HIV Awareness Street play: Plot, Screenplay and Script

This is a story I crafted combining all the small role plays made by three different team members while I was training for Training of Peer Educator (TOPE) HIV and AIDS in South Sudan. I myself was a medical officer of peacekeeping force contingent and team leader of one of the groups. However, I am not sure either due to the conflict in idea between me and the chief trainer or prejudice that he held against me made this story ever be performed. However, I am never disappointed with such and  moved forward hoping that this plot can be used my many other social educators to educate people and societies, especially the underprivileged ones about HIV and AIDS. Hope this story is relevant to you and can take the message you want to give the society. If anyone makes any drama out of this plot, I hope they will share the link of the footage with me to make sure that it has affected the life of some people sitting in some corner of the world.

Role Play: Awareness on HIV and AIDS

Son, am I a Lion ?

Characters

Father (Johny), Mother, Kids, Friends, and Girls on the bar, Doctor

Narrator: It’s a story of a peacekeeper, the one who goes to maintain peace in a different part of the world, far from family and far from home. But what happens when the peace of his mind and family is lost when he contracts HIV. A brief story of how he acquires HIV, how he feels, how he responds and lives positively.

Stage 1

(Setting: Airport where the family has gathered to see off the peacekeepers. The father holding an backpack)

Mother: Hope to see you soon papa.  You are going for a long time. Hope you will take care of your self.  

Kids: You are going to Africa, papa. Africa is famous for lions and elephants. Get me some of those for me.

Father: Sure my son, sure. Mommy don’t worry about me. I will take care of myself and you too take care of your self and your kids. It is just a matter of few months. Our bad times will be off when I get back from there.

Mother: (In a Satirical tone) I hope so. I hope you don’t get a mistress from there. Like the last time you got me gonorrhea when you were there in BOR.

Father: Don’t make fun of me. I hope you guys will be fine here, when I am there.

Mother: bye dear

Kids: Bye papa bye  

(The stage closes as the family bids off each other)

(A group of participants cover the stage displaying playcards, clapping the hands, bangings the shoes and  chanting slogan)

OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN POUND OF CURE

Stage 2:

Narrator: Few months later, he is working now in the mission area. All alone, so enjoying the freedom of being away from home. The boozes don’t stop on the weekends and so does the catch of the fish. He visits friends and sex workers indiscrimately for sex.

(Music playing in the background.  Group of men and women are dancing in the club, drinking alcohol and enjoying. A girl passes in a seductive dress and gesture to attract men.)

Friend :   See that chick, she is so hot. May be I should go and catch her. Do you know wvery time I drink beer, I feel so Powerful. So strong that I can kill a bear.

Johny: Hahaha. You can kill a bear, i can tear the bear, I can ditch the bitch and suck the bloody leech as well.

(Hahaha… there is a big laughter) 

(Johny approaches the girl in the middle of the stage)

Johny: May I join you?

Girl: Why not. How do you do?

Johny: I am having a good time. Are you having a good time.

Girl: yaa... I am having a very good time.

Johny: You want to make it even better.

Girl:  Only if you have condom.

Johny: No No I don’t have a condom. And I don’t like it as well. I hate the plastic between the meats. I want to go between your thighs, skin to skin.

Girl: No that’s not good. You have to be careful. You can contract Sexually transmitted diseases and even the incurable HIV. I can get pregnant without the use of condom.

Johny: I can pay the amount you want if you have sex as I want it. And I want it without the condom.

Girl: No condom no sex. I am not interested in your offer. Thank you.

Johny: Fine then I will find someone who will give me what I want.

(Johny winks at another girl, catches her and leaves. She presents him with a condom which he throws towards the audience and moves to the back of the stage.)

 

(A group of participants cover the stage displaying playcards, clapping the hands, bangings the shoes and chanting slogan)

USE CONDOM: Stay Safe

Stage 3:

Narrator: The next day

Friend: how was last  night my friend?

Johny: It was all good. I had a very good time.

Friend: Are not you worried my friend? You are having unsafe sex practices. You don’t use condoms, you have sex with anyone you find. Are not you worried about your family, your wife, and your kids? 

Johny: She looked all okay. She was healthy, she was fine. Why should I be worried?

Friend: No my friend its not that. People living with HIV look all normal. Only in the later stages when their immunity is badly damaged by the virus, they will have disease. Otherwise they look like you… fair… bold and sexy. Sometimes even if you do know you have HIV, you can have it even when your test is negative. It’s called the window period. That’s the scariest of all. May be you should get tested.

Johny : lets see. I am not sure but I will think about it. 

(A group of participants cover the stage displaying playcards, clapping the hands, bangings the shoes and  chanting slogan)

They all look the same…… HIV don’t discriminate…. Practice Safe Sex

Narrator: Johny being convinced with his friends argument gets himself tested. And to the worst of his fortune, he finds out that he is HIV positive.

Stage 4

Monologue:

My son wanted me to bring an elephant; what did I get for him, a disease as big as elephant that I cannot defeat.  He wanted a lion but now he will be scared of me. I will become a lion to him.

How can I forgive myself !!!

May be I should have ABSTAINED while I was away from my home.

May be I should have BEEN FAITHFUL to my Wife.

May be I should have USED CONDOM.

My life ends here. I am a siner.

(A group of participants cover the stage displaying playcards, clapping the hands, bangings the shoes and  chanting slogan)

Abstain , Be faithful, use condom ,Discipline, Early testing
A-B-C-D-E : Prevention is the KEY

Stage 5:

Narrator: Johny visits doctor and his counsellor many times. He got a good support from them. He finally has accepted his condition and has learned to live positively with it. He has now started taking Anti-retroviral therapy. One drug per day and that’s it. He looks fit and fine. He is now conscuious on his behavior and has been abstaining since then. He returns home after the completing his mission. But breaking the bad news is never easy.

Wife: My dear! You are back home after a long time and why are not you loving me? What happened? You don’t find me sexy anymore. Or you find someone more beautiful than me.

Johny: It’s not like that dear. There is something that’s holding me back and  I wanted to talk something serious with you.

Wife:  Why? What happened?

Johny: I want you to get tested.(asks softly)

Wife: Tested ? tested for what ? (Suspicioulsy )

Johny:  HIV

Wife: Why?  What have I done? Don’t you trust me !!! Am I not your wife? Do do you think I go and sleep with men other than you while you were not here.

Johny: Sorry my love, it’s not about you. It’s about me. I found out that I am HIV positive. And want to make sure that you do not have it. 

Wife: WHAT? OH MY HOLY GOD… My life is wasted. What about my kids. You will kill me and my kids. I thought you will bring me bread and a beautiful home to our kids from mission. Rather you brought this illness and destroyed the little world of ours.

Johny:  No dear. No, it’s not that bad as you think. I was also disappointed and destroyed initially.

Wife: You will die soon. AIDS will kill you.

Johny: Wifey, I don’t have AIDS. I am only HIV positive. That means I am only infected. As long as you are with me, a loving wife, a good healthy environment and charming kids. Nothing is going to happen to me. HIV is not a death sentence. It takes years and years before I develop AIDS. AIDS is not a disease per se, but a group of illnesses that develops when the soldiers in the body fighting the disease are destroyed. And it will take years before HIV does that to my soldiers. I am rather killing those invaders with the drugs I am taking.

Wife: What about me then?

Johny: We can go and get you tested. Till then we can abstain. If you are not infected, you will be totally fine. You do not have to worry. Even Kids are safe because sharing common food, utensil and common bathroom doesnot infect them. It is only the exchange of blood, blood product, semen and vaginal fluids that can cause the infection. If we use protective measures it is all safe.

(A group of participants cover the stage displaying playcards, clapping the hands, bangings the shoes and  chanting slogan)

HIV is not a KNIFE……You STILL have a LIFE……… So Live positively

Stage 6:

Narrator: The both of them go to hospital and get the test done. The good news was

Doctor: You are so lucky my lady. Lucky that you have not acquired the infection. The best thing is you still can practice safe sex and take PRE EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS that will prevent you form acquiring the disease.

Johny: I was never told about this sir, tell me something about that.

Doctor: there are some medications your partrner who is sero different can take and prevent herself from being infected with disease.

Wife:  Will my family be safe sharing the same kitchen, utensils, bathroom and all.

Doctor: Absolutely. It is all safe.

Wife: how long will he live?

Doctor:  NO, NO NO.  Don’t stigmatize HIV. Its not the HIV that Kills you. It is the AIDS that kills. Having HIV is just having the virus inside your body. If you keep a positive attitude towards life, took medications properly and take care of your overall health and hygiene. Have a good nutrition. I don’t think you will have any trouble living a normal life.

Wife: What if they discriminate me and my family because he has HIV?

Doctor comes out of the stage and ask the key figure/ chief guest of the show and asks the same question.

(A group of participants cover the stage displaying playcards, clapping the hands, bangings the shoes and  chanting slogan)

HIV is no more a threat ……It can be treated……Long life is for sure……But it has no cure …….

Improvisations and modifications to meet the demand of the audience is highly recommended.

Thank you J