YOU SAY YOU WANT A REVOLUTION
In 1994, the groundbreaking decision was made to cast openly gay, HIV-positive Cuban-American Pedro Zamora as part of MTV’s The Real World: San Francisco. Zamora’s time in the Real World house on Lombard Street brought a face to the AIDS crisis. The darkly handsome, funny, surprising, and in-your-face activist died at the age of 22 just after the final episode aired.
That same year, Peggy Ermet lost her son to AIDS and joined lifelong friend Barbara Richmond, whose son John died in 1990, to launch a special kind of musical AIDS benefit to honor their sons — it would become Help Is on the Way: San Francisco Cares. Later in 1999, REAF began the “One Night Only” cabaret performances utilizing touring casts of Broadway shows appearing in San Francisco. These amazing nights give the entertainers a break from the scores they perform every night by offering music of their own choosing.
On Monday September 16 at 7:30, cast members from the SF-based touring company of Hamilton will appear at Marines’ Memorial Theatre to offer songs about standing up for what is right, which is precisely what Pedro Zamora did. PROTEST! Revel with Some Rebels — An Evening of Music and Dance will be emceed by Judd Winick & Pam Ling, who were Pedro Zamora’s roommates and best friends on Real World: San Francisco back in 1994, which is also when Judd and Pam fell for each other. Today, Dr. Ling is a professor of medicine working in AIDS research at UCSF, while Winick is writing popular comic books and graphic novels. Married for 18 years, they have two children and honor their former roommate by helping to oversee the Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship, and continue speaking about HIV/AIDS.
So, by attending, not only will you support Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and other HIV services, hunger programs and support for homeless and disenfranchised youth, you’ll honor the history of those who have fought for a better world, and you’ll enjoy one of the most splendid concerts you’ll ever see.
photo of Judd Winick & Pam Ling courtesy of REAF
photo from Hamilton by Joan Marcus
One Night Only Cabaret with the Cast of Hamilton
Marines’ Memorial Theatre, 609 Sutter Street (at Mason)
Monday, September 16, 2019 at 7:30 pm
for tickets ($35 – $100), call 415-421-4222 or visit EventBrite or REAF
VIP tickets available for a cocktail after-party with the cast
