St. Louis' HotHouse Theatre Company, in conjunction with Chicago's HealthWorks Theatre, will present The Wizard of AIDS beginning Nov. 16 at the HotHouse Theatre.

The show was originally conceived by Michael Barto, who was looking to inform the public of AIDS prevention, and created this show to make the information fresh and entertaining. The show premiered in Chicago in 1988 and has been touring the U.S. ever since. Unfortunately, Barto died of the disease in 1995 and did not live to see the day that Healthworks was honored by the mayor of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Public Health with the 2000 Award of excellence for Prevention Education.

This is the first time the show has been professionally produced outside of Chicago. HotHouse is working closely with HealthWorks. Even HealthWorks' artistic director Peter Reynolds will be directing St. Louis' production. Some of the proceeds will go to the St. Louis Effort for AIDS and The AIDS Foundation of St. Louis.

The Wizard of AIDS starts late night Nov. 16. No reservations are necessary.

— By Steve Luber