More than just entertainment, more than just a tearjerker, Lonely Planet is a play that everyone should see, not to be just entertained, but also to never forget what happened during the dark time of the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

~Review and Photos by Dana Nöllsch~

---

The Story of Lonely Planet

Two friends navigate a world engulfed by an all-too-silent epidemic. Lonely Planet follows a map store owner, Jody, and his friend Carl, as they build their friendship surrounded by the continuing death of their friends and colleagues during the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and how each of them copes with loss and the uncertain future.

We see Carl bringing a chair to Jody‘s Maps store. Jody is unsure of what this means, but soon finds that the chair represents Carl’s longtime friend, who recently died. As the play goes on, the store fills with more and more chairs, each representing the loss of someone in their community as the epidemic grows and takes so many.

There is more than just melancholy in Lonely Planet; there are laughs and lessons in mapmaking. Perhaps one of the most balanced serious emotional plays I have ever seen, the balance of laughter, frivolity, and sadness makes Lonely Planet easy to see, yet also deeply lasting.

As the play came to an end, there were no dry eyes in the theatre, and I am sure everyone in the audience had a deep conversation with whoever they came with on their way home. I know we certainly did.

Lonely Planet is extremely well written and emotionally performed by Rodney Hearn and Bradford Ka’ai’ai. This is more than a tearjerker. I walked away, remembering friends from the past and how that epidemic tore through the gay community in the early 80s. It was certainly a different time. For the gay community, before the epidemic, there was a hopeful feeling for the future, more acceptance, and hope, but the HIV/AIDS epidemic came and tore all that away. This is the story of Jody and Carl during that time, but there were so many other stories left untold.

Lonely Planet is a co-production between Bruka Theatre and Our Center, with Stacy Spain’s
superb direction, adding to the wonderful performances and to the depth of this important story.

Here are some special additions to the regular performances of Lonely Planet.

Our Center Out and About Performance will have a PRESHOW RECEPTION in Studio 44 at Bruka on Wednesday, January 28th at 6:00 pm.  “Living Memory: An Intergenerational Conversation”  is a sixty-minute conversation with hosted appetizers and drinks.

All Sunday matinees will feature post-show talks.  On the first Sunday matinee on January 18, Our Center will host a POSTSHOW AUDIENCE TALKBACK PANEL onstage at Bruka: “Echoes of the Epidemic: Remembering and Reconnecting” Immediately following select performance – Sunday, January 25th, moderating the panel are Director Stacey Spain and Dramaturg Dr. Allen Ratliff.

There are also names of those lost in Washoe County under each chair representing our local loved ones taken too soon by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The chairs were donated in memory of this.

This show is so important to all of us.  Our dear friend and actor Brian Hanson brought the script to me some moons back.  He understands powerful theatre and the love that should  be shared.  I was immediately impacted by Steven Dietz’s play, the characters the story and the brilliant writing.  It opened up windows in my memory back to 2003 when we lost my dear cousin Jeff to AIDS, and brought back so many other experiences with my friends, my loves, my family and throughout my time in the theatre while living in the Bay Area in the 1990’s.  Two especially incredible actors who thankfully play in Reno flooded my imagination: Rod Hearn and Bradford Kai’ai’ai.  Working out schedules was challenging, but it was worth it.  Then came our incredible director, Stacey Spain, so talented,  intelligent, graceful and intuitive.  Her life experiences and her courageous and dedicated leadership of Our Center, our enduring friendship and artistic collaborations made her the perfect choice to direct.  This crew has been exceptional: they supported the work, gathered chairs with dedications to people who passed away from AIDS, researched the time period and dedicated themselves to this beautiful play.  I hope people will come and experience the outreach opportunities that complement the play including talkbacks after each matinee and an “Out & About Night” on Our Center Night featuring a conversation with our dramaturge, director, appetizers, and refreshments.  ~ Mary Benett

---

Here are some Photos to give you a taste of Lonely Planet

---

What About the Performances

As I watched Lonely Planet, I was taken by the performances of Rodney Hearn as Jody and Bradford Ka’ai’ai as Carl. These two talented actors bring more to this play than just their lines, but also a passion for honoring those who were lost and those who remember.

There is a quality to their performances that conveys both loneliness and deep friendship simultaneously.

---

The Bottom Line

There are times in our history we would rather forget, but the hard-fought lessons are lost as well. Lonely Planet reminds us of those lessons and of that time in history when we could have been better to our friends and neighbors.

I highly recommend Lonely Planet for more than the entertainment value, and it is certainly entertaining, but also for the deeper meaning of the story of that time in our history.

---