ABOUT the SHOW

 

A Reaction to Fear ...

 

A Note from the Director:

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Lee Blessing’s gripping, deeply grounded drama.

 

At its core, this show is about giving voice to a story that challenges—asking us to look beyond headlines to find our shared humanity. Here is a look at the powerful story we are preparing to tell.

 

Truth, Terror, and Compassion

 

Patient A is a compelling, metatheatrical exploration of one of the most controversial moments of the early 1990s AIDS crisis. The play chronicles the true story of Kimberly Bergalis, a young woman who contracted HIV during a routine procedure at the dentist.

 

Rather than a straightforward biographical drama, Lee Blessing crafts a brilliant, multi-layered narrative. The play becomes a dynamic three-person conversation between:

 

• ​Kimberly:  A young woman forced into the national spotlight fighting for her dignity while dealing with a terminal illness. ​

• Matthew:  A chorus-like ghost in the narrative, representing the fear, stigma, and unanswered questions of the era. ​

• Lee:  A proxy for the audience, wrestling with the ethics of storytelling, media sensationalism, and how we process collective tragedy.

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As the characters clash and connect, the play expands from a specific medical mystery into a profound examination of how society reacts to fear, who we choose to blame when tragedy strikes, and how we define the "innocent victim."

 

While the specific events of Patient A took place decades ago, its themes remain strikingly urgent. The play asks us: How does the media shape—and often distort—human tragedy for public consumption? How thin is the line between public safety and the demonization of the sick? How does anger, grief, and ultimately grace, effect the way we face the unthinkable?

 

This is a sparse, intimate, and emotionally devastating piece of theatre that demands incredible nuance from its actors and creative team. It doesn't offer easy answers; instead, it invites the audience to sit with the discomfort of complex truths. Directed by Alex Pepperman Featuring Alexis Leone