ShAIDS of Grey to hit Toronto

December 1, 2008 – CURE Canada’s landmark original theatrical production, ShAIDS of Grey, will be taking on Toronto at the Betty Oliphant Theatre this coming January.

“The real reward of the last show was the awareness and conversation it generated in the Hamilton community,” says CURE Executive Director Leo Johnson. “This will allow us to bring that awareness and conversation to a whole new community.”

ShAIDS of Grey brings to life the stories of the AIDS pandemic. Through vignettes, songs and dances, ShAIDS of Grey weaves the stories of men, women and children affected by the disease together into a narrative intended to challenge preconceived notions of the disease.

Throughout it all, the audience follows a journalist who travels to Africa in search of the truth about the world of AIDS. “But, oftentimes the lessons create more questions than answers,” says co-director and playwright Alayna Kolodziechuk. The quest of the journalist yields more questions than answers because in many ways, that is the reality of AIDS. “We called the play ShAIDS of Grey because in real life, AIDS doesn’t leave you with any absolutes. In real life, victims are forced to ask real questions about love, about fear, and about life and death. We wanted the play to reflect this in every way,” continues Kolodziechuk.

“CURE Canada’s whole philosophy is essentially approaching global issues in new and innovative ways,” says co-director and producer Michael Pett. “People know what AIDS is, but they don’t always know what it really means. By telling the stories of victims who often are deprived of a voice of their own, we hope that rather than simply telling people to get involved, we can inspire them to. That’s why the tagline of the play is People Need People.”

ShAIDS of Grey will be running from January 29-31 at the Betty Oliphant Theatre on 400 Jarvis Street. Tickets are now available and may be purchased online at www.curecanada.org/shaids, over the phone by calling 1-888-222-6608, or in person at the door prior to each show.

For more information about the show, please visit the official website at www.curecanada.org/shaids.