Benefit Encore Presentation Of THE NORMAL HEART Will Stream In Honor Of World AIDS Day

ONE Archives Foundation, in collaboration with Invisible Histories Project, announced today that a brand-new Q&A will follow an encore and final presentation of the historic virtual reading of Larry Kramer's Tony Award-winning play THE NORMAL HEART. The new conversation will feature Emmy Award-winning director Paris Barclay and members of the cast. The benefit virtual reading will stream on ONE Archive Foundation's Eventive page on December 4 in honor of World AIDS Day so to raise awareness and show support for people living with HIV.

This presentation of THE NORMAL HEART first took place in May 2021 to high acclaim, reaching audiences nationwide and in 19 countries across the globe. The reading marked the first time the play featured a cast that is predominately BIPOC and LGBTQ. In its review, the Los Angeles Times praised cast member Sterling K. Brown, noting how he "captured so brilliantly" the starring role in the reading. They added: "the choice of Brown was inspired. Not only is he an exceptional, Emmy-winning actor, but his performance represented an act of coalition building, a recognition of shared struggle and a refusal to let the walls of identity serve as a prison."

The encore presentation of THE NORMAL HEART will take place on Saturday, December 4, at 12:00pm PT and again at 5:00pm PT. Tickets are now on sale and proceeds will support ONE Archives Foundation's LGBTQ initiatives. Tickets can be purchased at onearchives.org/normalheart. Ticket prices range from $20 - $100. Student tickets are available for $10 per ticket for the 12:00pm PT performance only.

The virtual reading features an all-star cast, including Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us, Black Panther); Laverne Cox (Orange Is The New Black, Promising Young Woman); Jeremy Pope (Hollywood, Choir Boy); Vincent Rodriguez III (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Insatiable): Guillermo Díaz (Scandal, Weeds); Jake Borelli (Grey's Anatomy, The Thing About Harry); Ryan O'Connell (Special, Will & Grace); Daniel Newman (Walking Dead, Homeland); Jay Hayden (Station 19, The House Bunny); and Danielle Savre (Station 19, Heroes). The virtual reading will include a special introduction by Martin Sheen.

This performance of THE NORMAL HEART is an important reminder that the HIV/AIDS epidemic is not over, with nearly 38 million people living with HIV globally in 2020. Its ongoing impact disproportionately affects the Black community. As of 2019, 42% of new HIV cases have occurred within the Black community, which only makes up 13% of the US population. According to the CDC, in 2019, Southern states account for an estimated 51% of new HIV cases annually, even though only 38% of the US population lives in the Southern region.

"We are humbled to show this encore presentation of THE NORMAL HEART in honor of World AIDS Day, which takes place on December 1 each year," said Jennifer C. Gregg, Executive Director, ONE Archives Foundation. "World AIDS Day was founded in 1988 to fight against HIV, support people living with HIV, and commemorate those who have died from AIDS- related illness. The success of the first showing of THE NORMAL HEART, which reached audiences across the globe, reinforces just how important LGBTQ history and HIV awareness is today."

"This presentation of The Normal Heart and its extraordinarily talented, diverse cast made an incredible impact earlier this year. We all felt it was important to re-stream the historic reading

to bring more awareness not just to World AIDS Day, but to the message of Larry Kramer's landmark play - which feels even more relevant today," said Paris Barclay, Director.

THE NORMAL HEART focuses on the rise of the HIV/AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s. After cofounding the Gay Men's Health Crisis in 1982, Larry Kramer founded ACT UP in 1987. Produced and taught all over the world, THE NORMAL HEART was selected as one of the 100 Greatest Plays of the Twentieth Century by the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain. It was the longest-running play in the history of The Public Theater. It was also made into an Emmy Award-winning film for HBO by Ryan Murphy.