An interactive installation and immersive performance rooted in the stories of Black women and HIV—brought to life inside a working hair salon.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, WACO (Where Art Can Occur) Theater Center announced STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE, running from Thursday, September 25, through Sunday, September 28, 2025, in Los Angeles. Supported by grant funding from Gilead Sciences, Inc., STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE is a hybrid installation and performance staged inside a working hair salon, designed to shed light on the complexity of Black women’s experiences with HIV/AIDS.
STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE is an extension of WACO’s mission of using the arts to empower and inspire communities across the diaspora, sparking thoughtful dialogue around critical issues that shape everyday lives and outcomes.
“Storytelling is an important piece of our legacy at WACO. We understand its power to connect and inspire people to make social impact, and this live experience was designed to do exactly that,” says Shay Wafer, Executive Director of WACO Theater Center. “STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE is a unique approach to shedding light on the real stories of Black women impacted by HIV. With the support of Gilead Sciences, we’re proud to provide innovative and creative spaces that we hope move communities to find connection with these stories, reflect on the individual and collective assumptions they hold, and encourage meaningful dialogue about Black women’s health.”
Conceived, developed, and produced by Creative Directors williambryantmiles (Assistant Professor of Black Performance, Purchase College) and Nickolas Vaughan (producer, We’re Here), STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE reimagines the hair salon as both gallery and theater, honoring the tradition of salons as spaces for dialogue and community among Black women. Inspired by first-person stories, the project unfolds in two parts: the Installation and the Performance. The Installation invites audiences to engage with exhibits set within hair dryers and shampoo bowls, featuring newly commissioned works by Emmy Award–winning producer Ashlei Dabney-Griffin, visual artist YoYo Lander, and Tony Award–winning wig designer Nikiya Mathis.
The Performance Experience is brought to life by a dynamic company of five performers: Marinda Anderson (Yellow Face on Broadway), Neverending Nina, Milan Reneau, Jude Tibeau (Drama Desk Award Nominee), and Akilah A. Walker (Bel-Air). Roxi Victorian (Dance Program Chair, Southern University) serves as Movement Director, with costumes by veteran designer Ceci (Living Single, A Different World, The Wonder Years) and technical design by Luna Lux.
While HIV diagnoses have seen improvement across demographics, Black women continue to be disproportionately affected. According to the CDC, in 2023 in the U.S., Black females accounted for 50% of HIV diagnoses despite only accounting for 13% of the female population. Black women were diagnosed with HIV at 11 times the rate of white non-Hispanic women.
“Still Here hits close to home for me,” says Tina Knowles, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of WACO Theater Center. “My nephew Johnny—my favorite person in the world—passed away from this disease. I think about how had he been diagnosed just a few years later, he might still be with us today. That knowledge fuels my commitment to this work. Through this Live Experience, I hope we illuminate truths that are too often left in the shadows, especially when it comes to HIV.”
The goal of STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE is to challenge both our individual and collective assumptions about one another, while elevating the voices of those directly impacted by HIV. By centering their narratives, the work invites all of us to reflect, connect, and move forward with deeper understanding.
THE STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE runs September 25–28, 2025 at DreamGirls Salon, 5441 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230.
- Installation Experience (Free)
- Thursday: 10 AM – 4 PM
- Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10 AM – 12 PM
- Performance Experience (Ticketed)
- Runs approx. 1 hour
- Thursday: 5 PM & 8 PM
- Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1 PM, 4 PM & 8 PM
- Tickets: $15, available at wacotheatercenter.com/stillhere
About WACO Theater Center
WACO (Where Art Can Occur) Theater Center is a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles dedicated to empowering artists and audiences alike by providing a platform for stories rooted in the African diaspora. WACO’s artistic and education programming is rooted in Black art and culture, incubating new creative ideas, encouraging collaboration, and fostering an environment for community dialogue around diasporic stories. Through performing and visual arts, mentorship, and education, WACO provides a home for artists and youth to share their voices and showcase their creativity to connect and inspire others. WACO, in partnership with the City of Los Angeles, will begin co-operating and co-managing the Vision Theatre Performing Arts Center located in the historic Leimert Park Village in 2026.
Media Contact:
Erica Tucker
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Phone: (323) 790-4838
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SOURCE WACO Theater Center
