The Normal Heart

This is a continuation to the last post I put up.  The same day I saw Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, I also saw the show The Normal Heart.   This is a must see show.  When Ellen Barkin won a tony award for her performance in The Normal Heart it was well deserved.  During the show she has a speech that she gives with emotion and power.  It was an amazing performance.

Lee Pace

Joe Mantello

The Normal Heart takes place in the early 80's when the AIDS epidemic was just starting.  Ned Weeks played by Joe Mantello is a man who decides to spread the word about this disease because no one is doing anything about it.  He had teamed up with Dr Emma Brookner played by Ellen Barkin who informed him about the epidemic.  You follow Ned Weeks in his journey of letting everyone know about the disease.  You see him succeed, fall in love and his hardships.  The rest of the cast are Felix Turner played by John Benjamin Hickey, Jim Parson as Tommy Boatwright, Lee Pace as Bruce Niles, Patrick Breen as Mickey Marcus, Luke Mcfarlane as Craig Donner/ Grady, Mark Harelik as Ben Weeks, Richard Topol as Hiram Keebler/ examining doctor and Wayne Wilcox as David.

Jim Parsons and Me

Right after I had gone to see Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo, since Robin Williams wasn't coming out to meet the fans because it was in the middle of the day I decided to go see some of the stars of The Normal Heart.  Not all of the cast came out because it was in the middle of the day but I just really wanted to see Jim Parsons.  I did get to meet Lee Pace, Joe Mantello and Patrick Breen.  When Patrick Breen came up to me and asked "Why don't you get your play bill signed"? I had given him an envelope to sign and that's why he asked that. I said "I didn't see the show yet and I was going to see it tonight and I figured it would be easier to meet the cast now".  He thought it was a bit interesting and then went on to sign the other fans play bills.  Then I got to meet Jim Parsons.  I was really excited because he was a very funny actor on television and I couldn't wait to meet him in person. When I met him I actually didn't say anything except "Can I take a picture with you"? When he said sure  I just said "Thank you" right after the picture.  I thought it was pretty cool.  He was very calm and kind to everyone.

 I recommend this show to everyone.  The show is just phenomenal and it is based on the truth.  When I was at the show by the end everyone was in tears.  I felt like people working at the theatre should of been handing out tissues.  Instead what they did is hand out a letter that someone wrote.  Watching the show makes you feel different emotions such as anger, sadness, happy and you even might feel like you have power.  The power to stand up for a cause and fight for it.  I think this is a great show because of the education it provides the audience.  When ever there is a new disease out their in the world people handle it differently.  Everyone is equal and no matter what part of the population is affected by the disease those people should not be treated differently.  We are all equal and we are all people.  If one part of the population has a disease we should help them and not ignore it.