♪ JARED: I AM JARED BOWEN.

A NEW BOOK DOCUMENT THE GOODS OF VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ABUSE AND DEATHS INSIDE AN ORPHANAGE RUN BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

WE TALKED TO THE OTHER OF "GHOSTS INSIDE THE OPPORTUNITY," ON WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM THE SURVIVORS AND THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE.

AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW HUNTINGTON THEATER PLAY "K-I-S-S-I-N-G," INSPIRED BY A YOUNG LOVE, ROMANTIC COMEDIES, AND THE CITY OF BOSTON.

AFTER THE BOSTON GLOBE AND OTHERS EXPOSED DECADES OF SEXUAL ABUSE BY CATHOLIC PRIESTS, THE REPORTING SENT SHOCKWAVES THROUGH THE CHURCH.

BY FAR, THAT WAS NOT THE END OF THE STORY.

NOW ANY BOOK A SHINING LIGHT ON MORE THAN A CENTURY OF ABUSE AT A CATHOLIC ORPHANAGE IN NEW ENGLAND.

"GHOSTS OF THE ORPHANAGE," A STORY OF THE SEARCH FOR JUSTICE DETAILS THE HORRIFIC ABUSE OF CHILDREN LIVING IN THE SAINT JOSEPH'’S ORPHANAGE IN VERMONT, AND THE ONGOING BATTLE TO HOLD THE CHURCH ACCOUNTABLE.

AUTHOR CHRISTINE KENNEALLY JOINS US NOW, WELCOME.

CHRISTINE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

JARED: THIS IS A JUST ONE ORPHANAGE AROUND VERMONT, THIS IS AROUND THE WORLD.

YOU DID LAYERED REPORTING FOR 10 YEARS FOR BUZZFEED AND THEN LATER FOR THIS BOOK.

WHAT FUNDAMENTALLY DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF ABUSE IN ORPHANAGES?

CHRISTINE: CHRISTINE: THAT IT IS PERVASIVE AND COMPLETELY INVISIBLE, EVEN NOW AFTER 2002 AND THE SEXUAL ABUSE CRISIS.

THERE WERE MILLIONS OF CHILDREN IN THE 20TH CENTURY WHO SPENT TIME IN THE ORPHANAGES, PEOPLE WHO ARE 60, 70 YEARS OLD NOW WHO SUFFERED EMOTIONAL ABUSE, SEXUAL ABUSE AND PHYSICAL ABUSE AND AT THE TIME WERE COMPLETELY INVISIBLE TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD AND UNTIL RECENTLY HAS REMAINED SO.

JARED: -YEAR RATE THESE WERE NOT SHIRLEY TEMPLE OR LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE, WHO WERE THESE ORPHANS?

CHRISTINE: MOSTLY FAMILIES AFFECTED BY POVERTY IN SOME WAY.

THEIR PARENT LADY HAD DIED IN WAR IN WORLD WAR II, PETER HAD BEEN ILLNESS IN THE FAMILY, OR THERE WAS JUST STRUGGLE.

IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ADDICTION OR THE PARENTS MIGHT HAVE SEPARATED.

SOMETIMES I HAD PLENTY OF STORIES THAT THE PRIESTS WOULD JUST GO TO THE NEWLY SINGLE MOTHER AND SUGGEST THAT THEY PUT HER CHILDREN IN THE ORPHANAGE AS A WAY TO TAKE THE LOAD OFF, GET HER TO GO TO WORK HERSELF AND GET THE CHILDREN EDUCATED.

SO IT REALLY WAS THE CASE THAT ANYONE IN ORPHANAGE WAS AN ACTUAL ORPHAN WHO HAD LOST BOTH PARENTS.

JARED: LET'’S MOVE TO SAINT JOSEPH'’S, IN BURLINGTON, VERMONT, PERHAPS BECAUSE WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH SOMETHING IN OUR OWN BACKYARD AND THEREFORE BE HORRIFIED WHAT WE LEARN -- YOU WERE INCREDULOUS AT POINTS.

WHAT WAS SO HARD TO BELIEVE ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU STARTED HERE?

CHRISTINE: THE STORY WAS SO EXTRAORDINARY.

INITIALLY PEOPLE WOULD TELL ME ABOUT PHYSICAL ABUSE.

IT RANGED FROM WHAT HE WOULD CONSIDER THE NORMAL SPECTRUM OF 1940'’S AND 1950'’S CORPORAL PUNISHMENT, KIDS BEING WORKED ON THE ANKLES, THAT SET OF THING BUT.

INSIDE SAINT JOSEPH'’S IT INCLUDED ABUSE SO VIOLENT AND SO UNHINGED.

ADULTS AND CHILDREN REMEMBERED BLOOD SPLASHING AGAINST THE WALLS.

REMEMBERED CHILDREN BEING THROWN DOWNSTAIRS.

PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE AS WELL.

CHILDREN BEING HELD OUTSIDE WINDOWS UPSIDE DOWN TO PUNISH THEM AND TO TERRIFY THEM.

JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF WHAT I DISCOVERED.

EVERY STORY LED ME TO ANOTHER STORY AND EACH WAS MORE INCREDIBLE THAN THE LAST.

JARED: YOU WRITE ABOUT THIS, ABOUT YOUR HAVING TO MOVE FORWARD TO BELIEVE THESE STORIES, EVEN AFTER ALL THE REPORTING YOU HAVE DONE.

WHY WAS THAT SO OUT OF THE ROOM FOR YOU?

CHRISTINE: IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF ACCRUING THE EVIDENCE.

THESE WERE MEMORIES FROM A LONG TIME AGO.

IT'’S REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN THE CLAIMS ARE DRAMATIC AND THE STAKES ARE HIGH TO VERIFY AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.

EVENTUALLY WHAT REALLY HELPED WAS STAYING WITH THE STORY LONG ENOUGH THAT SOMEONE STORY FROM THE 1940'’S WAS REALLY VERY FAST YEARS LATER BY SOMEONE ELSE'’S STORY.

THERE WAS A PATTERN OF THE KIND OF TREATMENT, BUT ALSO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS WERE NAMED.

IT NEEDED ITSELF TOGETHER IN A COMPELLING WAY.

IT JUST TOOK A REALLY LONG TIME AND A LOVE OF REPORTING TO DO THAT.

JARED: JARED: HERE IS WHERE IT BECOMES, STILL INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO SO MANY OF US, THAT YOU HAVE AN INSTITUTION IN BURLINGTON, VERMONT, IT IS THERE PUBLICLY.

THEY HAD NO IDEA AT THE TIME DECADES AGO, WHAT WAS GOING ON.

HOW COULD THEY KEEP THEIR SECRETS IN THOSE BRICK WALLS?

CHRISTINE: YEAH.

SO, ONE OF THE REALLY STRICTLY HELD VALUES OF THE NUNS AT THE ORPHANAGE WAS OBEDIENCE.

NOT JUST GOODNESS OR CHARITY OR KINDNESS, BUT OBEDIENCE, AND THAT WAS FRAMED AS A VIRTUAL VALUE.

SO WAS SILENCE.

THERE ARE MESSAGES ALL THROUGH THE DOCUMENTATIONS I WAS ABLE TO SEE FROM THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE WHERE THEY ARE JOINED AGAIN AND AGAIN TO BE SILENT, SPECIFICALLY WITH REPAIR RESPECT TO PRIESTS.

IT WASN'’T JUST THE PRIESTS, THOUGH, IT WAS THE NUNS AS WELL.

CHILDREN WERE ABUSED BY MALE AND FEMALE PREDATORS.

IT WAS SO CLOSED OFF IN THE 1990'’S, PEOPLE CAME FORWARD, THERE WAS THIS MOMENT WHERE INDIVIDUALS HAD ACQUIRED ENOUGH RESOURCES, I THINK, TO BE FAIRLY WILLING TO COME OUT AND TELL THE STORY.

EVEN THOSE WHO WERE TRAUMATIZED.

THE CULTURE WAS SLIGHTLY MORE WILLING TO HEAR IT.

A GROUP OF THEM GOT TOGETHER AND ENGAGED IN LITIGATION AGAINST THE DIOCESE AND THEY WERE CRUSHED IN THE PROCESS.

SO WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN IMPORTANT MOMENT IN VERMONT HISTORY, AND IN AMERICAN HISTORY WAS JUST SHATTERED.

JARED: WHEN YOU SAY CRUSHED, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

CHRISTINE: THE LITIGATION FAILED.

THE JUDGE IS BASICALLY THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS RULED MOST PEOPLE OUT, SO MOST STORIES WERE TOLD AND THEN DISMISSED AGAIN.

SOME PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SETTLE, I THINK THEY ARE THE ONES WHERE THE EVIDENCE BASED ON CORRELATION FROM OTHER KIDS WAS JUST UNDENIABLE.

BUT IN SETTLING, THEY WERE AFRAID TO EVER TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN.

THIS DESTRUCTIVE PROCESS OF LITIGATION MEANT THAT THESE VERY TRAUMATIZED PEOPLE WENT AWAY OFTEN FEELING INCREDIBLY DEFEATED AND UTTERLY EXHAUSTED AND STILL NOT BELIEVED.

IT TOOK A LONG TIME BEFORE THEY WERE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM AGAIN.

JARED: AGAIN WE ARE FORCED TO RECONCILE HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN IN A CHURCH STRUCTURE, THERE IS NOTHING RELIGIOUSLY FUNDAMENTAL ABOUT HARMING, ABUSING, MURDERING CHILDREN.

WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?

WHY WAS THIS SYSTEM IN PLACE THERE?

CHRISTINE: YES, TAT IS THE QUESTION.

AND I THINK IN FACT, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE COME UP TO ME AFTER READING SINCE THE BOOK CAME OUT AND SAID, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS -- POWER CORRUPTS AND ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE OF SAINT JOSEPH'’S AND THESE OTHER ORPHANAGES.

THERE WAS A PRIEST IN CHARGE VERY MUCH TREATED LIKE A GOD, WITH 20 OR 30 NUNS BENEATH HIM, VERY MUCH COMMITTED TO SILENCE AND OBEDIENCE.

THERE WAS A CULTURE OF PROTECTING THE CHURCH OVER AND ABOVE PROTECTING CHILDREN.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, INSIDE THESE INSTITUTIONS, CHILDREN WERE DEHUMANIZED IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYS, BEYOND WHAT WE THINK OF ABUSE.

MANY OF THEM WERE ADDRESSED JUST BY A NUMBER, THEIR NAME WAS REPLACED BY A NUMBER WHEN THEY ENTER THE ORPHANAGE.

CHILDREN HAD TO SLEEP IN A CERTAIN POSITION AND NOT MOVE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, AND IF THEY DID, THEY WOULD BE PUNISHED.

I HAVE SPOKEN TO PEOPLE WHO WERE AWOKEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BY A WHACK TO THE HEAD FROM A NU LET CULTURE OF SILENCE MUST'’VEN BEEN INCREDIBLY ENCOURAGING TO PREDATORS.

ANY PREDATORS IN THE CHURCH WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT ACCESS TO CHILDREN WOULD HAVE BEEN BOTH EASY AND UNTRACEABLE ESSENTIALLY, AT PEACE ORPHANAGES, AND AM SURE SOME OF THE NUNS FELT THE SAME WAY.

THEN THERE WAS A LARGE GROUP AROUND THEM PROTECTING THEM.

FROM MY REPORTING AND BASED ON THE CHURCH CIRCLES OWN DOCUMENTATION THAT ONLY CAME OUT IN 2006, LONG AFTER THEIR 1990 LITIGATION, IT IS CLEAR THAT SIX OF THE EIGHT PRIESTS WHO WERE IN CHARGE OF THE ORPHANAGE, WHO WERE THE GUARD AT THE ORPHANAGE BETWEEN THE 1930'’S AND 1970'’S, THEY WERE ALL PREDATORS.

JARED: MAYBE IT IS MY STAGE OF LIFE AT THIS POINT THAT I HAVE BEEN FIXATED ON THIS RECENTLY -- I DON'’T KNOW IF YOU COULD ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT WHAT IS IT ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO PERPETRATE THIS KIND OF VIOLENT ABUSE?

I THINK IT IS EVEN MORE INCOMPREHENSIBLE WHEN THEY ARE IN A SYSTEM WHERE THEY ARE LOOKING AROUND AND SEEING OTHERS DO IT, MAYBE IT IS FORTUNATE THAT NEITHER OF US COULD POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND IT, BUT I JUST CAN'’T UNDERSTAND IT.

I DON'’T KNOW IF YOU HAVE INSIGHT IN YOUR REPORTING.

CHRISTINE: I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I STILL FEEL SHOCKED MYSELF.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INTRODUCING THEMSELVES TO ME, TELLING ME PART OF THEIR STORY.

I STILL FEEL SHOCKED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM.

AS FAR AS WHAT ALLOWS IT TO HAPPEN, I THINK IT IS ACTUALLY COMPLICATED.

THAT IS WHY THIS BOOK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I THINK IT SHOULD BE THE FIRST OF MANY.

THIS IS A MASSIVE SYSTEM.

IT REQUIRES SO MUCH MORE ATTENTION FROM HISTORIANS AND JOURNALISTS AND SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS.

ESSENTIALLY, THERE WERE SOME INDIVIDUALS IN THESE PLACES THAT I THINK CAN BE FAIRLY DESCRIBED AS SOCIOPATHS OR PSYCHOPATHS, PEOPLE WHO TOOK GREAT PLEASURE IN HURTING OTHERS AND FELT NO GUILT ABOUT IT.

AROUND THAT WE HAD INDIVIDUALS THAT PERHAPS WERE NOT QUITE AS EXTREME, BUT SITUATIONALLY, THEY BECAME VIOLENT AND AGGRESSIVE, TOO,.

THE CHILDREN WERE DEHUMANIZED AND THEY FELT LIKE THEY COULD TAKE IT THEY WERE ANGRY ABOUT OUT ON THE SYSTEM SUPPORTED THAT.

KIDS WHO REMEMBERED SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AS OCCASIONALLY GOOD, BUT OCCASIONALLY TERRIBLE.

THERE WAS THIS HUGE SPECTER OF TERRIBLE ADULT BEHAVIOR.

JARED: I WAS STRUCK BY THIS LINE IN YOUR BOOK, THAT THIS "TRAUMA WAS UNIQUE IN PARTICULAR AND NOT YET FULLY UNDERSTOOD BY MODERN PSYCHOLOGY OR PSYCHIATRY," THAT MEANS NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD TODAY.

WE THINK WE HAVE SEEN SO MUCH, WE HAVE COVERED SO MANY OF THESE STORIES, BUT WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES IT EVEN TODAY, DIFFICULT TO PROCESS?

CHRISTINE: BECAUSE OF THE COMPLETE WAY IN WHICH THESE CHILDREN WERE JUST CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD.

THEY WERE ENTIRELY INCARCERATED AT THE MERCY OF THIS SYSTEM AND OF THESE INDIVIDUAL ABUSERS IN THAT SYSTEM AS WELL.

CERTAINLY, WE HAVE LEARNED MUCH ABOUT TRAUMA IN THE LAST FEW DECADES, AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INSIGHTS FROM THE SEXUAL ABUSE SCANDAL IS THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT NEEDS TO BE DRIVEN HOME NOW, THAT IT TAKES DECADES SOMETIMES FOR PEOPLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM.

.

THAT IS A NORMAL AND NATURAL PROCESS.

THAT IS WHY THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIMS FOR CHILDREN AS WELL AS PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE CLAIMS FROM CHILDREN WHERE THEY EXIST, WORK FOR PREDATORS.

THEY ABSOLUTELY WORK TO THE ADVANTAGE OF PREDATORS.

JARED: I WANTED TO RETURN TO THE VICTIMS WHO NOW, MANY PEOPLE ARE WONDERING ABOUT THEIR MEMORIES BECAUSE IT WAS DECADES AGO.

WE HAVE SEEN COURTS TRIALS GO AWRY BECAUSE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS WILL ATTACK THEIR MEMORIES.

WHERE DO THESE VICTIMS STAND NOW?

REPORTER: IN THE 1990'’S, A LOT OF PEOPLE TOOK THE STAND, GAVE DEPOSITIONS, AND THEIR MEMORIES WERE AGGRESSIVELY ATTACKED BY THE LAWYERS FOR THE DEFENSE.

I HAVE SPOKEN TO THEM 20 YEARS LATER, I TRACKED THESE PEOPLE DOWN AND BY BRINGING THEIR STORIES TOGETHER, IT IS VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT THEIR MEMORIES ARE ABSOLUTELY SOLID.

SOMETIMES I LOOKED AT DOCUMENTS THAT I FOUND THAT WERE EVEN LATER RELEASED BY THE DIOCESE -- TRAUMA OBVIOUSLY AFFECTS PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY, BUT CERTAINLY IN THE CASE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I SPOKE TO, IT FROZE IN TIME WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM.

THE VIVIDNESS AND THE PHYSICALITY WITH WHICH THEY WERE ABLE TO DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM CERTAINLY STAYED WITH THEM FOREVER, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO TELL ME ABOUT IT.

AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO CORROBORATE A LOT OF THOSE STORIES.

JARED: I WAS ONE OF THOUSANDS OF REPORTERS AROUND THE GLOBE WHO BEGAN REPORTING ON THIS, IN MY CASE, FOR A YEAR AFTER THE CHURCH SEXUAL ABUSE CRISIS BROKE HERE IN BOSTON.

I THOUGHT WE HAD ALL DONE OUR JOBS.

WE HAD UNCOVERED SO MUCH, THAT THIS HAD BEEN FULLY EXPOSED.

HERE WE ARE, 20 YEARS LATER?

CHRISTINE: YES.

JARED: AND YOU ARE FINDING MORE STORIES.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF THE SCOPE THAT IS LEFT TO BE DISCOVERED?

CHRISTINE: YOU DID YOUR JOB.

THERE WAS SO MUCH.

THAT WAVE THAT STARTED IN BOSTON IN 2002 IS STILL GOING AROUND THE WORLD.

RECENTLY IN EUROPE, SPAIN, ARCHEWELL AND FRANCE HELD GOVERNMENT INQUIRIES AND FOR THE FIRST TIME VIOLATED THE STORIES OF VICTIMS.

IN FRANCE THERE WAS AN ESTIMATE OF 200,000 VICTIMS AFFECTED, A MINIMUM OF 200,000.

SO THAT STORY IS STILL UNFOLDING.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STORY, TOO, AND THERE IS MUCH MORE.

ST. JOSEPH'’S ORPHANAGE IN BURLINGTON WAS JUST ONE OF THE ORPHANAGES IN THAT STATE.

THERE ARE ORPHANAGES IN EVERY STATE IN AMERICA, AND ALL OF THEIR STORIES NEED TO BE TOLD.

JARED: CANADA SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE ONLY COUNTRIES THAT HAS PUT TOGETHER A TASK FORCE FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD AND ADDRESSING THIS FORTHRIGHTLY.

WHAT ARE WE FACING HERE IN THE UNITED STATES TO MAKE THIS AN EASIER PATH?

CHRISTINE: IT WOULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IF STATE GOVERNMENTS GOT BEHIND THE VICTIMS AND HELP THEM.

AFTER THAT 2018 ARTICLE, THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL LAUNCHED BOTH A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, AND A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROCESS.

THE PROCESS WAS NOT JUST INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR THE VICTIMS, IT WAS AWAY OF THE STATE SAYING "WE BELIEVE YOU.

WE SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO YOU ALONG TIME AGO AND WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU NOW."

BUT IN FACT, IT HAS ENABLED THESE SURVIVORS TO EFFECT CHANGE ALREADY.

IT HAS BEEN A FEW YEARS, THEY CONTRIBUTED TO THE REPEAL OF THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE IN VERMONT.

THEY ALSO WERE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPEAL OF THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON CHILDHOOD PHYSICAL ABUSE IN VERMONT.

THEY HAD A BURST OF CREATIVITY, THEY PUBLISH THEIR OWN BOOK, THEY HAVE WRITTEN THEIR OWN STORIES AND NOW, THEY ARE LOOKING FOR DONATIONS FOR A MEMORIAL GARDEN DOWN AT ST. JOSEPH'’S IN HONOR OF NOT JUST WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM, BY THE 13,000 CHILDREN WHO PASSED THROUGH IN THE HISTORY OF THE ORPHANAGE, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DO NOT FORGET.

JARED: CHRISTINE KENNEALLY, THIS IS AMAZING REPORTING, AS I SAID.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

CHRISTINE: THANK YOU SO MUCH JARED: THE BOOK AGAIN IS "GHOSTS OF THE ORPHANAGE," A STORY OF MYSTERIOUS DEATHS, A HISTORY OF SILENCE, AND A SEARCH FOR JUSTICE."

THE HILARIOUS NEW PLAY "K-I-S-S-I-N-G," BUDDING ARTIST DIVING HEADLONG INTO THAT WINCING THE AWKWARD MILESTONE KNOWN AS FIRST LOVE.

>> I WANTED TO CELEBRATE TONIGHT WITH A BURGER BECAUSE TOMORROW, I GO TO AND GET MADE ANOTHER OR IGNORED OR.

SO EXCUSE ME IF I DON'’T BELIEVE YOU WHEN YOU TELL ME I AM ATTRACTIVE, BUT RIGHT NOW I LOOK THE WORST I HAVE EVER LOOKED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.

YOU ARE A LIAR AND YOU ARE WEIRD AND YOU ARE RUDE.

I WAS HERE FIRST.

SO JUST DISAPPEAR.

NOW!

[LAUGHTER] >> I AM GOING TO GO.

[LAUGHTER] JARED: "K-I-S-S-I-N-G," COMES FROM A PLAYWRIGHT WHO SAYS SHE WAS INSPIRED BY ROMANTIC COMEDIES AND PD DAY TO WRITE WHAT SHE CALLS A LOVE LETTER TO BOSTON.

DAWN SIMMONS JOINS ME NOW AS WELL AS THE ACTOR WE JUST SAW PLAYING LALA, REGAN SIMS.

STILL LAUGHING.

[LAUGHTER] I SAW THIS OPENING NIGHT AND LOVED IT, AS DID MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES AT THE THEATER.

SO MANY LOVE THE SHOW.

I WILL START WITH YOU.

THIS IS AWKWARD.

LOVE, WE IDENTIFY WITH IT.

HOW DO YOU SEE THIS STORY?

REGAN: I SEE IT AS SUCH A BRAVE AND BOLD JOURNEY INTO A BLACK LOVE STORY.

LINELLE IS SO SMART AT WRITING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND IT HAS BEEN SO EASY TO SLIP INTO, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I RELATE AND IDENTIFY WITH LALA SO MUCH TO THE POINT WHERE IT BUBBLES UP THAT IT IS JUST THIS GIDDY ENERGY THAT I HAVE AS AN ADULT, BUT ALSO HAD AS A TEENAGER.

SO IT HAS BEEN A WHIRLWIND OF LOVE AND JOY.

JARED: THIS IS A WORLD PREMIERE THAT WAS -- WAS IT COMMISSIONED?

HOW DID IT COME TO FRUITION?

DAW: SO IT WAS COMMISSIONED IN ONE PLACE, SHE CAME TO THE HUNTINGTON AS PART OF THEIR PLAYWRIGHT PROGRAM, WORK THERE AS WELL AND THEN SHE HAS BEEN WORK SHOPPING THIS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND THEN CHARLES WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF NEW WORK THERE BROUGHT IT TO THE FRONT PORCH WHEN WE STARTED OUR RESIDENCY.

JARED: THE THEATER COMPANY THAT YOU COFOUNDED.

DAWN: YES.

[LAUGHTER] BROUGHT IT AND WE -- THERE WAS SO MUCH JOY WHEN WE READ IT, SO MUCH GIGGLING AND SURPRISED AND LOVE AND WARMTH.

WE JUST KNEW THAT WE HAD TO DO IT AND THAT IS HOW IT WOUND UP WITH US.

JARED: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME THAT NIGHT WAS THAT ESSENTIALLY WE WERE WATCHING A 16 YEAR OLD BUT PLAYED BY ADULT ACTORS.

I WAS THINKING, I DON'’T THINK IT MATTERS WHAT AGE THESE HAPPENS, THESE FIRST CONNECTIONS.

ISN'’T IT ALWAYS AWKWARD?

REGAN: IT IS ALWAYS MESSY, A LITTLE BIT OF FUMBLING INTO FALLING IN LOVE.

THAT IS WHY THEY CALL IT FALLING.

IT IS WITH RECKLESS ABANDON.

AND I FEEL LIKE IT HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT MYSELF AS A HUMAN AND AS A PERSON.

ALSO IT CRAVES -- AS A PRESIDENT WHO CRAVES LOVE AND JOY AND FINDING THAT IN ANOTHER PERSON AND COMPANIONSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP AND ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS.

BUT YEAH, I FEEL LIKE IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH ADULTS THAT ARE ALSO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THESE COMPLEX AND COMPLICATED EMOTIONS.

YEAH.

IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE.

JARED: PART OF THE MAGIC IS THE CHEMISTRY YOU ALL HAVE IN THESE PAIRINGS -- AND I WILL ASK YOU ABOUT THE SERIES OF DUETS THAT WE SEE -- HOW DID YOU FIND THAT?

DID YOU HAVE TO FIND THE CHEMISTRY OR WAS IT ALREADY THERE?

REGAN: IT WAS ALREADY THERE.

WE HAD A WORKSHOP LAST SUMMER AND I MET MY COWORKERS THAT PLAYED THE TWIN BROTHERS, AND WE CLICKED.

THE FIRST READING, WE WERE, LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS, THIS WILL BE SO MUCH FUN!

JUST BEING IN THE ROOM WITH THEM, THEY ARE INTELLIGENT, BRILLIANT, GROUNDED, FUNNY PEOPLE.

IT WAS SO EASY FOR ME TO JUMP INTO THIS WORLD WITH DAWN AND LETLINELLE AS WELL BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING OF THIS WORLD.

IT WAS SO EASY, THERE WAS SO MUCH EASY AND DELIGHT.

DAWN: I CAN SPEAK TO THAT ENOUGH, PUTTING THEM TOGETHER IN THE ROOM.

THERE WAS THIS MOMENT WHERE WE WERE LIKE YOU REALLY DON'’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.

AND IT IS GOOD.

THE CHEMISTRY WITH EVERYBODY.

I DON'’T WAS JUST A GROUP WHERE I AM, LIKE, THERE IS NO WAY WE PAIRED THIS IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS, AND I WILL TELL YOU, WE HAD THE VOICE SWITCH ON AND OFF FOR THE RULES TO SEE WHAT WAS, AND IN ANY COMBINATION, IT WAS JUST, LIKE, WOW THIS IS FANTASTIC!

[LAUGHTER] JARED: I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE STRUCTURE THAT I MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO, WE ARE SEEING THIS IN A SERIES OF DUETS.

IT IS LALA WITH EACH OF THE BOYS SHE IS FINDING A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH, AND THAT IT IS MOVING UP THE CHAIN AND WE SEE HER PARENTS.

WHAT IS SO EVOCATIVE ABOUT THAT STRUCTURE?

DAWN: A MEAN SOCK IT IS A THING WE DON'’T GET TO SEE A LOT IN PETER, A LOT OF GORGEOUS SWATHS OF TWO PEOPLE TALKING, THAT THAT TALKING IS SO ACTIVE IN EVERYTHING THEY ARE RECOVERING.

WE ARE NOT JUST LISTENING TO TWO PEOPLE READ A PHONE BOOK, THEY ARE UNPACKING LIFE.

AND I THINK BECAUSE WE SEE THE ADULTS AT A YOUNG POINT IN THEIR LIVES AND THE KIDS AT YOUNG POINT IN THEIR LIVES, IT IS WHEN EVERYTHING IS SO HIGH-STAKES.

AND I LOVE WHAT LINELLE CHARGED US WITH WHAT WE GET TO FEEL BIG FEELINGS, TAKE UP SPACE AND BE PRESENT.

TO HAVE THESE SCENES, THESE COMPACT TWO-PEOPLE SCENES THAT FILL THE ENTIRE STAGE, SHE CHARGED US AND WE JUST FILLED THE CHARGE.

JARED: I WANT TO GO BACK TO OPENING NIGHT WHEN I SAW THIS SHOW.

[LAUGHTER] I TRIED NOT TO BE HYPERBOLIC, BUT I DON'’T THINK I HAVE EVER BEEN IN AN AUDIENCE LIKE THAT AND IT WAS SO CHARGED.

SO ELECTRIC.

EVERYBODY AROUND ME HAVING SUCH A GOOD TIME.

PEOPLE WERE TALKING, RESPONDING TO THE STAGE BECAUSE THEY WERE SO MOVED.

WAS THAT SOMETHING EXCEPTIONAL OR HAS THAT BEEN HAPPENING EVERY NIGHT SINCE I LEFT?

REGAN: THAT WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL NIGHT, BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES IN THE AUDIENCE, A LOT OF PEOPLE ROOTING FOR US.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT SINCE WE HAVE STARTED, PEOPLE ARE BRINGING THEIR LOVED ONES AND FAMILIES AND THEIR FIRST PRESSURES TO THE THEATER.

THERE CONTINUES TO BE THIS ENERGY TO THE AUDIENCE OF PEOPLE SO EXCITED AND FULL OF JOY FOR US ON STAGE!

BECAUSE THEY CAN CONNECT WITH IT AND IDENTIFY WITH IT SO EASILY.

AND SO IT FEELS ACCESSIBLE.

IT FEELS ALIVE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

I HAVE EXPERIENCED SO MANY WONDERFUL AUDIENCES FROM OPENING -- OPENING NIGHT WAS VERY EXCEPTIONAL!

[LAUGHTER] IT HAS JUST CONTINUED TO BLOSSOM AND FLOURISH AND IT IS [SIGHS] I REALLY CAN'’T THANK BOSTON ENOUGH.

BECAUSE I AM FROM NEW YORK, MY BASE ISN'’T IN NEW YORK, AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE MET THE THEATER BASE IN BOSTON.

AND I FEEL LIKE THEY ARE CREATING A STORY LIKE THIS.

YEAH.

JARED: I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT COMEDY WHICH MAKES IT EVEN HARDER.

EVERY ACTOR HAVE EVER SPOKEN TO HAS SAID COMEDY IS WAY HARDER THAN DRAMA.

HOW ABOUT DIRECTING COMEDY?

DAWN: OOH!

YES.

IT IS WAY HARDER.

BECAUSE YOU DON'’T WANT TO GET IN THE WAY OF IT.

THIS IS WHAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

LINELLE HAS SET UP THESE JOKES AND SITUATIONS.

IT'’S OUR JOB NOT TO BEAT IT OVER THE HEAD BUT LET IT HAPPEN.

IT'’S ABOUT THE PACE.

AS LONG AS EVERYTHING IS TIGHT, COMEDY IS GOING TO FLOW.

THE AUDIENCE WILL LAUGH WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO AND MOVE ONTO THE NEXT THING.

SO IT WAS JUST ABOUT KEEPING PACE WITH THOSE WORDS AND EMOTIONS.

JARED: WHAT IS?

IT LIKE TO ORIGINATE A ROLE?

YOU ARE THE FIRST PERSON TO EVER PLAY LALA AND YOU SET THE STANDARD FOR EVERYBODY WHO COMES AFTER YOU.

DAWN: YEAH, YOU DID.

REGAN: I FEEL HONORED.

I FEEL HUMBLED.

I FEEL SO MUCH RESPONSIBILITY, AND I FEEL LIKE IT'’S NOT JUST MINE.

I FEEL LIKE I AM ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON STAGE WITH ME WHO ARE ALSO ORIGINATING THEIR ROLES.

I FEEL SO TAKEN CARE OF AND SO EXCITED FOR WHERE THIS WANTS TO GO NEXT, AND FOR WHOEVER PLAYS LALA NEXT.

I CHARGE THEM WITH LOVE AND WITH JOY, AND WITH HOPE, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT LALA IS FOR ME.

LALA IS HOPE.

BEING AN ARTIST AND BEING IN LOVE AND HAVING A FULL, BRIGHT FUTURE.

JARED: I HEAR YOU.

A LITTLE BIT OF STORIES I HEARD ABOUT AUSTIN BUTLER WHO PLAYED "ELVIS" IN THE MOVIE, THAT IT WAS REALLY HARD FOR HIM TO LET ELVIS GO.

IS IT GOING TO BE HARD TO LET LALA GO?

REGAN: ALL OF MY ROLES ARE ALWAYS WITH ME, A LITTLE PIECE OF THE IS ALWAYS WITH ME BECAUSE I LEARN FROM EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER THAT I PLAY.

I FEEL LIKE LALA IS SO CLOSE TO REGAN, THAT I FEEL [LAUGHTER] -- I FEEL EASY TO LET IT GO BECAUSE SHE IS ALSO SO ME.

I LOVE LALA.

SHE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.

JARED: AND DAWN, YOU HELPED RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEEDED THIS PLAY IN THIS MOMENT.

.

WE ALL NEEDED A REALLY GOOD LAUGH.

DAWN: YES, WE NEEDED A GOOD LAUGH.

WE NEEDED THE LOVE.

TO BE ABLE TO BE IN A SPACE THAT WAS WARM AND INVITING.

I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THAT OPENING-NIGHT AUDIENCE, THAT IS WHAT I WANT FOR ALL OF AUDIENCES.

WE ARE HERE SHARING THIS AIR TOGETHER AND I LOVE HOW POLITE WE WANT TO BE AS AN AUDIENCE, BUT WHAT I WANT IS FOR EVERYBODY TO FEEL LIKE THAT.

WHEN YOU GET THAT, THE WAY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IT HOW CHARGED IT WAS WHEN THEY LEFT AND THAT GOOD FEELING, I THINK THAT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO THEATER, AND IT CAN LEAVE YOU SPIRITUALLY UPLIFTED.

THE SMILES, THE LOVE, ALL THE ACCOLADES THAT SHOW HAS GOTTEN, THOSE OPENING-NIGHT AUDIENCES, AND THAT KIND OF AUDIENCE, BE THERE WITH US.

JARED: WELL, CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU.

I SAW YOU AS I WAS WALKING OUT THAT NIGHT, I WAS GOING TO SAY HELLO BUT YOU WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF LIKE SEVEN PEOPLE.

[LAUGHTER] I SAID I WILL TALK TO HER LATER -- A.K.A.

RIGHT NOW.

CONGRATULATIONS!

REGAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

DAWN: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

JARED: "K-I-S-S-I-N-G," RUNS AT THE HUNTINGTON THEATER.

THAT'’S IT FOR TONIGHT, WE'’LL BE BACK TOMORROW.

I AM JARED BOWEN.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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