer facilitator at Seacoast Outright, Miller helps kids involved with the organization deal with GLBTQ issues. “It’s important to me because I’ve been engaged to a man before,” said Miller, “but it would be different if I wanted to marry a woman. It’s just a piece of paper and a promise, so why is it so hard to give to a homosexual couple?”

Actress Rachel Downs, a high school student at Oyster River, played a nurse in the play. She was the only high school student to both participate in the workshop and act in the play. The workshop helped her realize a situation her gay cousin might someday face. “What if she wanted to get married?” said Downs. Oyster River has a Gay-Straight Alliance for students, but the term “fag” is still tossed around as an insult in the hallways, she says.

In the final acts of “Drawing a Bigger Circle,” the actors debate their feelings. “I wish there was some flexibility in the policy.  I wish I didn’t have to jeopardize my career,” said Bleiler, who played the doctor. It’s obvious that each of them—nurses, doctors and staff—have an important role in changing this policy issue.  But in the final line of the play, Bleiler asks a question directed more toward the audience than the five actors on stage, “Now what are we going to do about it?”