Angels in America.

Part One: Millennium Approaches Concept Statement

Director: Jacob Stewart

The Play and its Meaning

Angels in America, by Tony Kushner deals with issues of
homosexuality, religion and identity, through the turbulent time of late
twentieth-century America. Set in New York City, it focuses on five key
characters; Prior, a gay ex-drag queen who has aids, Louis, a legal clerk
and Priors boyfriend, Joe, a Mormon lawyer fighting his homosexuality,
Harper, Joes valium addicted housewife, and Roy Cohn, based off of
real-life lawyer, known for his corrupt doings in court, who, in the play, is
also a homosexual.
Conceptually, in 1985, which is when the play is set, and even now,
certain parts of society are demonized by others, whether it be for
religion, political stance, or sexual orientation, all of which are issues
faced in this play. In my concept of the play, I would like to focus on the
idea of universal humanity, in that people, no matter who they may be,
go through trials and tribulation, and deep down were all the same. This
can be seen specifically in my scene as Prior and Harper are two radically
different characters, yet in Act 1, Scene 7, they are brought together, and
share this very odd, yet unifying moment, hinting at a larger power,
holding us all together. To help in accentuating their similarities, I will
also play up some of their character differences, such as religion and
social status. However, I will keep the play in 1985, as the time-period

does nothing to help nor hinder my message, but is necessary for many
of the references made during the show.

Personal / General Appeal and Production Worth

In looking at the list of plays we could choose from, Angels in
America stood out to me primarily out previous experience. As I had
originally done a monologue from the second part of the show, the
opportunity to do part one immediately stuck out, as I found the
language used in the play to not only be gritty, and realistic, but also
contained a certain elegance, featuring a turn of phrase not often seen.
While I cant personally relate to the exact struggles felt by the
characters, they are presented in an easily relatable way, as we see how
they tackle these problems, and can empathize with their stances and
actions. Not only that, but the issues dealt with, the use of labels, how we
ostracize others, and the search and acceptance of identity is a struggle
felt by many people in the world today, especially by teenagers and
people faced with adulthood, trying to figure out who they are.

Although Angels in America has been out for over 20 years, and
produced multiple times, I feel it would be relevant if shown today in
Geneseo. With the recent spate of suicides due to high-school bullying,
often over sexual orientation, and even the debates featured prominently
in governments the world over, the issue of Homophobia has reared its

ugly head again. As this show relevant in regards to the Homophobia

issue and the tendency to ignore their human rights, it would draw many
students, seeing how the play would relate and bounce off real-world
issues. Along with this, the focus on identity, and the equality between all
people regardless of labels, would resonate with a crowd of young adults,
especially those at a liberal arts college such as SUNY Geneseo.

Design Elements
In reference to the general look and feel of the show, it would be
fairly minimalistic, using lights and certain set pieces to represent areas.
Throughout Angels, Kushner uses very cinematic locations and changes
of scene, going from places like Central Park, to the steps of the Justice
building, straight back into a characters bedroom, a factor which could
leave the audience, and indeed the stage crew very confused. Due to this
fact, the use of split scenes, and drastic changes, the set I have decided
to use divides the stage into four main playing areas; USR/SR, USL/SL,
USC, and C/DSC, with two secondary areas; DSL, and DSR. The USR and L
areas are reserved for the two living spaces of the main characters, one
being Priors Bedroom, and the other being Joe and Harpers Living Room,
both of which are on equal-height platforms, with the US area being half
the height. This leaves the central play area at ground level, used for the
restaurant and park scenes. The set is fairly symmetrical, with platforms

on both sides retaining the same dimensions, only differing in terms of

their props and set pieces.

As my set is fairly minimal, relying on imagination, and suspended

disbelief, the fact that the play is set in 1985 will have to be conveyed
primarily through the costumes and props used without the show. My
primary reason for keeping the play set in 1985 is because of the
references made throughout the show, along with the incorporation of
real-life lawyer Roy Cohn. These references focus primarily around
Reagan, his family life, and the general implication of the label
republican. Along with this, many of the references made by Roy,
specifically his part in the Ethel Rosenberg case, and the Red Scare, are
firmly rooted in the time period, 1985.

In regards to costuming, much of what is called for is fairly nondescript, such as suits and shabby coats, but this allows us to use the
costuming to help set the time period. The play takes place over the
period of several months, starting in October, fall, and ending in January,
winter. As such, the characters shift from their starting costumes to
warmer equivalents, even if its just a shabby overcoat thrown over their
original clothing, as winter in New York City can be fairly mild, not
requiring excessive layering and costume changes.

Although there are the general costume plots, especially given the
weather changes, there are just some general character points we should
keep in mind in regards to the costume breakdown:

- Prior: a gay ex-drag queen. Late 30s. Not dressed too

flamboyantly, with slight flair. Fashionable. Lower middle-class
- Louis: same age as Prior. Dresses fashionably, but not
flamboyantly either. Probably have curly hair and glasses.
- Joe: Straight, and dresses as such. Dresses in suits often, but
not above a t-shirt when casual. Middle class
- Roy: Dresses in a power suit, all the time. Wealthy, oozes power.
Burgundy.
- Harper: Repressed housewife. Plays on the crazy housewife
stereotype. Middle Class.
- Belize: also a gay ex-drag queen. Dressed flamboyantly, no one
would question his sexuality, fits in the stereotype, but not over
the top.
- Hannah: Uptight. Rigid. Dresses like an older business woman.

In order to accentuate the similarities in the characters lives and

stories, I would also accentuate the differences, helping them be unique
individuals, by playing on the labels given to them, as a badge of pride,
rather than a stigma. Of course, one needs to be careful in this regard, so

as to avoid veering into the realm of stereotypes. Examples of this idea

come in the scene between Harper and Prior, as, not only will they be
costumed

radically

different,

establishing

and

focusing

on

their

characterization, but by doing so, the fact that these two contrasted
individuals face their problems together, and can relate to each other,
despite differences, is my primary focus in this show. These differences
should be clear in costuming.

In regards to the sound design of Angels, there is not much used,

save for a few scenes within the play. The sounds required include the
beeping of the telephone, elevator dings, hospital beeping, lightning
cracks, dance music, and the gospel/choral music heard when the angel
is coming. These specific cues are of course referenced in the
Light/sound plot. These sound cues will help clarify the events in the
scene, as well as help set the locations for the audience, serving as
keystones for several locations, such as the hospital, along with the
impending arrival of the angel. These effects will be pre-recorded and
procured, allowing crew to simply play the audio track when the cue
arrives.

Like the sound effects used, the lighting for Angels should help the
audience fully realize the location and world setting. Throughout the
play, the lighting should be effective in helping the audience shift their

focus throughout the set, especially during the split scenes, and Act 2,
Scene 9, when conflict breaks out between the two couples, otherwise it
is easy for the audience to get lost in the drama. The actor audience
configuration is set up in a mock proscenium style, with the audience
situated facing the stage, while the action is segmented into four distinct
areas; USL/SL (Used for Joe and Harpers House), USR/SR (used for Priors
Bedroom and Hospital room), USC (Used for offices, bathroom, and coffee
shop), and C/DSC (used for the restaurant, dream sequence, cemetery,
and park), with two secondary areas; DSL, and DSR.

Along with this, some scenes, specifically those heavily featuring

mysticism, such as the appearance of characters, the Flaming book, and
the appearance of the Angel at the end of the play all require certain
stage magic, much of which we are not actually able to do within the
black box due to technical limitations. As such, many of these aspects
will be simplified, such as using lights to make it seem as if the
characters simply appear, drawing audience focus. The same would be
said for the Flaming Book, which would be set before the scene on the
USL, and when cued, would be blazingly lit up with Red light and flame
effects. Finally, in regards to the Angels appearance, the lighting effects
asked for are possible, along with the sound. However, it asks for the
building to be shaking, with pieces of debris falling, and as such, in this
production, we will use sound effects to give the impression and idea that

the building is falling apart, and then, at the great reveal, have the angel
appear on the balcony in the black box.

The set and prop pieces of Angels in America are also crucial
elements in establishing the location and time period of the show. Since
scenic pieces are rather minimal, specifically the bed, couch, and tables,
the props used, in combination with the other design elements will
hopefully help solidify these elements, while making the world of the play
seem more alive. This specifically relates to costume props, such as
briefcases and telephones, along with the general aesthetic style of
certain set pieces, such as the coffin and couch.

Conclusion
Fundamentally, Angels in America is a play centred on Labels, and
perceived difference. As such, I chose to focus on this concept of
universal humanity, that, while labels are there, they are not fundamental
to a persons being. My intention is not necessarily to blatantly project
that to the audience, but rather, by presenting relatable yet wildly
different characters, the message will become clear. My selective realism
in terms of design shifts the focus to dialog and character, rather than
the setting, which I believe is not essential to receiving the plays
message. Ultimately, I want this to be a learning experience, not only for
me, and the actors, especially in regards to characterization, but also for

the audience, reminding them that ultimately, no one is alone, and as

humans, its important that we stick together.