Kramer/Fauci
OHenry Productions
St. Ann’s Warehouse
September 29, 2026
The St. Ann’s Warehouse
presentation of Kramer/Fauci, produced by OHenry Productions,
is captivating and
compelling. The text is drawn from the
transcript of a C-SPAN call-in program that aired on November 30, 1993, the eve
of World AIDS Day. Dr. Anthony Fauci and
ACT-UP co-founder Larry Kramer were guests of journalist Steven Scully. They discussed President Clinton’s forming of
a task force to look at the obstacles facing AIDS research. Dr. Fauci (played by Will Brill) objectively reported
on the status of research and funding, while Larry Kramer (played by Thomas Jay
Ryan) passionately advocated for emergency action. 
Photo courtesy of St. Ann's Warehouse & OHenry Productions
 |
| Thomas Jay Ryan & Will Brill Photo courtesy of St. Ann's Warehouse & OHenry Productions |
and Larry Kramer. These two men are diametrically different, yet highly knowledgeable in their individual fields. They direct their information to the viewers of the 1993 broadcast, as well as push each other on the validity of their perspective. The debate was factual and persuasive. At no time did either of these men lose respect for one another, even when they sternly disagreed. Nothing was decided in this sixty-minute broadcast, but the facts and viewpoints were clearly communicated for the audience to comprehend and draw their own conclusion.
Thomas Jay Ryan, Jennifer Seastone, Will Brill, & Greig Sargeant
Photo courtesy of St. Ann's Warehouse & OHenry Productions
In retrospect (to 1993),
it is clear how this fact-based discourse not only educated the public but
pushed the progress, however slowly. The
urgency that Larry Kramer repeatedly called for in AIDS research (constantly
referring to it as a plague, not an epidemic) was never fully realized. It is astonishing to see the mutual respect
these men held for one another, no matter how opposed they sometimes were. This is truly lacking in our present social
landscape. Their reliance on fact-based
data and scientific research was strongly maintained throughout the debate. As political as the progression of AIDS
research was during that time, there was rarely a
suppression of facts, even
though it was severely clouded by bigotry and fear.
There are also impressive performances by Greig Sargeant, who plays the moderator for the broadcast, and Jennifer Seastone, who portrays numerous call-in viewers.
Kramer/Fauci is a unique theatrical experience, conceived and directed by Daniel Fish. The production is intellectually stimulating and viscerally engaging. It is playing at St. Ann’s Warehouse through October 24. Get a ticket!
Domenick Danza
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