As Is (play)

As Is
Cover from TV video production
Written by	William M. Hoffman
Characters	Saul Rich Nurse Chet Barney Brother Lily Pat
Date premiered	10 March 1985
Place premiered	Circle Repertory Theatre New York City
Original language	English
Genre	Drama
Setting	New York City
IBDB profile
IOBDB profile

As Is is a play by William M. Hoffman.The Circle Repertory Company and The Glines co-production, directed by Marshall W. Mason, opened on March 10, 1985 at the Circle Theatre, where it ran for 49 performances. The Broadway production, produced by John Glines, Lawrence Lane, Lucille Lortel, and the Shubert Organization, opened on May 1 at the Lyceum Theatre, where it ran for 285 performances following six previews. The cast included Jonathan Hadary, Jonathan Hogan, Lou Liberatore, Ken Kliban, and Claris Erickson.

Plot synopsis

As Is focuses on the effect AIDS, then a fairly new pandemic, has on a group of friends living in New York City. It was one of the first plays, and subsequent television films, depicting how the pandemic was affecting LGBT Americans, being released shortly before Larry Kramer's play The Normal Heart was first performed on April 21, 1985.

Adaptation

Main article: As Is (film)

In 1986, Hoffman adapted the play for a television production directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg starring Hadary, Robert Carradine, and Colleen Dewhurst. Both Hadary and Carradine were nominated for CableACE Awards.

Awards and nominations

Awards

• 1985 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play

Nominations

• 1985 Tony Award for Best Play

Revival

In 2010, New York's Apple Core Theater Company produced a revival.

References

• Frank Rich (11 March 1985). "Stage: 'As Is,' About AIDS, Opens". The New York Times. http://www.aegis.com/news/nyt/1985/NYT850306.html. Retrieved 2008-09-08. 

External links

• As Is at the Internet Broadway Database
• As Is at the Internet Movie Database