Gay Life/Baltimore Gay Paper

Preview
by D. C. Culbertson

Poor Jeffrey. He’s just decided, out of fear of contracting AIDS, to give up sex entirely. But, in the gay New York social circles he moves in, he can’t get away from it, whether he’s catering a "Hoe-down for AIDS" or even at a funeral. As if that wasn’t bad enough, his friends are trying to hook him up with Steve, who seems to be the perfect mate for him except for one little problem—he’s HIV-positive. Will Jeffrey learn to overcome his fears and fall in love again? The answer can be found in Paul Rudnick’s romantic comedy Jeffrey, which opened at AXIS Theatre on Jan. 10.

Jeffrey was considered one of the first successful comedies in response to the AIDS epidemic. It opened Off-Broadway in 1993 and, in addition to attracting audiences, it also attracted some prestigious critical awards including an Obie, an Outer Critics Circle Award, and the John Gassner Award for Outstanding New American Play. Two years after its debut, it was made into a movie starring Patrick Stewart, Steven Weber and Sigourney Weaver. AXIS, which was voted "Baltimore’s Best Theatre" by Baltimore Magazine in 2000, is featuring contemporary American comedies during 2001-2002 in honor of its 10th anniversary, and has selected Jeffrey as their third production of the season.

In addition to Jeffrey, Paul Rudnick is also the author of the plays I Hate Hamlet, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, and The Naked Eye. He also wrote the screenplays for In & Out, both Addams Family films, and Sister Act, as well as doing uncredited work on the screenplay for The First Wives Club. Along with his work for stage and screen, he also writes a regular humor column for Premier magazine in the persona of Jewish housewife/critic Libby Gelman-Waxner.

AXIS Theatre’s production of Jeffrey features Jonas Grey in the title role and Oscar Ceville as Steve. Other members of the cast include Robert Marshall, Tony Viglione, Gregory Bell, Richard Goldberg, Edward Zarkowski and Mary Ann Walsh.

Performances of Jeffrey, which runs until Feb. 10 at AXIS, located at 3600 Clipper Mill Rd., take place Thu.-Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 2 p.m. (there is no performance on Jan. 13). Tickets are $12 for Thu. and Sun., and $15 for Fri. and Sat. For more information or to order tickets, call 410-243-5237.

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