Thoughts From the Director...... When Parker asked me to direct The Normal Heart, I thought - why me and why The Normal Heart – another production - now? And then I considered how much of what is at the core of this play: where the personal and political intersect. Where the marginalized and the mainstream face of. I agreed to take it on, and I mean the play, the politics, the anger, and the rights of all people. I lived in New York City during the late 70’s until the early 90’s. I’m an actor. AIDS devastated the show business community. I lost some dear friends, one of them being a vocal activist who managed to keep his writing career going strong, but was acutely aware of the much bigger and threatening picture. He worked tirelessly. Sadly, he succumbed to AIDS, but his artistry and activism have always inspired me. Although AIDS initially afected the gay white male community, it quickly moved across gender and ethnicity lines and into the heterosexual population. HIV/AIDS is still a serious issue, but there are cocktails of drugs that manage it. As the older generation, I’m watching the younger one becoming complacent about the reality of these diseases and conditions. Why is history ignored? We are standing on the shoulders of the ones who preceded us. Have we learned nothing? “It's a good time for people—any people, gay, straight, or whatever the kids are identifying as these days—to think about the utter horror of a nameless, sourceless killer sweeping in and chewing through an already disenfranchised community. It's a good time to think about what it would be like if you spent your entire life hating yourself and being hated and then hating yourself more as a result of being hated only to find a group of people that accepted you and made love a possibility...and then started to drop dead, one by one. It's a good time to think about the strength of gay men, who have been wishfully regarded as weak by the ignorant, and how time and time again, they have saved themselves.” Why We Need The Normal Heart” by Rich Juzwiak. These are confusing and disturbing times that we are navigating. We can either keep complaining or we can get angry and do something. As artists, we are being told to not be political, just entertain. If ever there was a segment of society that is political, it’s the artists. We reflect the times, we hold up a mirror to the good, the bad and the ugly. Larry Kramer did just that through his books and plays. The Normal Heart will continue to be relevant as long as there are segments of society that are not being accepted and supported by people who can make a di erence ! . So, put away your digital devices and be present here and now with your fellow audience members. Watch and learn with an open heart. And then go out into the world and make a di erence Do something ! . ! EMMA: “Health is a political issue. Everyone’s entitled to get good medical care. If you’re not getting it, you’ve got to fight for it.” Marilyn McIntyre Director of Larry Kramer”s ’The Normal Heart” Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart with Ray Barnhart, Eric Bunton, Cameron Cowperthwaite, Alan Lennick, Jeffrey Masters, Parker Mills, Peter Schiavelli, Dan Via, Carole Weyers Set Design Lighting Design David Mauer Brandon Baruch Sound Design Costume Design Chris Moscatiello Liz Schroeder Props Video Editing Michael Skolnick Brandon Hearnsberger Original Music Original Artwork Jake Moses Edward Vyeda Lighting Assistant Stage Manager Scott Marshall Amy Koch Press Representative Ken Werther Publicity Directed By Marilyn McIntyre Associate Director Sarah Burkhardt Produced by Sarah Burkhardt & Parker Mills Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc. Original New York Production byNew York Shakespeare Festival Produced by Joseph Papp Cast (in order of appearance) CRAIG DONNER..……………………………….. Cameron Cowperthwaite MICKEY MARCUS…………………………… Ray Barnhart NED WEEKS………………………………….. Parker Mills DAVID…………………………………………. Eric Bunton Dr. EMMA BROOKNER……………………….Carole Weyers FELIX TURNER………………………………..Peter Schiavelli BEN WEEKS……………………………………Dan Via BRUCE NILES………………………………….Alan Lennick TOMMY BOATWRIGHT………………………Jeffrey Masters HIRAM KEEBLER…………….……………….Eric Bunton GRADY…………………………………………Cameron Cowperthwaite EXAMINING DOCTOR……………………..…Eric Bunton TIME Actions take place between July 1981 & May 1984 in New York City (There will be one 15-minute intermission) The windiest militant trash Important Persons Shout Is not so crude as our wish; What mad Nijinsky wrote About Diaghilev Is true of the normal heart; For the error bred in the bone Of each woman an each man Craves what it cannot have, Not universal love But to be Loved alone. All I have is a voice To undo the folded lie, The romantic lie in the brain Of the sensual man-in-the street And the lie of Authority Whose Buildings grope the sky: There is no such things as the State Ans no one exists alone; Hunger allows no choice To the citizen or the police;We must love one another or die -W.H. Auden from “September 1,1939” Mickey Marcus David/Hiram/Doctor Craig/Grady Ray Barnhart Eric Bunton Cameron Cowperthwaite Bruce Niles Tommy Boatwright Ned Weeks Alan Lennick Jeffrey Masters Parker Mills Felix Turner Ben Weeks Dr Emma Brookner Peter Schiavelli Dan Via Carole Weyers Ray Barnhart (Mickey) Ray hails from Independence, Kansas, hometown of playwright William Inge. His stage credits include Lions, Contempt, Slow Burn, Wham! The Boys Behind the Shorts and the LA, SF and Miami productions of Party. Film credits include Jesus the Driver, The Kite Man and The Seminarian. Also, he was once on a game show called The Rich List where he won a lot of money all of which he spent long ago. And yes, he has a blog, easilycrestfallen.com. Eric Bunton (Hiram)Eric was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, but you may not think that when you first meet him. In his later years, he obtained a BS in Marketing from Clemson University and an MBA from The George Washington University. Eventually he packed up his Acura and drove Route 66 to LA to pursue a career in acting, and never looked back. TV credits include The Young and the Restless, The Newsroom, Days of Our Lives, Conan, and The Queen Latifah Show. Film credits include UR IN Analysis, Go Four Broke, Tarot: A Documentary Love Story, Bad Ass, and Bloodstream. LA theater credits; Hellcab, Love Bites XI, Kidnapped by Craigslist, Infinite Black Suitcase, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, La Ronde, The Mad Woman of Chaillot and The Eccentricities of a Nightingale. Cameron Cowperthwaite (Craig/Grady) Cameron moved to Los Angeles two years ago, and is excited to be making his theatrical debut in this production of The Normal Heart. Film: Pledge, Blood Brothers. TV: FX’s Feud, Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, HBO’s The Deuce, and CBS’ Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. Education: Howard Fine Acting Studio Los Angeles. Also, co-wrote a feature length film, A Theory for Tangled Wires, with attached actors, such as Alec Baldwin (in development). Alan Lennick (Bruce) Alan’s favorite Credits include the European premier of National Anthems (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Star Wars Trilogy in 30 Minutes (Coronet Theatre, LA), Wreckage (Theatre 70, NYC), Exit the King (Pearl Theatre Co, NYC). Alan executive produced and co-starred in the award-winning independent feature film, Bahamian Son. Alan graduated from the USC School of Dramatic Arts, where he received the Ava Greenwald Award, for outstanding graduating actor and more importantly met Parker Mills, Marilyn McIntyre and his wife, Sari Lennick. Jeffrey Masters (Tommy) TV/Film: Rescuing Rachel, Top Flight Security, Water. Theatre: A Bright Room Called Day (Coeurage Theatre), Dog Sees God (Linden Bay), The Importance of Being Earnest (Queer Classics). Jeffrey is also a host at AfterBuzz TV and hosts the podcast, LGBTQ&A, where he interviews different members of the LGBTQ community. Follow him on Twitter. It'll change your life: @jeffmasters1 Parker Mills (Ned) Parker is "pleased as punch" to be doing this show...working with this amazing group of people has been an incredible experience! Stage credits include: Breeders, Take Me Out, the Chicago Premiere of Born Guilty, Ray's Cafe, Orphans, the American Premiere of The Architect, Little Shop of Horrors, Working, The Sweatbreaker: ALIVE, and Death of a Salesman. TV/ Film credits include: Lunarcy, The Drama Queen, Filthy, Les is More, Validation, a recurring role on Malcolm in the Middle, and The King of the Galaxy (naturally) on the Syfy animated series Outer Space Astronauts. He is a longtime master student at The Howard Fine Acting Studio, where he is also on faculty, teaching Solo Performance. He is also a proud member of Rogue Machine Theatre Company. Thanks to Howard Fine for pushing him beyond "Nebbish", and Marilyn for 20+ years of belief and guidance. Peter Schiavelli (Felix) Despite being born and raised in Los Angeles, Peter didn't make his way to acting until after he had returned from college. Having spent four years exploring the rainier side of the state while earning his English degree from Stanford, he came back home and soon enrolled in the Howard Fine Acting Studio. Although it may have taken him some time, he is delighted to have found it when he did. He made his stage debut as Ricky in Big Al and can be seen in projects including the short film Tick-Tock and the webseries IRL. He is beyond grateful to have the opportunity to delve into a play of this magnitude and vision (especially in times like these), and to work with a group of cast and crew as generous, supportive, and talented as this one.