Omaha World Herald
September 29, 1995

'Quilt' Filled With Music, Comedy
JIM DELMONT, WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

In conjunction with the presentation of the AIDS Memorial Quilt at the City Auditorium Oct. 7 and 8, SNAP Productions is offering a musical revue, "Quilt," by Michael Stockler (music) and Jim Morgan (lyrics). The book is by Morgan, Merle Hubbard and John Schak. Keith Allerton directs.

This show, with about 30 skits and musical numbers, celebrates the lives of a number of AIDS victims who are represented by panels in a quilt that fills the back of the stage (designed after the originals by Larry Wilson and sewn by Nancy Ross and members of the cast).

"Quilt," the show, is musically light, witty, sentimental and rarely preachy - somewhat in the mode of such shows as "The Fantasticks." Musical numbers alternate with dramatic skits as relatives, friends, lovers and victims describe the people memorialized in the quilt panel.

Humor runs through the show, which has evolved over the years from a late '80s program with a gay male orientation to a version that emphasizes all victims of AIDS - men, women and children who contracted the virus from organ transplants, blood transfusions or other sources of infection.

The essentially brave face of the play is represented by two narrators - a klutzy woman named Karen (Kay Johnson), who wishes to memorialize her friend Dr. Tedd, and Wes (Dan Wach), a young, HIV-positive man mourning a dead lover.

The memorialized characters were people whose panels were in the original quilt project (the Names Project).

Ms. Johnson, a good actress who lacks a strong singing voice, is very charming as Karen. She reappears throughout the show, providing comic relief as she works on the quilt and explains her motivation.

The spoken parts of the show covers a great range: drama, tragedy, light comedy, a bit of propaganda here and there, although never heavy-handed (politicians are scolded but not condemned for failure to grasp the scope of the AIDS crisis early in its course). Perhaps the book attempts too much.

But this is mostly a musical show, and the music is delightful. Ensemble numbers at the beginning and end are genuinely touching and other songs range from joyful to sentimental to witty.

Dan Adams' "Robert Knows" is a real winner, as is Tiffany White's "Could Ya Do Me a Favor." M. Michele Phillips has a moving song, "In the Absence of Angels," and Tom Sena, Kyle Dibbern, Michael Ellison and Jorden Brooks do a rousing rap number.

Among the acting vignettes, Jim Hoggatt's "Tinkerbell" is a gem, as is Howard T. Swain's comical "Living With the Little Things," an exasperated but loving description of life with his former roommate's pets.

This is a show with a lot of charm and personality. It touches on themes of loss, denial, prejudice and bravery under adversity - but always with a light touch and a bemused understanding. About 100 people attended the Thursday evening preview.

Quilt What: Musical revue and benefit for Nebraska AIDS Project When: 8 p.m. today through Oct. 1, and Oct 5-7 Where: Central High School auditorium, 20th and Dodge Streets Tickets: $ 20 Information: 342-9053