The University of Lethbridge begins their theatre season on a serious note by putting on Larry Kramer’s play “A Normal Heart,” Oct. 15-19 in the University Theatre.
“The play is about a group of gay men during the AIDS epidemic in the early ’80s. It’s about a group of gay men who are fighting oppression. It’s a true story based on the life of playwright Larry Kramer,” said University of Lethbridge drama professor Jay Whitehead, who plays Ned Weeks.
“It’s such an important piece that really shows the AIDS epidemic was more than one sided. People all over got hit by the epidemic,” added student Mike Rolfe, who plays Tommy Boatwright.
“As a gay man, it is a huge moment in the history of my people,” Whitehead continued.
“The show is so important and it’s still relevant,” he continued.
“ But the sexuality is not up front. It’s a human show,” Rolfe said.
“ There some really great characters. They're intriguing and that makes it exciting,” Whitehead said.
“ These are not caricatures, they are real people,” he continued.
Rolfe has enjoyed acting with his teacher.”
“It’s like working with a peer instead of a teacher,” Rolfe said, adding the actors get to put everything they learned in a classroom into a live situation and bring the finished product to stage.
The 10 person cast includes Whitehead, a new media student and eight drama students under the tutelage of first time director Roger Schulz who is usually involved in creating stages and sets.
“ I’ve directed a lot of plays in my head as I’ve done a lot of design work,” he said adding after working with a lot of directors, he figured he was ready to direct his first play.
He became interested in directing ‘The Normal Heart,’ after learning it was being taught in the university’s “Queer Theatre” class.
“It drew a lot of attention and people were very excited about it,” he said adding the play chronicles an important point of history that people my not be aware of.
“It (something like HIV) affects a lot of people in a community, there was a lot of apath
y about what the impacts it had. There is still a lot of it today,” he said.
He has enjoyed his first directing experience.
“It has been really good. It’s a contemporary play. There is so much in the lines, it really makes you feel like you are part of their lives,” he said adding he hopes the audiences will not only come away with a greater understanding of the AIDS epidemic and it’s long reaching impact, but to look inside themselves.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in their lives and see how they respond to things and what they do about it,” he said.
The two act play is two-and-a -half hours long. It begins at 8 p.m. each night, Oct. 15-19.
Get tickets for The Normal Heart at the U of L Box Office, Monday – Friday, 12:30 – 3:30 pm, or by calling (403) 329-2616. Tickets: $18 regular, $13 senior/alumni, $12 student. Join the cast and crew for a talkback following the Oct. 17 performance. There is mature content.
