What was yesterday again?
Yesterday was World AIDS Day. I don’t think most people knew that; I nearly missed it myself. I remember when it was a much bigger deal, though.
It was about 20 years ago, I was part of what some called a stupid stunt, others called a brave, ingenious act to spread awareness. I was on staff of the Traveler, the University of Arkansas student ( Read more... )
It was about 20 years ago, I was part of what some called a stupid stunt, others called a brave, ingenious act to spread awareness. I was on staff of the Traveler, the University of Arkansas student ( Read more... )
In 1987 I was a student in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Summer Seminar. A lot of the actors came to do one-on-one coaching and teach classes but one actor, Rex Raybold,really went the extra mile. Things like he suddenly realized he was only in hightened language roles, so he came to the dorm to do a modern monologue for us. Then he stayed and ate the incredibly bad dorm food.
The next summer I saw him out on the bricks (the courtyard outside the theatre) and invited him to lunch with my mom and I. He accepted and this became a yearly event.
I think it was the second year he was complaining he had a throat bug he just couldn't kick. The next year he could not stop taking about the Deadelus Project, an AIDS benefit he was creating.
The next summer I forgot to write to let him know we were coming. I knew he was in a show that night so we went right to the bricks to wait. And wait. And wait.
There was a little booth/stand set up but I couldn't see what it was selling. After a while we realized we must have missed Rex so I went to check out the booth.
It was selling shirts for the Daedelus Project and had Rex's obituary as the centerpiece.
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I am glad that this is not the case so much anymore.
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Someday I am going to write up my ideas/observations/rant about how AIDS was handled in plays during the 80's and 90's vs. now.
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