What drew you to the play Bus Stop?

 “When I saw Bus Stop in the RVP season I jumped at the opportunity,” he said. “I really enjoy mid-century American realism. The stories and style of the plays are timeless and have produced some of the most iconic plays ever.” Haines then noted some very prominent playwrights of the era that have made an indelible mark on American theater. “Odets, Miller, O’Neil, Williams and Inge,” he said, “along with others, created beautiful stories that defined how we interact with narrative. ‘Bus Stop’ is a fantastic play I wanted to explore Inge’s meditation on love and these characters desperate need to be included and loved no matter the odds.”

 

 “The movie is more like a prequel to the play,” said Haines. “It recounts a lot of what happened in Kansas City beforehand. While it does include some of the dialogue from the play and ends up at a bus stop, it is a completely different story. The more morally conflicted portions of the play are omitted as is the most controversial character.”

 

 Why is Bus Stop relevant to our times?
 “Bus Stop is timeless in its message and therefore relevant because it helps us empathize with those who might not fit into the social norms of the age. At the time that ‘Bus Stop’ was on Broadway there was a general idea of what it meant to be an American as reflected in popular culture. It was thought to be a more innocent time when the American dream was available to all who worked hard enough,” said Haines. “Very Leave it to Beaver. ‘Bus Stop’ challenged those assumptions through its plot and characters… Indeed, six of eight of the characters are breaking the law in their search for love and belonging, noted Haines (sex outside of marriage was illegal in many sates in 1955). We are now living in a time when more identities and activities are accepted as normal but he said, there is still a lack of empathy.”

Marilyn Monroe despite her immense appeal was known by many in the industry as desperate for validation — to be taken seriously as a dramatic actress. Perhaps it is fitting that she was selected for the movie. Ironically, ‘Bus Stop’ was recognized by the critics as the best of her career thus far in 1956 as reported by the New York Times. And, while the 1956 film has memorable performances in it from the entire cast, the movie is not entirely Inge.

Haines noted the significance of Inge’s work. “I think Inge is challenging the audience to accept others as whole people whose existence should afford them the same rights as ‘normal’ people.” This theme is also expressed in Inge’s other well known work, ‘Picnic’ which garnered a Pulitzer Prize.”