Soo-Jin's Response to "The Fourth"

Affirmations:

I got to attend your last class sharing on Tuesday where we read your current draft. You played with the structure and used the texting system more. I noticed you cut generously and that help give motion to the beginning of your play. We got right down to the story, which was good.

I love the true to life ness of your play world. You are putting a slice of suburbia under the microscope and I revel in it as you take us from character to character.

I love how Adrian is on a journey. I wonder what he will discover at the end of it.

I love your descriptions of the suburb they live in...They seem as important as your characters.

Questions:

(1) Not that this is hugely important, but I've been wondering since you started the play, who is out? For instance, Connor obviously isn't...he is in a sea of ambiguity. But Adrian, I wonder when he came out. Just cause that skews my perception of their relationship. For instance, if Adrian is a really out person, then I figure most folks who know Adrian and Connor would think something was up between them. People read things well.

(2) Is Adrian Connor's first? Vice versa?

(3) Now that Jessica has broken up with Connor, what does she want?

(4) Is Adrian oblivious of Seth's attraction for him or is he in denial?

(5) Where are all the adults?

Opinions:

One thing I missed from the class reading was Mia and Henry's relationship. I am not sure if they come into the script later as you have been working on it since the beginning of the semester. There is a lovely chemistry between these two who make me really enjoy your world. They are gentle and flirtatious. They capture teenage innocence (sounds like an oxymoron) in a way that Connor and Adrian do but differently. Mia and Henry's attraction may just be budding while Connor and Adrian have a "secret" relationship. Even so, the nature of the relationships feel different and I like this contrast in your play.

This is total opinion land but I want Adrian to not get what he wants but get something better. That sounds vague. But I want Adrian to be a hero at the end whether he gets Connor or not because he will learn something valuable about himself or of life in general.

I can't wait to hear what you've done to it.