Production History

John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation was presented during CST’s Season 15 (1998–1999) at Stage Center, 400 W. Sheridan Avenue, with a reported run of April 30–May 29, 1999. The play follows Paul, a young man who enters the lives of wealthy New Yorkers Ouisa and Flan Kittredge by claiming to be Sidney Poitier’s son and a friend of their children. His deception unsettles their assumptions about identity, intimacy, privilege, and their connections to other people. CST’s original notes connect the play to David Hampton’s impersonation of Poitier’s son, crediting Osborne Elliott as the person who related the story to Guare. The publicity explicitly identified themes of race, homophobia, homelessness, celebrity, privacy, and generational conflict. The original design notes document specific Wassily Kandinsky references: Accent in Pink (1926) and Improvisation XXXI (Naval Battle) (1913) for a double-sided painting; Unbroken Line (1923) for the set; and Light (1930) for the poster. CST publicity noted the play’s 1991 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play and 1993 Olivier Award for Best Play. The play was originally produced by Lincoln Center Theater.

CST Connections

Rhonda Clark also directed Rumors (II) and Scotland Road during Season 15.
Linda Parrish previously played Barbara Jackson in Pack of Lies (1997).
Hal Kohlman directed Private Eyes earlier in the season; Nick Backes played Adrian in that production.
James Tyra previously played Ketch Freeman in Our Country’s Good (1993) and later played Ziggy in Side Man (2003).
Bob Cross stage-managed Rumors (II) and Scotland Road, while Bob Bates stage-managed Ruthless! and Rehearsal for Murder during the same season.
Richie Rayfield played Ronnie in Out of Order (1998) and served on the running crew for Scotland Road.
Robert Curry later appeared in Never the Sinner and Pride’s Crossing, both in 2001.
Scott Meek served as assistant director for Private Eyes and later played Nathan Leopold Jr. in Never the Sinner.
Wil Rogers subsequently played Ray Dolenz in Proposals (1999) and Treat in Orphans (2009).
Jayme Martin Howell is credited in the supplied Picnic (2007) record as Jayme Howell, playing Rosemary Sydney.
Adrian Thompson later provided hairstyling for Proposals and poster photography for Proof (2004).
Tom Harrington, Bob Bates, Tom Gibson, and Kyle Watson also contributed to Proposals, the following season’s opener.

Press and Photography

Acknowledgments

Special thanks: Zak Lowery; Suzanne Charney; Jon Womastek; Doobie Potter; Michele Feltman-Strider; Mary Freeh.

Licensing

Licensed through Dramatists Play Service, Inc., according to the supplied original CST record. Current performance licensing is available through Concord Theatricals.

THEATRE UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

Steve Gilmore