Cocktail

2007
Theater

About the Production

Cocktail is a collaboration between Ping Chong and biochemist and playwright Vince LiCata. The project examines both the scientific and cultural impact of the work of pharmaceutical chemist Dr. Krisana Kraisintu, whose pioneering work in developing generic HIV drugs contributed to a dramatic decrease in mother-child HIV transmission and made generic antiviral cocktails widely available in Thailand, against the initial wishes of the Thai government. As a result, Cocktail is a compelling journey into the world of scientific discovery and the ethical and legal dilemmas associated with providing universal access to life-saving medicine. It is a real life David and Goliath story in which the hero is Asian and a woman.

Production Team And Cast

Conceived and Directed by

Ping Chong

Written by

Vince LiCata and Ping Chong

Lighting Design

Darren McCroom

Costume Design

Polly Boersig

Set and Production Design

James L. Murphy

Sound Design

EunJin Cho

Stage Manager

Karli Henderson

Cast

Mia Katigbak, Caleb Sekeres, Glenn Aucoin II, Leigh-Erin Balmer, Kesha Bullard, Kenneth De Abrew, Derrick Denicola, Andrew Fafoutakis, Elizabeth Godley, Amber A. Harrie, Mark Jaynes, Reuben Mitchell, Derek Mudd, Yohance Myles, Ron Heeder, Anna Richardson, Nikki Travis, Scott Woltz and Jessica Wu

Performance History

Premiere

Swine Palace Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA (April 2007)

Print

Chong, Ping and Vince LiCata. Cocktail: A play about the life and HIV drug development work of Dr. Krisana Kraisintu. Chiang Mai, Thailand: Silkworm Books, 2009 (published in English and Thai)

Partners

Ensemble Studio Theatre

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science & Technology Project

Swine Palace

The Shubert Foundation

Louisiana State University (LSU)

Louisiana Division of the Arts

Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge

National Endowment for the Arts

Commercial Properties Development Corporation (CPDC)

Corporate Advised Fund of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation

LSU Student Performing Arts Fee

Silkworm Books