Copresented by Mighty Real/Queer Detroit (MR/QD) And Theatre & Dance at Wayne State University

In this exploration of the AIDS pandemic that combines speculative fiction with activist histories, Memories of a Supernatural AIDS Crisis asks: “What would happen if HIV conferred supernatural powers?” This question serves as the catalyst for a kaleidoscopic performance that interweaves theatre, dance, and song. The story tackles core HIV/AIDS challenges like stigma, racial disparities, and the accessibility of prevention and care in a dimension where characters embody memories from AIDS history and transform themselves with the mystical “Balm of Gilead.”

Set a century into the future, in a Detroit that stands as Earth’s final stronghold after the ravages of global warming, this queer sci-fi drama follows Xylophlactis, an astronaut of the human body, and Pandrion, a Black trans cybernetic heroine. Together, they traverse violence and euphoria in a love story that forges a new, empowering cosmic existence.

Written and directed by Marc Arthur, an artist and assistant professor at Wayne State University, known for his groundbreaking work at the intersection of performance and social justice, Memories of a Supernatural AIDS Crisis commemorates the historical struggles associated with AIDS while envisioning a future of transformation and hope.

Join the hosts at the Hilberry Gateway – the STUDIO, Wayne State University’s brand-new state of the art theater at 4715 Cass Avenue, for a one-of-a-kind performance that explores the past, present, and future of HIV/AIDS in Detroit. The performance is on Saturday, June 29th, 2024, 7 – 8pm. Admission is complimentary, with reservations strongly recommended.

Tickets may be reserved at: https://bit.ly/3JSXszW

After the performance, the audience will be invited to a roundtable discussion about performance and HIV/AIDS in Detroit. The discussion will feature local health care workers, scholars and artists and is sponsored by Wayne State University’s Center for Gender and Sexuality.

Marc Arthur is an artist, scholar, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Theatre & Dance at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Arthur completed his PhD in Performance Studies from New York University (2019) and was a Postdoctoral Fellow in Arts-based Social Justice Research and Practice at the University of Michigan (2019 – 2022) where he studied community-based performance approaches for decreasing HIV stigma and oppression.

Notorious Pink Flowers is a Black trans artist, pleasure activist and educator, whose work is rooted in ancient shamanic, African trickster, and Brazilian Joker traditions. Pink uses Theater of the Oppressed, Art of Hosting, Navajo Peacemaking and other anti-oppression techniques, as the foundation of her theater-making, mediation, problem-solving and group healing practices. She has received broad recognition, numerous awards, and citations for her community service. She has been a faculty member at Montclair State University, Pace University, and a company member of Shakespeare in Detroit.

Yolanda Jack Yolanda Jack is Manager of Community Engagement at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and a long-time theater veteran. A Detroit native, Yolanda attended Cass Technical High School and studied Acting and Theatre Administration at Howard University before beginning her career at Crossroads Theatre Company on the East coast. With a call to come home, Yolanda returned to Detroit to inspire a new generation of theatre practitioners as the Technical and Touring Coordinator for Mosaic Youth Theatre and begin a family. She would go on to do that, graduate from Wayne State University with a B.A. in Acting and establish One World Theatre Company with her husband, Phillip Jack.

Joe Smentowski, A metro Detroit native, is a queer actor and singer with a focus in musical
theatre. Joe has performed iconic roles like Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show and even had the chance to perform as Danny Zuko in Arts for Autism at The Gershwin Theatre in NYC. He has performed in over 20 educational and professional theatrical productions and is currently receiving his BFA in Acting from Wayne State University.

Mighty Real/Queer Detroit is a not-for-profit organization that provides a platform for artistic exploration of various queer perspectives crossing generations and disciplines.

The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance is housed in Wayne State University’s
College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, which is home to today’s aspiring artists, performers, technicians, scholars, dancers, debaters, entrepreneurs, and communication professionals who all represent the college’s legacy of excellence in our respective fields. The college serves students majoring in 17 undergraduate programs, 10 graduate programs and three graduate certificates through its departments: the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History and Design, the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance, and the Departments of Communication and Music. From debate to dance, jazz to journalism, and fashion design to center stage, our students create captivating performances, inspire artistic and academic excellence, and conduct innovative research on behalf of our Detroit community.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering approximately 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 24,000 students. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about Wayne State University, visit wayne.edu.

Photo: Andrew Jordan. Notorious Pink Flowers in Memories of a Supernatural AIDS Crisis.