The work will be re-imagined from a one-man show to one featuring an ensemble cast; the evening will benefit both BC/EFA and Sero Project.
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The one-night-only reading will feature the talents of Drake, Brandon Cordeiro, two-time Tony Award nominee Robin De Jesús, two-time Tony nominee André De Shields, Claybourne Elder, Tony nominee Rory O'Malley, Anthony Rapp, Wesley Taylor, Chad Ryan, Donald C. Shorter, Jr., Aaron Tone and Tony winner BD Wong. Tony nominee Robert La Fosse directs.
Actor and activist Drake wrote The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me in the early 1990s. After joining the activist group ACT UP, Drake began writing autobiographical monologues about the AIDS crisis that eventually became the one-man show about this critical point in American history. First performed by Drake himself, who won an Obie for his work, the original Off-Broadway run at the Perry Street Theatre became one of the longest-running solo shows in New York theatre history. There now have been nearly 100 productions worldwide, and it's been translated into French, Portuguese, Spanish and Greek.
"What began as an expression of my feelings became a work that reflected the cultural zeitgeist of a community," Drake said in a statement. "When the 20th anniversary of the play approached, I started thinking about a reconfigured version with a cast, rather than as a solo performance. Incorporating a full cast conveys today’s passionate cries from our community’s heart while honoring the legacy of activism that brought us to this transformative moment in our history." Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased online at broadwaycares.org or by calling (212) 840-0770, ext. 268. VIP tickets also are available and include a reception with the cast and other benefits.
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For more information on the Sero Project, which is working to end inappropriate criminal prosecutions of people with HIV, go to seroproject.com.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised more than $225 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.
