Mad Horse Theatre's THE NORMAL HEART Closes 6/20

Mad Horse Theatre Company wraps up its 24th season with the American masterpiece, The Normal Heart, written by American playwright, author and activist Larry Kramer. The play previews on June 3 and 4, with a gala opening on June 5. Performances Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through June 20, at the Studio Theater at Portland Stage Company, 25A Forest Avenue, Portland. Admission is $18 in advance, and $20 at the door. Students and seniors $16. Previews and all Thursday performances are Pay What You Can..

The Normal Heart is Kramer's semi-autobiographical story of his journey to awaken the world to the reality of the AIDS epidemic. Set in New York City between 1981 and 1984, Ned Weeks and his friends are mystified by the swift and merciless disease that is claiming lives in a rapidly escalating health crisis that seems to be taking its greatest toll on the gay community. Ned's struggle to shine light on the disease and garner public and political support to fight the as-yet-unnamed illness forces him, his associates, his friends and his lover to ask themselves how far they are willing to go to achieve their goal. The Normal Heart is as much a vital and necessary call to battle today as it was when it premiered 25 years ago.

Mad Horse is proud to bring this groundbreaking, stunning and profoundly moving play to the stage.
The Normal Heart features Mad Horse company members Peter Brown, Burke Brimmer, and James Herrera, joined by Guest Artists Janice Gardner, James Hoban, Jordan William Handren-Seavey, David Jacobs, Nicholas Schroeder and David Timm. Directed by Christine Louise Marshall, with Lighting Design by Joan Sand, Sound Design by Barb Truex, Set Design by Amber Callahan, Costumes by Christine Marshall and Prop Design and Stage Direction by Jennifer Halm-Perazone. Adam Guttgsell and Nate Speckman round out the production team.

In 2000, the Royal National Theatre named The Normal Heart one of the 100 greatest plays of the 20th century

Talk Back Sunday, June 6th, following the 2pm Matinee
Please Join Mad Horse Theatre and The Peabody Center on Sunday, June 6th, after the 2pm Matinee for a Talk Back. Patti Capouch, Executive Director and Jennifer Putnam, Director of Prevention & Client Services, both from The Frannie Peabody Center will join this discussion. Also participating are Christine Marshall, Artistic Director, Mad Horse Theatre and Director of The Normal Heart along with Peter Brown, Associate Artistic Director, Mad Horse Theatre and the actor portraying Ned Weeks. The Talk Back will focus on issues of what's going on with the Aids epidemic today and prevention strategies. They will also discuss issues raised by this groundbreaking work along with the challenges of bringing this play to the stage.

The Normal Heart, by Larry Kramer

When: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, June 3-June 20. 7:30pm Thursdays, 8pm Fridays and Saturday, and 2pm Sundays.

Where: The Studio Theater at Portland Stage Company, 25A Forest Avenue, Portland.
Admission: $18 in advance, $20 at the door. Students and Seniors $16. All Thursdays are Pay What You Can.

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