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Theatre Charlotte
'The Normal Heart'
Iconic play gets first full production in Charlotte
by Matt Comer matt@goqnotes.com
L arry Kramer's iconic autobiographical play, "The Normal Heart," has been gracing stages for 30
years. Off Broadway performances, a short run on Broadway and last May's HBO film adapta
tion —the screenplay adapted by Kramer himself — have all given the play a cult following and
garnered it Tony and Emmy awards.
But a full production of the play itself has never come to Charlotte. This March and April, Theatre
Charlotte, the city's oldest community theatre, changes that.
r
K
announce
with us
The cast of Theatre Charlotte s The Normal Heart.'
Standing (L-R): Brandon James (Felix Turner), Tommy
Foster (Ned Weeks), James Schmitt (Hiram Keehlet;
Doctor), Jonathan Oesamero (David). Seated (L-R):
Paul Riley (Bruce Niles), Cynthia Farbman Harris
(Dr. Emma Brookner), Matt Mitchell (Craig Donnor,
Grady), Frank Dominguez (Ben Weeks), Chris Chandler (Mickey Marcus), Jonathan Ewart (Tommy Boatwright).
"The fact that we're doing it in Charlotte is exciting to me," says director Dennis Delamar, who
thinks the recent attention on the body of work, like last year's TV film, will intrigue those who want to
see a live version.
"I was worried the film might hinder atten
dance," Delamar says. "I think more than any
thing, it educated people that it's out there and
hopefully they will be fascinated to see a stage
production. There's nothing like a live theatre
performance. It's a different piece of art than a
movie. The movie is powerful. So is the play."
Written in 1985, the play takes place the
years between 1981 ad 1984, the earliest days
of the AIDS Crisis. It's set in New York City, one
of the early epicenters of the epidemic that
ravaged the gay community. Much of the play is
autobiographical. Main character Ned Weeks is
the founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group.
Playwright Krapier found himself taking up the
mantle of LGBT rights and HIV/AIDS activist at
the same time, co-founding New York City's Gay
Men's Health Crisis, one of the earliest AIDS
service and advocacy groups.
In the play, Ned (played by Charlotte's
Tommy Foster), like Kramer, takes a more
outspoken approach to raising awareness
to HIV. Preferring public confrontation and
protest, Ned's strategies clash with the calmer
approaches preferred by his several friends and
lover Felix Turner (Brandon James).
The play documents an important slice of
gay and American history. And it attracts older
audience members who lived through the
time and might have experienced it along with
younger audiences who are just now learning
about the Crisis, Delamar says.
"It attracts people who lived through it
People who lost loved ones," Delamar stresses.
"But it also attracts this whole new, young audi
ence which is learning a history they didn't know
really existed. It's a very important thing to keep
that history alive for young people, to know where
the struggles started. This play brings it home."
And in the midst of the history, the drama
and the politics, there’s also love and friendship.
"It's also a love story and that is so im
portant to get audiences so invested in these
characters," Delamar says.
Delamarthinks audience members will find
the play moving and touching. Personally, he
thinks its one of the best plays ever written.
"Always as a director, I look for fine writing
and this is beautifully written," he says.::
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12 qnotes Feb. 27-March 12.2015
If you go
The Normal Heart'
Written by Larry Kramer ‘
Directed by Dennis Delamar
Presented by Different Roads Home
March 20-April 4, Various times
Theatre Charlotte
501 Queens Rd.
$27,704-372-1000, carolinatix.org
theatrecharlotte.org
Recommended for ages 17+