Posted on February 8, 2008 12:53 AM
AIDS project plays 'Prelude to a Kiss'
Thespian MasquerAIDS members rehearse for its benefit performance of Prelude to a Kiss.If you go
What: Penn State Thespians present Prelude To A Kiss When: 7 p.m. SundayWhere: HUB Heritage HallDetails: The play is a part of the annual MasquerAIDS fundraiser. Tickets are $6 and will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today near the elevators in the HUB and at the door.
Stacey Federoff
Collegian Staff Writer
Horror stories about completely transformed newlywed spouses come to life in Prelude To A Kiss.
Presented by the Penn State Thespians and introduced by Sue Paterno, the play written by Craig Lucas will be performed as part of the group's annual MasquerAIDS fundraiser for The AIDS Project of Centre and Clinton counties at 7 p.m. Sunday in HUB Heritage Hall.
The play is the story of newlyweds Peter and Rita, who are visited at their wedding by an old man who wishes to kiss the bride for good luck. When the old man kisses Rita, the two actually end up switching souls.
Alyssa Mulligan (junior-theatre), who plays Rita, said the character wants the rough times in her life to be behind her, whereas the old man wants to have life ahead of him.
"They had to switch from being themselves in order to find themselves and appreciate what they had in the past," she said.
After Peter realizes Rita is not the same person she was before the wedding, he has to find the old man and fall in love with Rita's soul inside the old man's body.
J.P. Welliver (sophomore-advertising and public relations), who plays the old man, would not reveal if everything returns to normal.
"You have to come and find out if the 'happily ever after' happens," he said.
Jessica Gonzalez (junior-film), co-director of the MasquerAIDS performance, said Lucas wrote the play during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s to represent what happens when someone contracts the disease.
"Their body starts to deteriorate, so the soul that you love is still there but the body you love is aging rapidly," she said.
Gonzalez said the play represents the little hope there was when fighting the disease.
"I don't think we realize today how devastating the AIDS crisis was, especially in the gay community," she said. "Back then, it was a death sentence."
She said the play has other meanings, such as accepting others for who they are.
"Even if you don't relate to the implicit themes concerning AIDS, there's still things in it that relate to everyone," she said.
Last year, MasquerAIDS was a cabaret-style revue held at the Days Inn, 240 S. Pugh St., featuring different songs with a theme of hope.
The group moved the annual benefit performance on campus for its eighth year, sponsored by the Penn State HIV/AIDS Risk Reduction Advisory Council and the LGBTA Student Resource Center.
"We're kind of hoping for more students this time and that's why we moved it on campus," said Andrea Schwander (sophomore-geography), production manager and committee co-chair for the event.
Prelude To A Kiss will feature 10 cast members and minimal set pieces on the stage.
"Our goal has been to keep it simple because it's the play itself we want to get attention," Gonzalez said.
Tickets for the performance are $6 and will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today near the elevators in the HUB and at the door.
