From: The Rogue Theatre [mailto:rogue@theroguetheatre.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 6, 2016 5:02 AM
Subject: ANGELS IN AMERICA opens THIS THURSDAY!
Read and listen to prepare for this giant play!
The Rogue Theatre presents
Angels in America
PART ONE: MILLENNIUM APPROACHES
300 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ - 520-551-2053 - www.TheRogueTheatre.org
When Angels in America opened in 1991 more than 20,000 people in the United States alone were dead from complications from AIDS. There are ghosts in this play, ghosts of people who were marginalized and ignored--the people who suffered through the American plague. This masterpiece by Tony Kushner puts gay men and the AIDS epidemic at the center of the culture for the first time. He requires a true examination of our failure as a country in the not so distant past--and he does it with humor, love, and a beautiful story.
Kushner has created the subtlest of political dramas; he doesn't demand action from the audience, but through the spotlight he places on the relationships between the characters, we cannot help but reflect on our own time.
This play doesn't have any heroes; it isn't so simple--in many ways it reflects our country's history. A large sprawling story, full of complicated questions and difficult answers. However, night after night, I am surprised by the characters' heart and intellect. The fierce passion they all have is as inspiring as it is heartbreaking.
I first encountered this play in college; I consider it the true leaping off point in my interest in theatre. I had never read anything like it. The depth of the characters and the use of magic and theatricality opened my eyes to the possibility of theatre. Since I first read Angels in America I've been searching for plays like it to work on, the greats--the plays that ask big questions and leave us speechless.
As I prepared to direct this play I couldn't help but feel like we were joining an important history. Adding our voices to a list of creative artists and storytellers who were brave enough to put this play together and tell this story. Angels in America is a cornerstone in America art, and I consider myself very fortunate to have been a part of the continuance in its larger story, as, I hope, you the audience will enjoy the chance to witness a truly majestic play. "The great work begins."
--Matt Bowdren, Director
P.S. To listen to Matt's Open Talk on the play, here is the podcast put together by Jake Sorgen. (By the way, this Open Talk was sponsored by The Learning Curve, which has a wonderful set of educational experiences lined up this year.)
P.P.S. For even more background on the play, check out Jerry James' enlightening essays on the stories behind Angels in America here.
September 8 - 25, 2016
Directed by Matt Bowdren
Musical Direction by Jake Sorgen
Buy tickets online at www.TheRogueTheatre.org
or call 520-551-2053
Production Sponsor: Kristina Lewis
For complete information on the production, click here.
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