"POZ" the reading

Going into last night's staged reading of POZ, I wasn't sure what to expect...  after all, the subject matter is certainly an extremely intense subject. But as character Catherine (Penny Fuller explains  to Edison (Randy) early on, in Shakespeare, the tragedies end with a death, the comedies end with marriages. And that was the case here, the very heavy material handled in such a way that the message was received but the delivery of that message was enjoyable, and even light-hearted at times.

The story, which takes place in 2003-4, opens with Catherine trudging up the steps to her apartment because the elevator is once again broken. She is suffering and having difficulty breathing, relying on her inhaler to help her. She is accompanied by the unseen presence of Arthur. (Christian Coulson) Catherine is a former stage actress, so her dependence on her inhaler is especially frustrating for her. Enter Edison, a very likeable but not-too-bright, 23 year old aspiring actor who is awestruck at finally meeting Catherine.

He has seen her in the building but had never had the courage to speak to her. As he gushes over her accomplishments, (Randy does "gushing"  with the most adorable facial expressions!) she snarks over his adoration and his "acting" job waiting tables at a local restaurant, and even commenting that at 23 he actually looks 10! He mentions seeing her in a musical about Abe Lincoln, in which Catherine played Mary Todd Lincoln.

But all is not well with sweet Edison. He begins to shows some physical stress while talking to Catherine. She complains that he is too young to be so tired. Knowing that AIDs/HIV is a prominent storyline, I felt immediate sorrow. Edison has leukemia and cannot afford treatment.

We next see Catherine as she meets with her friend Maia... a hermit like woman who speaks with angels. Maia was played by the wonderful Veanne Cox, who brought a real sense of loveable eccentricity to the character. Even though  she identifies as lesbian, Maia suggests getting her ex-husband, and flaming queen Oscar (The very funny Jay Rogers) , who works with an HIV support group to help get health care for Edison.

The meeting with Oscar and Edison his pretty funny... with Oscar regaling Edison with stories of the wild life of the 1970's, before HIV, a time when unprotected sex was the norm. Edison expresses some regret that he missed that time. He also comments that hanging out with Catherine and Maia, that he is keeping "strange bedfellows." Edison responds with all sincerity, "Oh, I didn't sleep with her."

Oscar explains the benefits of the health program they can offer including even spending money, and then asks Edison about when he was diagnosed as POZ.  He replies he's not HIV positive, he just has leukemia.  Oscars face immediately falls... he can only offer help if Edison is HIV positive.

In the meantime, Oscar's best friend Robert (Lou Liberatore) who IS HIV+, and describes himself as a sex pig, has decided to try online dating. Robert is a lawyer who spends his summers with Oscar in P-Town while trolling for tricks.  He is a Marlboro Man lookalike in his 50's who might just be looking for something other than tricking.  Edison answers his ad and Robert shows great discomfort while talking to the much younger Edison. He's not sure how this whole dating thing works. But he agrees to meet Edison at the Christopher Street Pier, a huge gay hangout in the 70's.

Their date is pretty funny, with cute and adorable Edison, making big bad bear Robert very uncomfortable saying he's not sure if he's worried about his friends seeing the big bad stud on a date, or worried they won't see him with young desirable Edison. Edison once again talks fondly of the 70's, and how he loves 70's porn and the fact that condoms were never used. He longs for that too. And do people even die of AIDs anymore he wonders... with all the meds available.

Robert talks about the different decades of living in the city, the free living 70's, the fear of the 80's etc. He also talks about "coming out," to which Edison replies he didn't really have to come out, he knew  he was gay when he was in 5th grade and even dated in 8th grade. He was part of the Gay/Straight Alliance at his High School. Robert finds that incomprehensible and brings up another topic in the reading, the difference in experiences between the older and younger gays. They arrange for a second date.

Oscar tells Catherine that his group can't help Edison and she begins to think that she may pay for his chemotherapy herself. She recalls another young man, a dancer, (Arthur) who also died too young and she doesn't that to happen again.

Oscar and Robert get together and talk about Robert's date... and Robert admits that he really likes the young man. Oscar tells Robert about his father, who although they had never got along, is suffering from Alzheimer's and he is thinking of having him move in. Robert thinks it's a very bad idea.

Robert shows up at Maia's on the pretense of assembling some shelves for her. Even though he has been friends with Oscar for 30 years, he has never met Maia. She tells him she senses a black aura or barrier around him.

When Oscar's father dies, Robert admits to Edison on their second date, that he has only ever gone to two funerals this one and his mother's... that he didn't go to the multiple funerals  of friends who have died over the years. He admits that he is lucky, being fairly healthy since being diagnosed.

He is beginning to feel things for Edison that he never expected; still amazed that this exuberant young man is interested in him. (At the funeral for Oscar's dad Maia tells Robert that his black aura barrier now has some holes in it - openings for love?) They talk of making out and unprotected sex... and finally Robert  asks Edison how he became POZ. Edison admits that he isn't and Robert explodes! Randy's face and body language during the tirade was truly heartbreaking. Robert feels used. But Edison tries to explain that he really isn't a "bug-chaser," even though he longs for the feeling of skin on skin. He feels the only way he can cure his cancer is to become HIV+ so he can qualify for health benefits.

Catherine is still contemplating paying for Edison's chemo treatments even though they may cost as much as $2,000 per month. Due to Edison's inspiration she has gotten a new acting job playing the nurse in Romeo & Juliet. Edison surprises her by doing a very bad karaoke version of the hit song from her musical Abe. She laughs as Edison croons out some of the worst composed lyrics ever, in a melody that rides the roller coaster of high vs. low notes. (Randy had a lot of fun singing that, I'm sure.) Despite his problems Edison is still the wide-eyed optimist in love with the idea of theater. He tells her his first theater experience as a child was "Big River" at which Catherine immediately scoffs.

While helping Catherine practice her lines, Maia gets word from the "angels" that Edison has joined them. He is in the hospital getting chemo treatments, that were paid for by Robert.  Robert is sitting there comforting Edison, when he acknowledges that he can also see the ghostly Arthur. It turns out that they had hooked up years ago and briefly debate whether they had infected each other. Arthur also talks of the old days  when he began to bleed from an injured foot during a dance performance and the fear and bigotry he endured because of it.

Edison wakes then and Robert tells him they had lost him for a short time but that he would be OK. The reading ends with Robert having Oscar read the proclamation signed into law that day by Governor Romney allowing same sex marriage in Massachusetts.  Since he has maintained a residence in Provincetown for decades he is a legal resident and therefore can marry, and provide health benefits for his spouse Edison.

Now I am positive that I got some of the events out of order and may have even mixed up some characters and their scenes and no doubt forgot a lot of important stuff. But you get the idea... All of the actors were wonderful in their roles. The writer saying once again at the talkback that he began writing the play with the actors playing Oscar, Maia and Catherine, but through the connections of the theater wrote Edison, Robert and Arthur for these actors. Which I think is pretty amazing since Edison is 23, but described as looking 10, and it's written for our lovely Randy who just turned 36!

And although HIV status is important in the play we see both ends of the epidemic, Arthur who died much too young, and Robert who has survived many years. But every character  has some sort of health crisis to deal with. There's also the disconnect between the older gay men who remember what they have now they had to fight for, and the younger ones like Edison who don't consider being gay anything "special."

On a side note in the scene between Edison and Robert in the pier, Robert mentions that he is originally from Bayonne, NJ. When I asked the writer why Bayonne, he smiled and said Googled it and is just so happens to be directly across the river from the pier. Randy seemed entertained that I asked.

I certainly hope that this gets developed further since watching Randy play the open, loveable, vulnerable, trusting...  somewhat naive and child-like, sometimes giggly and silly but always animated and effervescent Edison,  was a true delight.