VIDEO: On This Day, April 27- Larry Kramer's THE NORMAL HEART Opens on Broadway

On this day in 2011, the star-studded Broadway premiere of Larry Kramer's landmark play The Normal Heart opened on Broadway at the Golden Theater. The star-studded cast included Joe Mantello, Ellen Barkin, Jim Parsons, John Benjamin Hickey and more.

The story of a city in denial, The Normal Heart unfolds like a real-life political thriller -- as a tight-knit group of friends refuses to let doctors, politicians and the press bury the truth of an unspoken epidemic behind a wall of silence.

First produced by Joseph Papp at New York's Public Theater, the play was a critical sensation and a seminal moment in theater history. So ahead of its time was this play that many of the core issues it addresses - including gay marriage, the healthcare system and, of course, AIDS - are just as relevant today as they were when it first premiered.

The acclaimed smash limited production went on to win three Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Play, Best Featured Actor in a Play (John Benjamin Hickey), and Best Featured Actress in a Play (Ellen Barkin).