*In commemoration of World AIDS Day, bestselling author and playwright LaJoyce Brookshire’s Faith Under Fire recently made its Off-Broadway debut to rave reviews at the National Black Theater in Harlem, NY, as part of an educational initiative to re-engage the dialogue about HIV/AIDs and STDs in the black community. Written and directed by Brookshire and Blake Roberts and produced by Kenya Cagle and Brookshire Lafayette, Faith Under Fire is based on Brookshire’s bestselling memoir, Faith Under Fire: Betrayed by a Thing Called Love.
Faith Under Fire On Stage is based on a true story of how she meets and falls in love and marries a handsome, charming and successful man who never revealed his positive HIV status. The story of a relationship—which ironically began with a 1990 World AIDS Day Wedding—that was tainted by lies from the beginning to the end, is riveting and the ultimate story of betrayal.
“It is a single portrait in the specter of AIDS facing not just Black women but all women today,” says Brookshire. “This story reveals how fear, ignorance, and secrets perpetuate the disease and what we must do to change the narrative for the healthy future of us all.” Brookshire demonstrated the true meaning of “Till death do us part.” She was a dutiful wife. “I chose to turn to my faith and cling to my God. I stayed by his side, and coordinated his care and victoriously and miraculously, I’m HIV-negative.” Faith Under Fire is produced by A Renewing Your Mind Production in association with Knowledge Speaks. Teaser clips from Faith Under Fire On Stage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93MilZIp69g.
As an HIV/AIDS advocate and activist, Brookshire lectures across the country at colleges and churches with her initiative, “Scared Straight: What You Don’t Know About HIV Can Kill You.” She plans to continue showcasing Faith Under Fire with various theater partners, through art institutions and at colleges and churches until the numbers for HIV/AIDS and STD cases in communities of color decline. “HIV/AIDS is now more black and brown than ever before,” says Brookshire. “When I discovered my first husband had full-blown AIDS in 1992, it was during a time when you could look at a person and tell they had AIDS. His body was wasting, his skin had sarcoma, and bald patches in his hair. He looked sick. That was the most devastating part of the disease. The medications for HIV/AIDS today keep a person from looking sick. The millennials have probably never seen people sick with AIDS like how they looked in the 90s. I think that if they did, there would not be so much reckless behavior.”
Brookshire is a New York Times best-selling author of Soul Food, which was based on the hit movie and the author of the suspense drama, Web of Deception. As a Naturopathy Doctor and master herbalist, part of Brookshire’s mission on health and wellness is to offer alternatives to the African American community. Dr. Brookshire’s e-book series Ask The Good Doctor publishes various titles including The Detox Edition, Yes, You Are What You Eat: Recipes to Enhance Your Wellness Journey, which features over 100 healthy family favorites and her forthcoming e-book, The Prevention and Restoration Edition. The audio version of Faith Under Fire: Betrayed by a Thing Called Love will be available in January 2017, see preview of trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cK2ENm_Zi8.
A former record industry executive, Brookshire developed media campaigns for Arista Records’ roster of superstar artists including Aretha Franklin, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Toni Braxton, Notorious B.I.G., until his death, just to name a few.
In this edition of Inside Broadway, Brookshire shares her story of faith, her advocacy work on HIV/AIDS in the black community and her upcoming plans for Faith of Fire.
Inside Broadway: Congratulations on your successful run of Faith Under Fire On Stage, which premiered at the National Black Theatre in Harlem? How was the feedback?
LaJoyce Brookshire: The reception of the play was amazing. The audience laughed, cried, and asked questions. They saw themselves, cousins, uncles, sisters and mothers and most of all they got tested.
IB: As a first-time director, and the writer and producer of Faith Under Fire On Stage, how did you approach this project once production started.
LB: “Faith” is not my first time directing, writing and producing a stage play. I have many productions under my belt from college and church. However, it is my first Off-Broadway production. I approached it the same way I do with all of my projects, with excellence.
IB: What was your favorite scene in the play and why?
LB: My favorite scene in the play was when LaJoyce demanded to have her blood tested when everyone else thought and was convinced she would be HIV positive. I love the way the actress, Rory Lipede portrayed me in that scene. She exuded strength and faith that was unshakeable. The reason why I like that scene so much is that I remember that day like it was yesterday. I remember the way the nurse and the doctor looked at me with pity because my husband had full-blown AIDS. I remember them not having a clue as to why I was so sure I was negative. God gave me incredible strength that day to stand against the Goliath of the medical system. When they did not know how, I knew who…and His name is Jesus.
IB: What were the most challenging aspects of producing Faith Under Fire On Stage?
LB: One of the most challenging aspects of producing the play was coordinating a 20 member cast. “Faith” is a huge story to tell with many layers to it, and it was important that each person in the cast read the book. The cast had many personal conversations with me about their role in the story. As a former publicist, another challenge was to not be a publicist for this project. It was so difficult for me to keep my hands off of my press contacts. I had to exercise all of the restraint I could muster. That was very challenging for me.
IB: In addition to the Faith Under Fire book and stage play, what other involvement do you have as an HIV/AIDS advocate and activist?
LB: I speak internationally on HIV/AIDS and STD prevention. I am an advocate for abstinence, and I teach about health restoration and prevention.
IB: What are your plans to do a movie based on your story?
LB: The script is completed. My writing partner Blake Roberts (who also co-wrote the stage play) and I completed the script for “Faith” two years ago. We are shopping it in Hollywood, and when the time is right, it will be completed.
IB: As a survivor of this ordeal, what has been the most painful lesson for you?
LB: The most painful lesson for me is to realize that I have to take responsibility for my role in how I actually got to the place where I was married to a man that I did not know. In 1990, I did not know to ask the questions that you had better ask of your partner today.
IB: What do you want African Americans to know about HIV/AIDS?
LB: Our community should know that HIV/AIDS is not a gay white man’s disease anymore. AIDS does not discriminate. Your mother was right, if you play with fire, you may get burned.
IB: What message(s) do you have for African American women?
LB: I know we women love and trust our men deeply, but before leaping into love thoroughly examine the container and what it contains.
IB: Why do you think there are so many down low black men?
LB: The men on the down low are afraid to stand in their truth. They have a fear of being accepted. These men don’t want to say “I’m bi-sexual.” They don’t want to say “I’m gay.” They don’t want to be ostracized from their communities in which they sit comfortably in a place of position and power at work and in the church. So they ride down low in the trenches where they feel powerless against these urges with men and then crawl home to get in bed with their women.
IB: Who is your mentor and why?
LB: My mentor in the HIV/AIDS community is Debra Fraser-Howze, who was the founder, CEO and President of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS. Debra helped me to understand the intricacies of being married to a man with AIDS. She held my hand from the day before I got the news until the day he died. Every direction in which she pointed me was the right direction.
IB: What is the best advice you received from someone and by whom?
LB: My Dad told me to never doubt a feeling I may have about something. To always trust those feelings because God is trying to tell you something.
IB: What is your favorite scripture and why?
LB: My favorite scripture is Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all of these things shall be added unto you.” I love this scripture because it covers all things if I will do one thing first…Seek God. If I seek God first, He said all things, not just some, but all things will be added to me. I take that very personally, and I take God at His word.
IB: What’s next for you?
LB: We are planning Faith Under Fire On Stage National tour, movie, and lectures and continuing to be wife of Gus and mommy to Brooke.
Gwendolyn Quinn is an award-winning media specialist with a career spanning over 25 years. She is the founder of the African American Public Relations Collective (AAPRC) and the publisher of Global Communicator. Her weekly columns, “Inside Broadway,” “The Living Legends Series,” and “My Person of the Week” are published with EURweb.com. Quinn is also a contributor to Souls Revealed and Handle Your Entertainment Business. She is the curator of The Living Legends Foundation’s “The State of Black Music and Beyond” essay series. Contact her at [email protected].
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