WACO Theater Center Launches Southern Tour of "Still Here Live Experience," A Powerful Immersive Work Centering Black Women Living with HIV & AIDS

LOS ANGELES, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WACO (Where Art Can Occur) Theater Center today announced the southern regional tour of its groundbreaking production, STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE, an immersive hybrid installation and live performance centering how HIV & AIDS impacts the lives of Black women. Supported by grant funding from Gilead Sciences, Inc., the tour will begin in Baton Rouge, Louisiana from June 3–8, 2026, followed by Atlanta, Georgia from June 17–21, 2026.

Rooted in WACO Theater Center's mission to use the arts to empower and inspire communities across the diaspora, STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE transforms a community cultural space into an immersive storytelling salon for reflection, dialogue, and connection. The project illuminates the complexities of Black women's experiences with HIV/AIDS while amplifying voices too often underrepresented in public discourse.

Conceived, developed, and produced by Creative Directors williambryantmiles (Assistant Professor of Black Performance, Purchase College) and Nickolas Vaughan (producer, We're Here), the experience is presented in non-traditional performance spaces and honors the longstanding role of the hair salon as a space of community, connection, and cultural exchange among Black women. Inspired by first-person narratives, the work unfolds in two parts: an interactive installation and a live performance.

The installation invites audiences to engage with immersive exhibits embedded within salon fixtures, including 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 live performance is brought to life by a dynamic ensemble including Marinda Anderson (Yellow Face on Broadway), Neverending Nina, Milan Reneau, Jude Tibeau (Drama Desk Award nominee), and Akilah A. Walker (The Chi). Movement direction is led by Roxi Victorian (Dance Program Chair, Southern University), with costume design by veteran designer Ceci (Living Single, A Different World, The Wonder Years) and technical design by Luna Lux.

Blending video, music, and dance into a 360-degree experience, STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE invites audiences to engage deeply before and during the performance while creating an environment that sparks meaningful conversations around health, intimacy, and community.

Critics have already recognized the emotional depth and cultural impact of the work. As noted by ESSENCE, "Still Here offers a balm: life continues. Joy, love, and meaningful connections remain possible beyond the sorrow, stigma, and isolation that often accompany a diagnosis." The publication further describes the experience as "tender, humorous, and at times, tear-inducing," and praises its deeper resonance, writing, "When art not only entertains but offers something for your survival toolkit—perspective, language, a more expansive and humane way of seeing the world—it can feel like storytelling that's also an act of love. A quiet, continuous I see you. I've got you."

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.

The project's central aim is to challenge both individual and collective assumptions surrounding HIV/AIDS while elevating the voices of those directly impacted. By centering these narratives, STILL HERE LIVE EXPERIENCE creates space for reflection, empathy, and a deeper understanding of shared humanity.

The live tour builds upon WACO Theater Center's broader Still Here initiative. Earlier this year, the organization released Still Here Magazine, a 168-page editorial volume produced with support from Gilead Sciences, Inc., highlighting the stories, resilience, and lived experiences of Black women impacted by HIV; whether directly or through their families and communities. The publication marks the second chapter of the initiative.

Tour dates and locations are as follows:

Baton Rouge, LA
B. Jolie Hair Salon (Capacity: 35)
June 3–8, 2026

• Wednesday, June 3 – 3PM - 8PM (Gallery viewing only)
• Thursday, June 4 — 7:30 PM (Opening Night & B. Jolie Salon Grand Opening)
• Friday, June 5 — 3:00 PM, 7:30 PM
• Saturday, June 6 — 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 8:00 PM
• Sunday, June 7 — 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 8:00 PM
• Monday, June 8 — 3:00 PM, 7:30 PM

Atlanta, GA
Buckhead Art & Company (Capacity: 100)
June 17–21, 2026

• Wednesday, June 17 — 7:30 PM (Opening Night & VIP reception )
• Thursday, June 18 — 12pm -4pm (Gallery viewing); 7:00 PM "Emory COMPASS Day with Dr. Contessa Metcalfe, MD, MSPH & Gallery Day.", (including panel discussion featuring a special celebrity guest moderator and Still Here company members )
• Friday, June 19 – 12pm-8pm (Gallery Viewing) Juneteenth Celebrations
• Saturday, June 20 — 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 8:00 PM (HBCU Night)
• Sunday, June 21 — 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM (including post-show talk back, "Black men supporting Black women", 8:00 PM

For more information, please visit STILL HERE.

CONTACT
Erica Tucker
919.449.6441
[email protected] 

Asset Folder / Photos Courtesy of WACO Theater Center

SOURCE WACO Theater Center