This lads kick off pride month by revisiting an oft-forgotten but foundational play in the queer canon: William M. Hoffman’s As Is. Topics include the history of the AIDS play, Hoffman’s exquisite weaponization of comedy in the face of overwhelming tragedy, and the legacy of a 90 minute play that inspired an entire genre of theater.

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Media Referenced in this Episode:

As Is by William M. Hoffman. 1985.

AIDS-Involved Drama Syndrome by William M. Hoffman. Poz Magazine. February 1st, 1997.

Acts of Intervention by David Roman

The AIDS Show

Warren by Rebecca Ranson

“Playwright Rebecca Ranson’s Journals Reveal Turmoil in Atlanta’s Queer Community During the AIDS Crisis” by Oli Turner. The South and the Archive. October 31st, 2023.

As Is script

As Is movie

Interview with William Hoffman

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Interstitial: “Writer’s Block” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. A.J. Ditty as “A.J. Ditty”

Additional Voices for As Is Excerpts: Anne Huston, Eleanor Philips, Dara Swisher and Brent Shultz