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Angels In America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes
Part One: Millennium Approaches
By Tony Kushner
Directed by Sean Graney
Produced by the-hypocrites in association with
Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
1229 W. Belmont
Chicago, IL
Call 773-883-1090, tickets $25
Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 PM
Saturdays at 3 & 7:30 PM
Sundays at 3 PM
Running time is 3 hrs, 15 min with 2 intermissions
Through May 7 in repertory with Part II beginning April 8, 2006
Graney’s Angels In America is powerful, profound and stunning---a true work of theatrical magic.
I consider Angels In America (both parts) as the ‘greatest’ play(s) of the last half of the 20th Century. Tony Kushner’s masterwork won the Tony Award in 1993 & 94, the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 and almost every theatrical award offered. This brilliant, complex, benumbing political drama is a true epic as it scales time, space while including three storylines with several dozen characters. The play deals with AIDS, homosexuality in the mid 1980’s when personal identity became muddled as being Jewish, a Mormon or a Wasp or being gay or black can either divide us or be the basis of a strong sense of community.
This highly charged drama rivets us with its scathing attack not only on right-wing conservative Republicans but also admonishes the left-wing liberals for being much too docile. Kushner hates to see us treading water politically when we keep the equilibrium and preserve the past. Radical change is needed and it begins with action toward change in personal identity and change in our view of what makes our society and our wider community. Angels In America may seem a bleak play but on second thought it is about hope and Kushner offers a dose of political optimism.
Director Sean Graney, while stead-fast to Tony Kushner’s vision, has mounted an easy to follow, quickly paced production of a complex, dense work that has baffled many a director. Graney got it right here as he uses effectively two video screens and square banks of light that change colors for each scene (lighting design by Jared Moore) together with mood setting sound (designed by Michael Griggs & Mikhail Fiksel) that set the tones magnificently. The ending sounds effects were chilling and breathtaking. Kudos to the production staff for fine work.
You’d be hard pressed to find a finer cast than Graney has assembled for this non-Equity production. The story revolves around two couples; the WASP Prior Walter (Scott Bradley) and the Jewish Louis Ironson (Steve Wilson) are gay lovers together for more than four years. Prior is a former drag queen and Louis is the political-charges office clerk. When Prior announces he has AIDS, Louis out of fear and helplessness abandons Prior.
The young Mormon couple, Joe Pitt (JB Waterman), a young attorney and his pill-popping mentally ill wife, Harper (Mechelle Moe) are more ‘buddies’ than married couple. Harper has hallucinations about the ozone layer and the Antarctic. Joe gets an offer to serve in the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. by Roy Cohen (Kurt Ehrmann), the nasty power-broker NYC attorney.
The couples become intertwined when Joe runs into Louis crying in the men’s room. The two talk and Louis detects that Joe is an in-the-closet gay man. Prior and Harper meet while both are having a drug induced hallucination. Prior tells Harper his revelation: that Joe is gay and Harper tells Prior that deep inside he is disease free.
As Prior’s AIDS get worse, Louis leave him since he is unable to come with his fear. Only the former drag queen and nurse Belize (Cliff London) is around to comfort Prior. Joe and Harper grow further apart as Harper refuses to move to Washington and Joe’s sexual feelings begin to overwhelm him. Prior’s hallucinations produce two Walter ancestors come to prepare Prior for the coming messenger. This reinforces the voices he often hears. 
Roy Cohen and his doctor spare over Roy’s illness as the doctor tells him he has AIDS—Roy argues that just because he has sex with boys, he isn’t gay and that he has ‘liver cancer.’ Labels can hurt and Roy will not give in to the weakness society places on labels. Roy is haunted by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg whom he helped get executed. When Joe turns down Roy’s offer to work in the Justice Department in D.C. after learning about Roy’s unethical behavior in the Rosenberg case, Roy calling Joe a “sissy.”
Joe calls his mother Hannah (Donna McGough) late one night and announces he’s gay. Hannah quickly sells her Salt Lake City house as she moves to New York to ‘make things right with Joe.’
Joe and Louis meet in the park and sparks fly leading to them having sex at Louis’ apartment. Prior hears voices, has prophetic visions as thunderous sounds and the haunting voice of the messenger who makes a spectacular appearance announcing: “The Great Work Begins.”
This amazing show is so engrossing, so filled with rich lyrical language and emotional performances that you’ll be on the edge of your seat totally transfixed with this epic drama. Listen to the text, see both parts separately then see them on the same day to get the complete message of this tremendous play. Kushner has much to say and Graney’s production gives it clarity with a steady mounting dramatic tension that engages us throughout.
The cast was splendid, especially Mechelle Moe as Harper, Kurt Ehrmann as Roy Cohn and Scott Bradley as Prior. These performers left it all out on the stage as they exuded the angst, fear and pain associated with their characters. I have seen several terrific productions of Angels In America and I must say that Sean Graney’s is among the finest, most riveting productions I witnessed yet. This is excellent theatre! For only $25 or $40 for both shows, you’ll not find a finer theatre value. I can’t wait for Part II: Perestroika. Thanks, Sean for a terrific night of theatre.
Not To Be Missed
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre In Chicago Podcast (Hear my interview with Sean Graney)
Date Reviewed March 5, 2006
Jeff Recommended
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