Arena's Bold AIDS Play Focuses on Home, Family

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Arena's Bold AIDS Play Focuses on Home, Family

Baltimore Sun (10/28/93) P. 4E (Rousuck, J. Wynn)

The nation's oldest continuously operating black community theater will present a play that revolves around something that African-Americans are becoming all too familiar with-- AIDS. Cheryl West's "Before It Hits Home," the first major drama to portray the effect of the deadly disease among blacks, imparts much essential information about AIDS but focuses especially on nature, home, and the limitations of familial love. The script is bold in its language, depiction of the disease, and treatment of the lead character's bisexuality. The play itself centers around jazz sax player Wendal Bailey, who discovers he has AIDS and tells his male lover, but cannot bring himself to confront his girlfriend. Partner notification, thus, becomes an important theme and lesson of the play. Weak and discouraged, the protagonist visits home, where his mother abandons him when he needs her most and his father, who has always complained of his son's shortcomings, dishes out unconditional love. "Before It Hits Home" is being staged by the Arena Players in Baltimore, Md., through Nov. 14.

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