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The Production.... 
The Coming Out Again theatre project focuses on HIV/AIDS awareness in the gay and lesbian community, and raises issues about HIV in the Deaf community through the real-live stories of the actors - three of being HIV positive, others as coping with positivefamily members, losing loved ones, and trying to stay negative. One of these actors is GALA staff member John Meletse, who recounts his experiences being a young black man from the township who is gay, Deaf and HIV positive. John communicates to the audience through his South African Sign Language interpreter, and within the play also teaches the audience a few South African signs. Most of the performances have been fully South African Sign Language interpreted and special effort made to reach out to the Deaf community. A post performance facilitated discussion allows the audience to talk to the actors and has raised many issues that have been incorporated to the storyline.
The Process...
Each of the actors worked with the writer and director one-on-one, talking about their lives and experiences to come up with the storylines that were woven into the concept developed by Robert Colman. Then over a period of six weeks, the directors workshopped the cast to develop and rehearse the final scripting. Our idea was to involve gay and lesbian individuals shaping their own stories into a dramatic production.
Why this Production? ....
South Africa as a whole has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. As a country, it has responded with widespread awareness raising campaigns, initiatives, and media programmes. However, the LGBTI experience is, almost without exception, missing from strategies to increase awareness and reduce stigma through sharing the stories of everyday lives. Television shows that aim to educate the nation are missing gay characters, brochures and pamphlets lack reference to gay sex, and discussions refrain from incorporating this part of the population into the dialogue. On top of this, systemic discrimination within the institutions set up to help support the countries struggle against HIV/AIDS, further complicate how the LGBTI community is coping. High incidences of lesbian rape negate the power of this group to practice safe sex. Discrimination and ill-treatment in the public health system results in people not seeking information and attention, especially among the black LGBTI community. It is in this context that we have developed this community theatre production to help share the stories of HIV in the LGBTI community.
Performances...
Coming Out Again was launched at Pride September 2005 at Constitution Hill. Since then the production has been performed for a variety of audiences in Pretoria and Ermelo as part of the Out in Africa satellite film festival, for World AIDS Day in Newtown and Ipelegeng and for members of the South African AIDS Consortium.
The Coming Out Again theatre project focuses on HIV/AIDS awareness in the gay and lesbian community, and raises issues about HIV in the Deaf community through the real-live stories of the actors - three of being HIV positive, others as coping with positivefamily members, losing loved ones, and trying to stay negative. One of these actors is GALA staff member John Meletse, who recounts his experiences being a young black man from the township who is gay, Deaf and HIV positive. John communicates to the audience through his South African Sign Language interpreter, and within the play also teaches the audience a few South African signs. Most of the performances have been fully South African Sign Language interpreted and special effort made to reach out to the Deaf community. A post performance facilitated discussion allows the audience to talk to the actors and has raised many issues that have been incorporated to the storyline.
The Process...
Each of the actors worked with the writer and director one-on-one, talking about their lives and experiences to come up with the storylines that were woven into the concept developed by Robert Colman. Then over a period of six weeks, the directors workshopped the cast to develop and rehearse the final scripting. Our idea was to involve gay and lesbian individuals shaping their own stories into a dramatic production.
Why this Production? ....
South Africa as a whole has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. As a country, it has responded with widespread awareness raising campaigns, initiatives, and media programmes. However, the LGBTI experience is, almost without exception, missing from strategies to increase awareness and reduce stigma through sharing the stories of everyday lives. Television shows that aim to educate the nation are missing gay characters, brochures and pamphlets lack reference to gay sex, and discussions refrain from incorporating this part of the population into the dialogue. On top of this, systemic discrimination within the institutions set up to help support the countries struggle against HIV/AIDS, further complicate how the LGBTI community is coping. High incidences of lesbian rape negate the power of this group to practice safe sex. Discrimination and ill-treatment in the public health system results in people not seeking information and attention, especially among the black LGBTI community. It is in this context that we have developed this community theatre production to help share the stories of HIV in the LGBTI community.
Performances...
Coming Out Again was launched at Pride September 2005 at Constitution Hill. Since then the production has been performed for a variety of audiences in Pretoria and Ermelo as part of the Out in Africa satellite film festival, for World AIDS Day in Newtown and Ipelegeng and for members of the South African AIDS Consortium.
Asanda - Saslinc
Asanda - Triangle
COA Audience
COA Audience 2
COA Audience3
COA Audience 4
COA Audience 5
COA John Meletse (actor)
COA Mary Louw (actor)
Radio Programme
In order to ensure the widest possible reach of this production, we will also be adapting the production slightly and recording and producing it in audio format. This will involve bringing the actors into the studio to voice the drama. We will then add in sound effects and produce the drama into a programme appropriate for broadcast. We will distribute to radio stations for airplay, provide it for use in discussion and listening groups, and hold a copy in the archive of GALA.
Comic Book
As a further way to add value to the theatre production, the COA project will include using the themes raised in the play to develop a 2 comic books that will be distributed across the country.