Patient A

Written by Lee Blessing
Directed by Kellie Powell

Photo By Kathy Briggs
The Patient A Photo Gallery

June 25-27, 2004
The Coffeehouse & Deli


Cast

Lee
Justin Irvin
Kim
Katie Sebald
Matthew
Ryan Brewer

Production Crew

Tech Managers:
Kathy Briggs & Paige Osburn

Production Crew:

Will Irvin, Megan Hannah, Michelle Ball, Ryan Brewer, Katie Karl, Steven Kiesewetter, Kiri Palm, Katie Sebald, Dan Oltman, Krystal Wilcox, Bret Swanson

Special Thanks To

The Coffeehouse & Deli
Rebecca Benner
Madelyn Nickum
Elaine Sebald
Joann Briggs
Josh Weckesser
Marc Lebovitz
Bret Swanson

Notes From the Director

Patient A is a moving drama about Kimberly Bergalis (played by Katie Sebald, Catholic Schoolgirls), an "innocent victim" of AIDS in the early 90's. The playwright, Lee Blessing, is present as a character and narrator (played by Justin Irvin, Three Days of Rain), and the show portrays two sides of a highly controversial debate. The third character is Matthew (played by Ryan Brewer), who provides reluctant "choral support" until his purpose finally becomes clear. Patient A is a compelling and imaginative ensemble piece about the AIDS epidemic and something Blessing calls "the real epidemic - the one we didn't even see as a disease: ...the cowardice, the viciousness with which we behaved."

Some might question why I would choose this piece, since Kimberly Bergalis has been dead for years, and has been all but forgotten by America. AIDS has become the world's crisis instead of its secret. But somehow I suspect that this piece is, quite unfortunately, more relevant than any of us would like.