There are areas in the Middle East where men can hold hands in public without anyone raising an eyebrow but the physical display of affection between a man and a woman is a criminal offense. And there are places in this country where same-sex couples may endanger themselves by kissing in public. Playwright Diana Son explores the aftermath of one such public display of affection with "Stop Kiss," but her story of two women and the men who love them embraces broader themes — love, willingness to make a commitment and personal identity.

Sara meets Callie shortly after she moves to New York. Callie, a longtime New Yorker, is an airborne traffic reporter. The main man in her life is George. They have an active but open sexual relationship that may or may not be headed for something permanent.

Sara has come to New York from St. Louis on a fellowship to teach at an elementary school in the Bronx; she broke up with Peter, her boyfriend of seven years, to come to New York.

Callie and Sara gradually move toward what is apparently the first same-sex relationship for both of them. One night Sara suggests they go to a lesbian bar. After that they go for a walk in a park at 4 a.m. and kiss for the first time. A man attacks them. Sara is beaten unconscious and left comatose.

As staged by University of Hawaii student director Amanda Stone, "Stop Kiss" is a marvelous showcase for Brook A. Costello (Callie), Karissa J. Murrell Adams (Sara) and Michael Hardy (George). Costello, an important secondary player in the 2009 Lab Theatre production of "Etta Jenks," steps forward here as an endearing and versatile star. She meshes beautifully with Adams in the scenes that show the friends tentatively moving toward a physical relationship and is equally in synch with Hardy in the scenes that gradually reveal the deep emotional ties between Callie and George. Hardy shines simultaneously as a comic actor and an offbeat but believable leading man.

Costello also does convincing true-to-life work in the darker scenes where Callie reluctantly reveals the circumstances of the attack to a no-nonsense detective (Murray Husted), attempts to find common ground with Peter (Tyler Nichols) after the attack, and has a very odd conversation with the woman who saved Sara’s life by calling 911 (Sharon Doyle).

Playwright Son does not tell the story chronologically. This causes things to stand out as red flags that would otherwise go unnoticed. For instance, if someone on the street says something nasty do you stop and confront them, or do you keep on walking?

And, are there places sensible people don’t go at 4 a.m. even though in theory we all should be able to go anywhere we want any time of the day or night? The story ends very abruptly and with several important questions left unanswered. The abrupt ending doesn’t reduce the strength of Costello’s multifaceted performance, or the added entertainment value Adams and Hardy give this late-night production.