''Just Say No'' is a 1988 play by American writer
Larry Kramer. It attacks the
Ronald Reagan administration and the Mayor of New York,
Ed Koch, over what Kramer saw as their hypocrisy and inertia in responding to the
AIDS epidemic
The global epidemic of HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) began in 1981, and is an ongoing worldwide public health issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2021, HIV/AI ...
. It was less successful than Kramer's previous play, ''
The Normal Heart'', possibly due to its sharply political tone.
Productions
In nineteen years there have only been three major productions of ''Just Say No'' - in New York at the WPA in 1988, in Chicago at the Bailiwick Theatre in 1999 and in Los Angeles at Theatre of Note in 2007.
The play ran
Off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
at the WPA Theatre from October 4, 1988 to November 6, 1988. Directed by David Esbjornson, the cast included
Kathleen Chalfant, David Margulies,
Tonya Pinkins, Joseph Ragno, Keith Reddin, Richard Riehle, Richard Topol and
Julie White.
The play was part of the Bailiwick Theatre, Chicago annual festival "PRIDE". It was presented from May 21, 1999 to July 4, starring
Greg Louganis and
Alexandra Billings.
The play was produced by Theatre of Note, Hollywood, California in February 2007, directed by Trevor Bishop.
[Nichols, David C]
"Theater Beat"
''Los Angeles Times'', February 23, 2007
References
External links
''Just Say No'' at Samuel French
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Plays by Larry Kramer
1988 plays
HIV/AIDS in theatre
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