26 May 2010
18 April 2010
15 April 2010
Taking Off Our Clothes
TAKING OFF OUR CLOTHES
—Scott Cairns
Let's pretend for now that there is
no such thing as metaphor; you know,
waking up will just be waking up,
darkness will no longer have to be
anything but dark; this could all
be happening in Kansas. We could lie back
in a simple bed that is a mattress
on the corner of a floor. We'd have nice
blue sheets and a wool blanket for later.
I could be the man and you could be the woman.
We'd talk about real things; casually and
easily taking off our clothers. We would be
naked and would hold onto each other
a long time, talking, saying
things that would make us
grin. We'd laugh off and on,
all the time unconcerned with things
like breath, or salty skin, or the way
our gums show when we really smile big.
After a little while,
I'd get you a glass of water.
—Scott Cairns
Let's pretend for now that there is
no such thing as metaphor; you know,
waking up will just be waking up,
darkness will no longer have to be
anything but dark; this could all
be happening in Kansas. We could lie back
in a simple bed that is a mattress
on the corner of a floor. We'd have nice
blue sheets and a wool blanket for later.
I could be the man and you could be the woman.
We'd talk about real things; casually and
easily taking off our clothers. We would be
naked and would hold onto each other
a long time, talking, saying
things that would make us
grin. We'd laugh off and on,
all the time unconcerned with things
like breath, or salty skin, or the way
our gums show when we really smile big.
After a little while,
I'd get you a glass of water.
09 April 2010
24 March 2010
| Beyond the Diagnosis: Cornerstone & Gilead Sciences |  |  |
| Cornerstone Theater Company is partnering with Gilead Sciences to produce a collection of original short plays exploring how urban communities are living and dealing with HIV/AIDS. The plays: Page Leong's In a Word , Sigrid Gilmer's Head Trip and The Brothers , and Peter Howard's Long Term are presented as staged readings in cities across the country in an evening of performance and conversation titled: BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS: Real stories of those who are living and thriving in the most serious epidemic of our time  Beyond the Diagnosis has been presented in major cities across the country including Los Angeles, Houston, Detroit, Baltimore, Ft. Lauderdale, Jackson, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and New York. With each location Cornerstone and Gilead bring this program to, the short plays are created in collaboration with that city's HIV-positive residents. This collection of plays reflect the passions and challenges faced every day by the people living with HIV/AIDS in that particular city and the health professionals who treat them. These plays share real stories of patients, family members, healthcare providers, case managers and social workers dealing with HIV treatment in cities all across the country. Each performance features a combination of professional actors as well as community participants from those who are directly affected by HIV/AIDS in their city. For more information on Beyond the Diagnosis, contact news@cornerstonetheater.org . HOW WAS THIS PROGRAM BORN? In early 2007, Deborah Wafer of Gilead Sciences approached Cornerstone with the germ of an idea, a potential partnership between the two companies with a focus on HIV treatment. Specifically, she inquired about using Cornerstone’s methodology to help further their goals of improving communication between HIV/AIDS patients and their healthcare providers. Some initital questions: How might a large corporation and a smallish non-profit collaborate effectively in a way that goes beyond traditional notions of sponsorship or philanthropy? How can we create a program in which corporate and non-profit missions are being met simultaneously? We came up with a proposal to develop three short play scripts based on story circles in Los Angeles with members of the HIV/AIDS treatment community. We approached our story circles with a number of questions including open and honest communication between patients and their healthcare providers. What factors support that kind of relationship? What obstacles come up that prevent patients for advocating themselves for better care? In addition to the performances of these short plays, there are facilitated conversations with the audience about some of the questions and ideas that the plays bring up. Cornerstone has heard stories of growth, triumph, and health in the face of HIV/AIDS in conversations all over the country and we look forward to continuing our onging relationship with Gilead and bringing open and honest conversations about HIV treatment to the forefront of the discourse. |
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