In the world of sports, the last thing players think about is contracting HIV or AIDS from other teammates or opponents. So when a teammate does have HIV/AIDS, should teams notify their members and visiting teams? Should a player’s privacy be protected at all costs? Audience members faced these tough questions during the show “On the Bench,” directed by Nate Flagg ’07. Sara McLean ‘06, Co-Head of Phillips Academy Partnership for AIDS Awareness (PAPAA), coordinated the workshops for AIDS awareness month. She noticed that there were plenty of movies and speakers for workshops, but no plays. “There weren’t really any plays available, so I just wrote one myself,” said McLean. After pulling an all-nighter, McLean created “On the Bench.” According to Flagg, it was “not too cheesy or sappy, and did not just state a bunch of facts. The play was real and shed a new light on teenagers having HIV/AIDS.” In the play, Trevor Davis, played by Mary Krome ’09, was the star-player on his basketball team. At age 16, Trevor had a chance to start for his team during their championship game. The day before the championships, Trevor’s coach called with some bad news. The coach told Trevor that he tested positive for HIV. However, some audience members were skeptical about this detail. “I just don’t think a coach would ever tell a kid over the phone that he was HIV positive. It’s far too serious of a matter to receive such devastating news over the phone,” said Jeff Zhou ’06. Nevertheless, Krome’s acting and poignant reaction to the news was convincing. She portrayed emotions of anger, disappointment, and confusion. Theatre Producer Danny Silk ’07 said, “Mary’s done several theater classrooms since the beginning of the year, but I think this was her best performance yet!” Later on, Trevor told his good friend, played by Mike Discenza ’09, that he tested positive for HIV. Trevor’s friend’s first reaction was “Man, are you gay?” Audience member Shani Small ’06 said, “ HIV and AIDS are such ‘loaded’ diseases. They are automatically associated with certain groups of people and certain types of activities.” However, in the play, the audience never discovered the cause of the disease. Trevor may have contracted it from “a random chick” or from steroid usage. Both are typical activities amongst the teenage population and increase one’s likelihood of contracting HIV. The play struck several other emotional chords as it became apparent that Trevor was dealing with numerous insecurities. Trevor’s mother died several years before. His father, played by Eddie Diaz ’07, alleviated the pain by focusing solely on basketball. When the father discovered Trevor’s condition, he was more distressed about his son not being able to play in the championship game than about his son’s health. The father and son realize that all they have is each other. Their only way to get through the tough time is to talk to one another and understand what the other person is going through. “The role in this play was far more serious than the other theater classrooms that I’ve done. This one really sends a good message and provides a purpose,” says Diaz. After the play, McLean and Flagg asked the audience members to participate in a short Q and A session. They asked questions such as, “If one of your team members was HIV positive or had AIDS would the team have the right to be notified?” This question sparked debate amongst audience members. Ultimately, most people agreed, that team members should be notified regardless of privacy issues. Furthermore, students also learned PA’s policy for members of the community afflicted by HIV/AIDS. Isham acknowledges that there are students and teachers on this campus who have HIV/AIDS. However, they are not obligated to share this information. The play and the discussion ended on a hopeful note, and the attendees realized the importance of recognizing HIV/AIDS as a threatening disease. Workshops such as this play help students understand that anyone— athletes, school presidents, and even close roommates are susceptible to the lethal disease.
