"When Birds Don’t Fly," a devised theater piece by Fordham Theatre’s 2023 cohort, explores the 1980s AIDS crisis through the lens of a 1950s beauty pageant, blending campy humor with raw tragedy to depict a queer community’s resilience. The production, performed at Pope Auditorium, uses surreal elements like a drag queen host and a tap-dancing bird to highlight themes of loss, identity, and survival. Yasemin Cem shines as Sally, a character grappling with guilt and grief, delivering a powerful performance that anchors the play’s emotional core, her nuanced portrayal amplifying the poignant narrative of love and loss amidst societal neglect.