September 6 - 21, 2024
Kramer’s writing has a fiery indignation ... He builds gripping drama out of the battle to get past the indifference of the political, medical and media establishment.
The Hollywood Reporter
Love, loss, and the fight for Recognition
A play by Pulitzer Prize for Drama finalist
Larry Kramer's
The Normal Heart
September 6 - 21, 2024
ASL Performances:
Saturdays @ 2 PM
Witness a landmark moment in theater history with “The Normal Heart” by Larry Kramer, a play that reverberates through time with its unflinching portrayal of the early AIDS crisis. Set in the early 1980s, this searing drama delves into the nascent days of the epidemic in New York City, capturing the fear, anger, and heartbreak experienced by the gay community as they faced an epidemic that was being ignored by the government, the medical community, and society at large.
The story centers on Ned Weeks, a writer and activist whose relentless fight to raise awareness and demand action parallels today’s ongoing battles for public health, LGBTQ+ rights, and social justice. As Ned’s impassioned and often confrontational activism puts him at odds with friends, family, and colleagues—including his closeted lover Felix Turner and his more conservative brother Ben—the play explores themes of community, identity, and the struggle for recognition and equality.
Dr. Emma Brookner, a physician treating AIDS patients who struggles to gain recognition and funding for her research, mirrors modern-day heroes in the medical field who fight tirelessly against pandemics and health crises, often facing political and societal barriers.
“The Normal Heart” not only offers a historical account of the AIDS crisis but also serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing fight for health equity and human rights. In an era where public health issues, social justice movements, and the fight for LGBTQ+ rights remain at the forefront of our collective consciousness, Kramer’s play is more relevant than ever.
Join us for this stirring and unforgettable production that not only pays tribute to those who fought tirelessly during the AIDS crisis but also reflects the enduring need for activism, compassion, and resilience in the face of ongoing challenges in today’s world.
Provocative and timely
- New York Stage Review
Production Photos
Meet the cast
more information
Meet the Creative Team
Director
Christopher Preslar
Lighting Designer
Lucinda Culver
Set Designer
Katie Birks-Kilman
Stage Manager
Devon Mitchell
ABOUT LARRY KRAMER
Laurence David Kramer was an American playwright, author, film producer, public health advocate, and gay rights activist. He began his career rewriting scripts while working for Columbia Pictures, which led him to London, where he worked with United Artists. There he wrote the screenplay for the film Women in Love (1969) and received an Academy Award nomination for his work.
In 1978, Kramer introduced a controversial and confrontational style in his novel Faggots, which earned mixed reviews and emphatic denunciations from elements within the gay community for Kramer’s portrayal of what he characterized as shallow, promiscuous gay relationships in the 1970s.
Kramer witnessed the spread of the disease later known as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among his friends in 1980. He co-founded the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), which has become the world’s largest private organization assisting people living with AIDS. Kramer grew frustrated with bureaucratic paralysis and the apathy of gay men to the AIDS crisis, and wished to engage in further action than the social services GMHC provided. He expressed his frustration by writing a play titled The Normal Heart, produced at The Public Theater in New York City in 1985.
His political activism continued with the founding of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) in 1987, an influential direct action protest organization to gain more public action to fight the AIDS crisis. ACT UP has been widely credited with changing public health policy and the perception of people living with AIDS, and with raising awareness of HIV and AIDS-related diseases.
Kramer was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for his play The Destiny of Me (1992), and he was a two-time recipient of the Obie Award.
ABOUT AUSTIN RAINBOW THEATRE
Austin Rainbow Theatre, now in it’s second season, has solidified itself as the home for LGBTQIA+ performing arts in Central Texas. ART’s mission is to provide affordable theatre that focuses on creating belonging, reducing stigma, honoring diverse LGBTQIA+ history and stories, and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artist and community voices.
ART began its mission in 2021 with an exploratory production of The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project. This production was meant to gauge the necessity of an LGBTQIA+ theatre company and the response from the Central Texas community. After the outpouring of support from patrons, as well as the gratitude from members of the queer community, it was clear ART would be around for a long time!
PERFORMANCE DATES
Friday, September 6, 2024 @ 8 PM
Saturday, September 7, 2024 @ 2 PM (ASL Interpreter)
Saturday, September 7, 2024 @ 8 PM
Sunday, September 8, 2024 @ 2 PM
Thursday, September 12, 2024 @ 8 PM
Friday, September 13, 2024 @ 8 PM
Saturday, September 14, 2024 @ 2 PM (ASL Interpreter)
Saturday, September 14, 2024 @ 8 PM
Sunday, September 15, 2024 @ 2 PM
Thursday, September 19, 2024 @ 8 PM
Friday, September 20, 2024 @ 8 PM
Saturday, September 21, 2024 @ 2 PM (ASL Interpreter)
Saturday, September 21, 2024 @ 8 PM
PERFORMANCE ADDRESS
Ground Floor Theatre
979 Springdale Rd #122
Austin, TX 78701








