Post-Standard (Syracuse) (05.04.12) - Monday, May 07, 2012
The HIV/AIDS awareness play "It's Your Life" is performed at
churches, schools, and other venues in Syracuse. It was
written by substitute teacher Gloria Clarke as a way to
address the growing epidemic in the African-American
community.
"It seems every few months I was preparing to take something
to a family or helping a family because they were burying a
loved one from AIDS," said Clarke, who came up with the idea
to write the play in the mid-1990s. "I'm on a mission to
educate our youth about HIV and AIDS. Our young people relate
to entertainment - be it drama or music. They will pay
attention."
The play's volunteer actors range in age from 10 to 75. Props
for the sets are borrowed from local businesses. "We want it
to look real," Clarke said of the play's scenes. "It's
happening right out here in the streets. We're talking about
saving lives. A lot of people don't want to talk about it, but
we take it personally."
The Rev. George M. Jones, pastor of Apostolic Church of Jesus
Christ, where the play was presented on May 4, called the
characters memorable. One, "Big Momma" - played by 75-year-old
retired nurse Alice Bell - addresses the audience after the
death of the play's main character. "I want to say to each and
every young person in the audience, this could be you," she
says.