The OCU School of Theatre Stage II is presenting “The Normal Heart” by Larry Kramer Feb. 10, 11, and 12 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre.
The production is directed by Casey Kassal, a BFA Acting senior. Tickets can be purchased online or over the phone at 405-208-5227. Adult tickets can be purchased for $5. Masks are required.
The Normal Heart is set in New York City during the AIDS epidemic. It shows the gradual rise of the epidemic from 1981 to 1984. The protagonist is Ned Weeks, an openly gay man who founded an AIDs advocacy group.
The public was largely indifferent to AIDs at the time of the play, sparking Weeks to start his advocacy group which changed the way people viewed the disease. Weeks is loud and confrontational while his friends and his closeted lover Felix Turner prefer calmer and quieter approaches.
The play was originally published and performed Off-Broadway in 1985. A Broadway revival opened in 2011 for a limited 12-week run. The revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play in 2011, along with other awards.
Stage II productions are presented in an intimate setting with an emphasis on acting with minimal technical elements. The Black Box Theatre has seats along three sides of the stage with only two rows of seats, allowing each audience member an intimate and special view of the show.
Stage II will present three more productions later this semester: The Pillowman in late February, An Enemy of the People in late March, and Six Years Old in early April. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the Ticket Office.
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