Angels in America

Angels in America is a part of Théâtre in two parts of the American writer Tony Kushner. It was created in 1991 and knew many adaptations, of which recently a Télésuite and a opera.

The complete original title of the part is Angels in America: With Gay National Fantasia one Topics (Of the Angel S in America: gay imagination on national topics).

Synopsis

In the middle of the Years 1980, under the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George Bush, with New York, the lives of several people bound by the republican context, the Homosexuality and the appearance of the AIDS.

At the beginning of the first act which introduces the characters, Prior Walter is reached AIDS, which his/her companion, Louis Ironson, democratic Jew, have more and more evil to live. In same time, the Mormon , republican and homosexual lawyer , Joe Pitt obtains an offer of promotion with Washington of his mentor, the maccarthist Roy Cohn. But, Joe hesitates because his Harper wife drowns a depression in the Valium.

The part

Organization

The part was created in two parts. Millenium Approaches is played for the first time in May 1991 by the Eureka Theater Company off San Francisco, directed by David Esbjornson. At this time, the second part Perestroika is still under development. She is finally played in November 1992 by the Mark To type Forum, directed by Oskar Eustis and Tony Taccone. Angels in America lasts thus approximately seven hours.

In January 1992 for the first part and in November 2003 for the second, take place first European part with London.

From 1991 to 1993, Millenium Approaches received several rewards states-uniennes and British of theater.

Setting in scene

The part alternates the scenes of black Humor, of Tragédie and Dialog S. the special effects require visible and laughable theatrical means (flight of the Angel obstructed by Prior for example).

Each of the eight actors must incarnate several characters. For example, the actress playing the nurse of Prior is also the Angel of America.

The part cumulates the references to the Bible and the company states-unienne of the Années 1980. Fantastic voyages lead Harper and Mr. Lies in the Antarctic and another character to the Ciel. In addition to various anonymous places of New York, scenes take place with San Francisco and the foot of the statue of the angel Bethesda in Central Park.

Summary

After the introduction of the characters and the departure of Louis who continues to torment himself on this escape, Prior weakened by the disease is visited by Fantôme S and angel S, of which the Angel of America which proclaims it Prophète. Joe tries to reconcile his religion with his sexuality, which leads his/her Hannah mother to come to New York to deal with Gripping. Roy Cohn sees the appearance of the venereal disease and orders with its doctor to make pass that for a Cancer of the Foie, but Roy with most badly discovers than its male nurse, named Belize (friendly of Prior), is black and Drag queen at his hours. Especially, Roy is visited by the phantom of that which it helped to do to condemn to death, Ethel Rosenberg.

The remainder of the part confronts the characters with their demons (or their angels): Prior tries to fight against the will of the angel to make a prophet of it; Louis and Joe try to leave together to flee their former respective companions; Hannah discovers the homosexual ones and the AIDS by helping Prior, jealous of Joe; finally, Harper joins again with reality. At the hospital, Belize and the phantom of Ethel face Roy which is baited to obtain still experimental AZT and to preserve its position within the bar of lawyers.

The télésuite of HBO

In 2003, HBO Films, subsidiary of the chain with toll HBO, created a Télésuite in six episodes. Written by Tony Kushner, realized by Mike Nichols, it was diffused starting from the December 7th 2003. It had the best audience of the programs carried out for the cable television in 2003, and was rewarded by a Golden Globe and a Emmy Award for best the télésuite. It also accepted many nominations and other prices. In France, the télésuite was diffused by the chain with toll Canal+ starting from November 25th, 2004.

This production of Angels in America was also diffused in the shape of two 3 hour old films corresponding respectively to Millennium Approaches and Perestroika gathering each one 3 episodes of the télésuite, respectively: Bad News , In vitro , The Messenger and Moving Stop! , Beyond Nelly , Heaven, I' m In Heaven .

So certain scenes of the part were cut or modified, Mike Nichols preserved the theatrical aspects of the dialogs and the setting in scene of the Angel.

The music was written and directed by Thomas Newman.

The distribution of the main roles is established as follows:

Al Pacino: Roy Cohn
Meryl Streep : Hannah Pitt, Ethel Rosenberg and the Rabbi Chemelwitz
Mary-Louise Parker: To grip Pitt
Patrick Wilson (VF: Sebastien Desjours) : Joe Pitt
Jeffrey Wright: Belize and Mr. Lies (Mr Bobards)
Ben Shenkman: Louis Ironson
Justin Kirk: Prior Walter
James Cromwell: Henry
Emma Thompson: the Emily nurse, a clocharde and the Angel of America

Pacino, Parker, Wright and Streep accepted a price of the Golden Globe S, while Wilson and Shenkman were nominated there.

The Parisian opera

The November 23rd 2004, the part was adapted in opera by the Hungarian type-setter Peter Eötvös, with the Théâtre of Châtelet to Paris. It was diffused on the French chain Pink TV on February 1st 2004.

On a setting in scene of Philippe Calvario, the singers of opera Barbara Hendricks (the Angel of America), Julia Migenes, Roberta Alexander, Topi Lehtipuu, Derek Lee Ragin, Donald Maxwell (Roy), Omar Ebrahim (Joe) and Daniel Belcher (Prior) incarnate the characters of Tony Kushner.

See too

External bond

In connection with the mini-series '' Angels in America ''

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