Stoughton Man Bringing Play About Fight for Marriage Equality to Local Church

He's not an actor and hasn't been involved with theater since his college days, but after seeing an online production of "8 The Play," Stoughton's Tom Grenon was moved to action.

"8," which premiered on Broadway in September of 2011 and in Los Angeles in March of 2012, deals with the issue of marriage equality for same-sex couples.

It chronicles the legal effort to overturn California's Proposition 8, a 2008 ballot proposition passed by voters in that state, which defined marriage in California as only between a man and a woman, even though California had previously recognized same-sex marriage.

Grenon, who married his long-time partner, Bill Bunce, shortly after Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage, saw the play on YouTube this past fall, went to the website for the play and saw a link for how to stage it and "just had to do it."

The play, written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter and AFER (American Foundation for Equal Rights) founding board member, Dustin Lance Black, is encouraged to be staged by groups across the country. The licensing fee has been waived and the production just needs to be approved, which can be done if you are a theatre professor, have a theater, have a link to a LGBT group or faith-based group, Grenon said.

Problem is it was none of the above for Grenon, so he needed to find a willing partner in order to stage the play. He found one in the Christ Congregational Church, at 1350 Pleasant St. in Brockton, which became an Open and Affirming congregation after a 2009 vote from its congregation. 

Grenon, who lives near the church, which is located at the end of Sumner St., near the Stoughton/Brockton line, has driven by Christ Congregational multiple times per week, and decided to call Rev. Patricia Hayes, the senior pastor at the church. After some back and forth discussion, they got the ball rolling to stage the play at the church.

"8" will be staged at Christ Congregational Saturday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 7 at 3 p.m. Grenon will be the director. 

There will be a talk back session after each performance with representatives from Mass Equality on the panel, he said. 

Grenon reached out to some of his old theater friends and did some networking to recruit for the play, but half of the cast of 21 are congregants from the Church. 

Grenon said he didn't just want to "use the building," and wanted to involve the church community. 

"Everyone is here for a particular reason," Grenon said, wether they are impacted by what the plays says, impacted personally by the marriage equality movement, or have family impacted by it. 

In February of 2012, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a decision upholding the August 2010 ruling of the Federal District Court that found Proposition 8 unconstitutional, according to a press release for the play. 

The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court in March of 2013, with a final ruling expected this June. 

"The story for “8” is framed by the [Perry v. Schwarzenegger] trial’s historic closing arguments in June 2010, and features the best arguments and testimony from both sides," according to a release from the play.

The 90-minute play is a stage reading, so the actors will have scripts in hand. It's "done simply," Grenon said, which he feels "adds to the message."

Grenon said the goal of staging this play is to "show marriage equality is a constitutional right."

After being together for 27 years, Grenon and Bunce got married at Holbrook Town Hall on June 25, 2004. They moved to Stoughton with their three adopted sons about six and a half years ago.

They found Stoughton's diversity to be appealing, Grenon said.

"My kids feel really comfortable in Stoughton," he said. "[We were] looking for a community we can feel at home in."

While Proposition 8 deals with California, that and the case regarding the Defense of Marriage Act before the Supreme Court (which the play does not deal with), has put a spotlight on same-sex marriage.

"What we want for our kids is pretty much exactly what [straight couples] want for their kids," Grenon said. 

Grenon said a lot of the talk around marriage equality resonates for him as "Civil Rights." He has seen progress in his lifetime with interracial marriages, and hopes to see the same for same-sex marriages. 

"Not everyone who is straight wants to be married; not everyone who is gay wants to be married," Grenon said. "I believe it's a choice you should have."

Hayes said the "concept of marriage has changed," noting that marriage in the Old Testament was often polygamous and by purchase. 

"[People] always think it was the white dress coming down the aisle, but that's new in history," she said.

"I'm not recognized by the Federal Government," Grenon said. "People say [wanting marriage equality is] just about the money. I don't think it is. It's about security for your whole family,"

"Why should a happy home life be limited," Hayes added.

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door. Reservations are encouraged (email tgrenonma@gmail.com). 

Proceeds from the readings will benefit The American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and BrAGLY (Brockton Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Youth).

Grenon said he hopes the play attracts a diverse audience - one that isn't totally convinced about marriage equality, or has questions about it, or wants to know what it is all about.

"I don't want to preach to the choir," he said.