Former AIDS activist Josee Duffhues and the talented members of the Ladysmith Little Theatre are joining forces to bring audiences a performance that is explosive, ground-breaking and the first of its kind on the West Coast.
The Normal Heart, written by Larry Kramer, tells the story of a tight-knit group of friends struggling to speak out during the AIDS epidemic of the early 1980s, and its effect on the gay community.
“It was a very isolating and terrible time,” Duffhues said. “The fact that people were willing to come forward and willing to speak openly about what they were experiencing took away some of the phobia some of us had. It was also, I think, one of the reasons that the world became more compassionate.”
Tackling such issues as gay marriage, homophobia, discrimination, promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases, The Normal Heart is “a potent snapshot of culture, psychology and angst, providing audiences with a vibrant view of love and loss.”
“In some ways, it’s a political thriller; in other ways, it’s an emotional drama about loss and suffering,” said Duffhues, who is directing the production.
Duffhues was working in palliative care when the AIDS epidemic first hit North America in the early 1980s.
“We didn’t have a clue what was going on,” she said. “These men were seeing their friends dying at an unbelievable pace.”
Duffhues worked as a volunteer founder of the AIDS Committee of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Area; a volunteer at Casey House Hospice in Toronto and eventually as the AIDS Program Manager for the Waterloo Regional Health Unit.
“I had phone calls at three in the morning from men who had serious complications from AIDS and were afraid to go to the hospital,” she recalled. “I used to get death threats, and that would never happen anymore.”
The Normal Heart was a 2011 Best Revival of a Play winner at the Tony Awards, and a silver screen version starring Julia Roberts, Mark Ruffalo and Jim Parsons is slated to be released in 2014.
Ladysmith’s production of the play is the first on the West Coast, according to Duffhues. She noted that during the casting process, she had interest from as far as Oregon but kept it local.
There is a good blend of theatre veterans and relative newcomers. Playing the role of Ned Weeks is Scott Harvey, while Brian March plays Ben Weeks, and Sherry McLean appears as Emma Brookner.
Other cast members include Dusty Smith, Greg Salmon, Rick Meyers, Scott Bastian, Mike Saunders, Paul Konishi and Lynnia Clark.
Though ahead of its time, the production is relevant to today and delivers a message of tolerance.
“A lot has changed, but we still have a long way to go, and this play is one of the ways we can reach audiences and show them that though we’re not totally understanding of the way people live their lives, we can understand that other people’s hearts are as normal as ours,” Duffhues said.
“It’s a dialogue-rich, intelligent piece of theatre, and I’m really excited that I get to direct it.”
The Normal Heart opens on Oct. 25 and runs through to Nov. 11. Due to shocking language and scenes, the show is rated 16-plus. Underage audience members should be accompanied by an adult. Contact Josee Duffhues, 250-245-8480 for more information or click here.
