Humor and audience participation will mark the performance of the STOPAIDS Mobile Theater at February's HIV Forum. The Connecticut-based theater company will perform on Tuesday, February 14 at noon at The Institute for Community Research, 2 Hartford Square West, Suite 100 (46 Wyllys Street). The event is free; lunch will be provided and advance registration is required.

Funded by the Connecticut Department of Public Health and Concerned Citizens for Humanity, the STOPAIDS Mobile Theater travels to schools, correctional facilities, religious congregations and community organizations. Using humorous and interactive skits, company actors Magda Skomal and Dan Kelly educate audiences of all ages about HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and other sexually transmitted infections. As Skomal states, "Our motto is 'interactive is a seriously fun way to learn'."

Skomal and Kelly will perform 6 to 10 short interactive skits at the HIV Forum. The skits will present basic information about HIV transmission, such as behaviors that place people at risk for infection, and address the impact of HIV/AIDS on local communities and around the world.

Skomal hopes that audiences will have "a greater understanding of the virus and how it is affecting our communities, and more compassion for those infected and affected," after seeing and participating in their performances. "This is not such a toxic topic," says Skomal. "It's in our environment and we need to think about it." She and Kelly believe that everyone can make a difference and invite audiences to "help us to create healthier and safer communities."

This is the first presentation in the Spring 2006 series of forums organized by The Institute for Community Research and the Connecticut AIDS Education and Training Center with support from Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline and Boehringer Ingelheim. The Hartford HIV Forum meets from 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm, on the second Tuesday of each month from September through June. The February HIV Forum will be the first in its new location at The Institute for Community Research. The goal of the forums is to give the local community the most up-to-date information on current topics in AIDS prevention, treatment, research and care. To register for the forum, call The Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044. For more information about the series, contact Kim Radda at 860-278-2044 x285.

The Institute for Community Research is an independent, nonprofit organization that conducts applied research and community enhancement programs to promote equal access to health, education, and cultural resources. The Connecticut AIDS Education and Training Center trains providers with the goal of improving HIV clinical care through a grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (Federal Grant No. 1H4A HA 00050-AO).