[ANGEL and COLLINS attend an AIDS Life Support group.]
[PAUL, the support leader, sits on the downstage railing above.]
[GORDON, one of the members of the group, is standing downstage left,]
[facing the audience. As the members enter, they introduce]
[themselves and form a semicircle. Note: The names of the support]
[group members should change every night and should honor]
[actual friends of the company who have died of AIDS.]
[STEVE]
Steve.
[GORDON]
Gordon.
[ALI]
Ali.
[PAM]
Pam.
[SUE]
Sue.
[ANGEL]
Hi, I'm Angel.
[COLLINS]
Tom. Collins.
[PAUL]
I'm Paul. Let's begin
[ALL]
There's only us
There's only this ...
[MARK blusters in noisily.]
[MARK]
Sorry ... Excuse me ... oops
[PAUL]
And you are?
[MARK]
Oh -- I'm not --
I'm just here to --
I don't have --
I'm here with --
Um -- Mark
Mark -- I'm Mark
Well -- this is quite an operation
[PAUL]
Sit down Mark
We'll continue the affirmation
[ALL]
Forget regret or life is yours to miss
[GORDON]
Excuse me Paul -- I'm having a problem with this
This credo -- My T-cells are low --
I regret that news, okay?
[PAUL]
Alright
But Gordon - How do you feel today?
[GORDON]
What do you mean?
[PAUL]
How do you feel today?
[GORDON]
Okay
[PAUL]
Is that all?
[GORDON]
Best I've felt all year
[PAUL]
Then why choose fear?
[GORDON]
I'm a New Yorker!
Fear's my life!
Look - I find some of what you teach suspect
Because I'm used to relying on intellect
But I try to open up to what I don't know
[GORDON AND ROGER (who sings from his loft)]
Because reason says I should have died
Three years ago
[ALL]
No other road
No other way
No day but today
By Marininha