Lorna C. Hill, Ujima Company founder & artistic director, dies at 69

Playwright (THE NORMAL HEART), novelist, in-your-face AIDS activist Larry Kramer, described as "one of America's most valuable troublemakers" passed away last week. During the 1980s he criticized Ronald Reagan, Dr. Anthony Fauci (they later became friends), as well as gay culture and behavior. He was a major influence on Tony Kushner to write ANGELS IN AMERICA. In other AIDS related news

Ujima Company opened the musical PASSING STRANGE in PUSH Buffalo's renovated "Elementary School 77" at 429 Plymouth Avenue on Buffalo's West Side while Road Less Traveled Productions continued with THE UNDENIABLE SOUND OF RIGHT NOW at their new theater on Main Street. This is all good.

Lorna C. Hill, Founder and Artistic Director of Ujima Company, now celebrating their 38th year, continues to build a community to address issues that affect "front line communities" such as Buffalo's East and West sides. "The challenge for the poor is huge. The responses have been minimal." She spoke about the play FREE FRED BROWN! presented this weekend by Ujima in the Paul Robeson Theatre in the African-American Cultural Center on Masten Avenue as a good way to start conversations about moving forward.