The Culture of AIDS

INTERVIEW

Life Force
Actor Daniel Reichard Talks with A&U’s Bill Jacobson About Playing Keith Haring in a New Musical

Like the meteoric rise and fall of its subject—pop artist Keith Haring, who died from AIDS in 1990—Radiant Baby, a new musical, exploded and disappeared in a brilliant flash of theatrical fireworks at New York City’s Public Theater. Named after Haring’s iconic image of a saintly baby radiating life force, the musical is a testament to how his life and art have touched us all.
Not since Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, based on the art and life of post-Impressionist George Seurat, has the art of painting been so brilliantly fused with the art of musical theater. George C. Wolfe’s (director and producer of Angels in America) visually stunning and heart-wrenching production will be remembered by those lucky enough to have seen it as one of the theatrical highlights of their lives. The knockout score and the extraordinary cast headed by the electrifying Daniel Reichard as Haring will not be easily forgotten.
Those who lived through the pre- and post-AIDS crisis in gay New York City during the late 1970s and ’80s were transported back in a theatrical time capsule. The clubs, baths, life in the fast lane, and walks on the wild side disappeared overnight as the grim reaper AIDS began its deadly harvest. (Tearful memories!)
That story, so powerfully and authentically portrayed in the musical, was not only about Haring, but also about all of us. “Haring plowed on through life, and when he found out he was sick he became more determined to get his work done,” says Reichard. “He was scared, but also in denial. Boyfriends, friends, and people he slept with were dying. He didn’t have himself tested until 1988. And he tested positive. He made his last few years of his life incredible, really astounding! For instance, working and founding The Keith Haring Foundation.”
Recently, A&U sat down with Daniel Reichard to talk about the musical and its important message.

Bill Jacobson: What a powerful performance! You were Keith Haring in Radiant Baby. Did you know much about Keith when you took the part?
Daniel Reichard: Just some of the images he created. I didn’t know anything about him, what he looked like, how he acted—nothing! I did an incredible amount of research. The Keith Haring Foundation lent us a tremendous amount of materials, including videos.

The cast, score, direction, and production were superlative. It was a shame to be so dismissed by holier-than-thou establishment critics. The gay critics raved about it.
We all put our heart and soul into Radiant Baby. I have very strong feelings about the show. What we were saying, and we were saying a lot, is why the critics could take jabs at it. When you’re ambitious and saying a lot, you are more susceptible to criticism.

The show was so truthful and faithful to what is happening and did happen because of AIDS that I believe the critics just didn’t get it or were afraid to get it.
It seemed a lot of people did not care for the show and [yet] a lot of people were so powerfully affected by it. You have to think: When the reactions are that extreme, there’s something happening in the show that’s pushing buttons.

Something happening that’s powerful!
And important—even if there are a lot of people who cannot hear the message and emotionally want to push the message away. Not to be self-righteous about my work as an actor or the writers, but we were trying to say things. I think the key message or question behind the show is: Are you living up to your potential as a human being, as an artist, or as both (because they do relate to each other)?
That was the story of Keith Haring. He had a lot happening in his life—he had to deal with his sexuality, criticism from the press; his friendships and relationships interfered with his art at times, but he worked through them. Naturally AIDS was a big issue in his life, but it was something he dominated as an artist. He lived up to his potential as an artist.
He was paralyzed for a short time.
Yes. Our show [represents his life by showing] a time when career, love, mortality, and art—big, old blazing issues in his life—came together on one specific day….He stared AIDS in the face and moved through it. He did an incredible amount of work in the last two years. The show is a reminder of the beginning of the AIDS crisis to both old and young. I’m only twenty-four and I only heard of AIDS in the news [when I was young]. I knew it was a bad thing, and scary. I was spared that painful period. These were real people struggling with painful problems. The reality of it became painfully clear during my work on the show. It was like I was being transported to another time when I was able to see the issue of AIDS as a reality with real people….What is the harm of that being seen? The critics didn’t know how much the show meant to some people.

The production was such a fitting memorial to all who have passed because of AIDS.
I’m glad I was part of a theater piece that paid tribute to people who were lost to AIDS, especially a generation of artists who are gone, whose courage and visions and gifts were affected by the disease. That’s why some art forms did not progress. It was meant for not only the people who were lost but the people left behind. The show is about, in big letters, “IT,” and what happened. I’m so happy some people are still trying to say important things in the theater. There’s not enough of that happening.

Bill Jacobson is Theater Arts Editor of A&U.