A-LISTS theatre by john bilow he gay community has a history problem. To be sure, we have a
very rich and fascinating one, but it is often overlooked, forgotten or not documented in the first place. Unlike others who learn from their parents and grandparents what it was like growing up black, Jewish or female in a society that derided them, our history often misses passage from one generation to the next. On top of that, we are often too focused on the struggle of the moment to remember what life was like before Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell, AIDS and even Stonewall. Partiularily since Stonewall seems to represent the gay “Garden-of-Eden-moment” that God chose to suddenly create Adam and Steve out of the firmament. The Diversionary Theatre’s new production Dooley shines a light on one of the pre-
Stonewall leaders, Dr. Tom Dooley, who was an unsung hero years before the famous uprising at the famed New York bar. He was a doctor, humanitarian, decorated hero and he was gay. Only 34 when he died in 1961, he had already done more to make his mark than most do in their entire lives. After a brief stint in the navy, Dooley went to medical school then re-enlisted, do- ing his residency at Camp Pendleton. Beginning in 1954 he accepted an assignment in the refugee camps of Viet Nam, then wrote the book Deliver Us From Evil, based on his experiences. Shortly after his book was released in 1956, Dr. Dooley was forced to resign from the military due to their discovery of his sexual orientation. He continued his humanitarian work after leaving military service, opening medical
clinics in Laos and founding the Medical International Cooperation Organization. Dur- ing his time in Laos, Dooley wrote two more books, The Edge of Tomorrow and The Night They Burned the Mountain. His humanitairian works were cut short due to his diagnosis of cancer at an early age and subsequent death from the disease in 1961. When Presi- dent John F. Kennedy presented the Congressional Gold Medal to Dooley’s mother posthumously, he cited that her son represented the best in American compassion. His example inspired Kennedy to create the Peace Corps later that year. The Diversionary’s play begins in 1954 shortly after the young doctor has rejoined
the Navy and completed his first year of residency at Camp Pendleton. Dr. Dooley is shipped to South East Asia where he finds his calling in the refugee camps of South Viet Nam. The play chronicles Dooley’s life as he is promoted as a hero to a generation of young idealistic Americans, only to be torn down by the same military that used his reputation for its own purposes. Incorporating music, dance, masks and puppets, the play presents a portrait of a man committed to those caught in geopolitical struggles, only to fall victim himself to sexual discrimination and politics. Dr. Dooley is portrayed as a young gay man torn between selfishness and self-denial in his personal life and between hypocrisy and valor as a doctor. The military and the CIA were lauding his accomplishments and promoting him as “Dr. America” and encouraged him to write his first book about his experiences. In a sad turn of events, those same organizations forced him to resign his commmision when they discovered evidence of his homosexuality. Dooley is presented as part of the Diversionary Theatre’s 25th anniversary year and is the final show of its 2010-2011 season. It runs from May 5 through May 29 and is underwritten in part by the James Irvine Foundation and Carlos Malamud. The play is written by William di Canzio, who visited the Diversionary during the first
week of rehearsals and will be back for opening weekend. “With Diversionary, it’s about respect: for the artists, for the audience and for the art of theater. I couldn’t be more grateful or pleased to be working here,” said di Canzio. Dooley is directed by Cynthia Stokes and features Robert Borzych in the lead role as Dr. Tom Dooley.
Dooley previews Thursday and Friday, May 5 and 6, opens Saturday, May 7 and runs through Sunday May 29. There is a special Monday, May 16 performance at 7:30pm (pay-what-you-will at the door, for available seats, starting at 6:30pm). Single tickets are $31-$33 with discounts available for students, seniors (60+), military and groups (10 or more). For information, call 619.220.0097 or go to
diversionary.org.
A HERO FOR HIS TIME DOOLEY
DIVERSIONARY THEATRE’S WORLD PREMIERE,
SHINES A LIGHT ON ONE OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY’S PRE-STONEWALL PIONEERS
“He was a doctor, humanitarian,
decorated hero and he was gay. Only 34 when he died in 1961, he had already done more to make his mark than most do in their entire lives.
18 RAGE monthly | MAY 2011
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