View source for Just Say No (play)

{{short description|1988 play written by Larry Kramer}}
{{italic title}}
{{About|the Larry Kramer play|the anti-drug ad campaign|Just Say No}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
'''''Just Say No''''' is a 1988 play by American writer [[Larry Kramer]]. It attacks the [[Ronald Reagan administration]] and the Mayor of New York, [[Ed Koch]], over what Kramer saw as their hypocrisy and inertia in responding to the [[AIDS epidemic]]. It was less successful than Kramer's previous play, ''[[The Normal Heart]]'', possibly due to its sharply political tone.

==Productions==
In nineteen years there have only been three major productions of ''Just Say No'' - in New York at the WPA in 1988, in Chicago at the Bailiwick Theatre in 1999 and in Los Angeles at Theatre of Note in 2007.

The play ran [[Off-Broadway]] at the WPA Theatre from October 4, 1988 to November 6, 1988. Directed by David Esbjornson, the cast included
[[Kathleen Chalfant]], David Margulies, [[Tonya Pinkins]], Joseph Ragno, Keith Reddin, Richard Riehle, Richard Topol and [[Julie White]].<ref>[http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=1801 ''Just Say No''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051102210943/http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=1801 |date=2005-11-02 }} lortel.org, accessed May 30, 2015</ref><ref>Gussow, Mel. [https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/21/theater/reviews-theater-skewers-for-the-political-in-kramer-s-just-say-no.html "Reviews/Theater; Skewers for the Political in Kramer's 'Just Say No' "] ''The New York Times'', October 21, 1988</ref>

The play was part of the Bailiwick Theatre, Chicago annual festival "PRIDE". It was presented from May 21, 1999 to July 4, starring [[Greg Louganis]] and [[Alexandra Billings]].<ref>McGrath, Sean. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/larry-kramer-revises-just-say-no-for-chis-bailiwick-stars-louganis-may-21-j-82065 Larry Kramer Revises 'Just Say No' for Chi's Bailiwick, Stars Louganis, May 21-July 4] playbill.com, May 21, 1999</ref>

The play was produced by Theatre of Note, Hollywood, California in February 2007, directed by Trevor Bishop.<ref>Gans, Andrew. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/casting-announced-for-larry-kramers-just-say-no-in-l.a-137308 "Casting Announced for Larry Kramer's 'Just Say No' in L.A."] playbill.com, December 28, 2006</ref><ref>Nichols, David C. [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-feb-23-et-stage23-story.html "Theater Beat"] ''Los Angeles Times'', February 23, 2007</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.samuelfrench.com/p/511/just-say-no ''Just Say No'' at Samuel French]

{{Larry Kramer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Just Say No (Play)}}
[[Category:Plays by Larry Kramer]]
[[Category:1988 plays]]
[[Category:HIV/AIDS in theatre]]


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