By Kathryn Olsen
The stage is set very simply at Salt Lake City‘s Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, but Utah Repertory Theater Company‘s Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approachesdepicts human anguish so effectively that the patriotic backdrop is rarely noticed. This play by Tony Kushner, which won both the 1993 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize for Drama, has been adapted into film and opera as well as being staged in theaters worldwide. I, myself, first encountered it because of my drama teacher’s involvement in a production, but had never seen it performed live.
The play deals with three inextricably interconnected stories of relationships in 1985. Louis (Josh Tewell) and Prior (Jesse Nepivoda) have been in a committed relationship for four years, but are struggling with Prior’s advancing AIDS and Louis’ guilt as he struggles to love and care for his partner. Joseph (Lucas Stewart) is offered a life-changing opportunity by his corrupt boss Roy (Andrew Maizner), but is antagonized by his Valium-addicted wife Harper (Anne Louise Brings), who thinks he should leave their loveless marriage. Roy himself claims that his AIDS is actually liver cancer and hopes to use Joseph’s work to avoid legal consequences. Throughout the show, the eponymous angels provide exhortations as well as escapes and insight into the human condition.
This production is so well-cast that no player comes to the forefront, but all commit fully to staggeringly meaningful roles. From the beginning, Prior’s health is in rapid decline and Nepivoda’s depiction of Prior is that of a man clawing towards hope from the depths of agony. His desperate bouts of optimism in the face of mortality are wrenching.
Tewell’s Louis is no less conflicted. As Prior deteriorates, Louis struggles with guilt over his helplessness as well as his tendency to avoid being directly involved in suffering. Tewell is in a near-constant agitation while never being histrionic or creating false drama.
Joseph must be a difficult role to undertake in this state, as he is a practicing Mormon devoting his life to truth who comes to realize his homosexuality. Stewart’s background is in Utah productions, which explains why he plays Joseph so naturally that the character could be found anywhere in the state. His on-stage struggle to reconcile the causes of his unhappy marriage with his feelings of inadequacy is captivating.
Brings as Harper has the most demanding range of portrayals to present. She is obsessed with the impending doom of climate change and imagined marauders in her own home. She takes Valium to reach what she refers to as the “threshold of revelation.” This role, which has her scream in fury as well as ecstasy and depicts unusual wisdom in the eye of the storm, could be a humorous one, but the only response to her plight is soberness from the audience.
Maizner as Roy is unexpected and unforgettable. Prior to the show, the director warned of coarse language, which sets the stage for Maizner’s profanity-laden opening monologue. He is self-serving and conniving while refusing to accept a diagnosis that casts aspersions on his moral character. While Stewart is a classic Utah figure, Maizner’s Roy is familiar to anyone who has been in New York City during rush hour and his ruthless drive is unflagging.
Liz Whittaker has the briefest appearances, but plays the most roles, ranging from a soliloquizing rabbi to a famous Communist. She is remarkable in her ability to play each without th e audience clearly being able to identif her as another.
Dee Tua’one appears in only a few scenes as Belize, a drag queen cum confidante of Louis and Prior. His transitions from flamboyant morale booster to furious opponent make every scene he is in thought-provoking.
Whitney Black occupies the most pivotal role as The Angel, but is played with unassuming and genuine compassion in her earlier scenes. She is one of several players who has multiple roles and it can be assumed from her depiction that even as a homeless woman or a nurse, she is secretly the divine messenger for whom the way has been prepared the entire play.
Director JayC Stoddard helms this remarkable cast with skill and understanding of the subject material. The scenic design by Cara Pomeroy cleverly uses set pieces that can be transformed with a few movements to reconstruct entire settings, while Jacob Hunt‘s lighting design and Katelyn Limber‘s sound design serve to highlight and intrigue instead of drawing attention. Stage Manager Anne Marie Brantley choreographs scene changes that are virtually seamless. Mel Howarth employs design of hair, makeup and costumes to reflect the era appropriately while giving the audience visual cues for allegiances and relationships.
This is not a play intended for younger audiences, but at no point is it unclear why this is such an acclaimed work of theater. Prepare yourself to feel bone-deep emotions and buy tickets before its conclusion.
Utah Repertory Theater Company presents Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner
Utah Repertory Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
May 30-Jun 9, 2019 7:00 PM, 2:00 PM matinees on Sundays
Tickets: $20
Contact: 801-355-ARTS
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Utah Repertory Theater Company Presents Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches; By Tony Kushner
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