HIV-AIDS Peeled Apart

By Monica Kreber
kreberm@mytjnow.com

The cast of “Like Peeling an Onion” rehearsed the play over the course of about eight weeks. The performance was held in Dina’s Place. Photo by Claire Von Ostenbridge • vonostenbridgec@mytjnow.com

Charles Curtis is left-handed, just like his Uncle Gary. 

There are actually a few things he has in common with his uncle –all his life people have told Curtis how much he reminds them of his uncle. 

Curtis has never met Uncle Gary; he died of AIDS before Curtis was born. 

“All my life I would hear these stories about this man that I never had a chance to meet,” Curtis said.

Uncle Gary grew up in New York, where Curtis is from, and left to live his own life. Since Curtis is compared so much to him, he began thinking about Uncle Gary and wondered more about him.

“I wanted a glimpse into his life,” Curtis said. 

Curtis wrote the play “Like Peeling an Onion” a little over a year ago, and the show is inspired by his uncle’s life. 

The show focuses on the character David, whose family comes to his home after he dies and begins to learn more about him –they find a bottle of pills (antidepressants) in his bedroom and learn that David had tried to commit suicide. The family questions how they could not have seen the signs; David always seemed so happy. They also begin to question themselves.

“The onion begins to peel at the very beginning,” Curtis said. 

The show came to Winthrop on Jan. 31. The Council of Student Leaders (CSL) picked up the show after last August, Curtis said. 

Curtis both wrote and directed the play. 

“I’m really proud of it,” he said. “I’m really proud of my cast…I’m glad Winthrop did this for me; they’ve been great to work with.” 

Curtis said what he loves about the play is how personal and real it is, and how he got to learn more about his uncle’s life. 

“I found love for my uncle,” he said. “I love him and I don’t even know him.” 

Curtis also said he believes audiences can relate to the characters in the show. 

“We all want people to see the best parts of who we are,” he said. “This is how we live our lives. It’s not a bad way to live our lives, but it makes it so important.” 

Curtis said he personally knows CSL president, senior political science major Kambrell Garvin. He said once Garvin became president he talked to Curtis, interested in bringing performances to campus, and asked Curtis for ideas. Curtis told him about “Like Peeling an Onion” and how it talks about issues concerning HIV, AIDS and homosexuality. 

Originally, Curtis said, the show was supposed to be held during Sexual Awareness Week in November, but this will “probably not” be the last time it comes to Winthrop.

“I’m looking forward to working with Winthrop again,” Curtis said. “I had a really great time and I had a really awesome experience with the cast and crew.” 

Garvin said that when he entered his position as president last May, he noticed that there were a lot of issues on campus that centered on sexual behavior.  It was decided that it was important for CSL to do something that adequately addressed the ongoing issues. Thus CSL’s Sexual Responsibility Initiative “came into fruition.” 

“Anytime there is a major issue on campus that affects students, I believe that CSL has a responsibility to address it in some way,” Garvin said. 

The performance was held in Dina’s Place. Garvin said the theatre quickly reached capacity the day of the show. 

“At the end of the production I noticed that many students were transfixed, and some were even in tears because of the powerful message that the play shared,” he said. 

After the play, Garvin said,  many students tweeted about it, and the quote that seemed to have resonated the most was, “Getting to know someone is like peeling an onion; the more layers you pull back the more they make you want to cry.”  

“I’m proud of the fact that CSL has made it a top priority to sponsor events and initiatives that have a lasting effect on the Winthrop experience,” he said. 

Garvin appointed freshmen theater major and CSL member Mashario Morton to serve as the coordinator between Curtis and CSL. 

Morton said when Garvin gave her the script, she read it and “immediately fell in love with it” because she could relate to it. 

“I have been in a similar situation, so of course I wanted to be a part of it,” she said. “‘Like Peeling an Onion’” tackles many problems we faced today and I am glad that Winthrop could experience it with me.”