Forum Theatre will stage a reading of Larry Kramer’s Tony Award-winning The Normal Heart on Monday, November 7 at 7.30 as a fundraiser for the company.
Kramer’s play, which won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Revival of a play, tells the story of an outspoken gay activist who during the early days of AIDs struggles to form an organization to fight the deadly illness. At the time the play is set, little is known about Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome, other than that for unknown reasons it seemed to target gay males. The protagonist, Ned Weeks, seeks his brother’s help in finding funds for the organization, but is increasingly frustrated by the city’s indifference, the accommodating attitude of his fellow gays, and his brother’s lip service. When Ned’s lover, a New York Times reporter, becomes afflicted with the disease, Ned’s guilt, agony and anger only increases. In his Times review, Frank Rich said, “”In this fiercely polemical drama … the playwright starts off angry, soon gets furious and then skyrockets into sheer rage.”
The Forum reading will feature Helen Hayes Award laureates Holly Twyford, Karl Miller, Will Gartshore, and, temporarily stepping out of his retirement from the stage, J. Fred Shiffman, as well as Rick Hammerly, Mitchell Hébert, Tim Getman, Jason Lott, Chris Dinolfo, and Gregory Gallagher. Jeremy Skidmore directs.
A hors d’oeuvre reception will follow the show. Premium reserved seats are $100, with general admission tickets for $75 and $50 for members.You may obtain tickets by going here or by calling 240-644-1390.
It says this is a fundraiser for the theatre company. I wonder if they’ve considered making it (even partly) a fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS or a local organization dedicated to fighting AIDS and offering help to those afflicted. Surely this would be a much more worthy cause as a fund raiser for this play.