Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes is a Pulitzer Prize winning two part epic play by playwright Tony Kushner. It premiered on Broadway in 1993 and deals with the themes of homosexuality, AIDS, and spirituality in the United States at the end of the second millennium. The first part is entitled Millennium Approaches, and the second is entitled Perestroika. It was named by literary critic Harold Bloom in his controversial list of the most important literary works of the century, The Western Canon (1994).
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2 HBO miniseries 3 Quotes 4 External link |
Story
Set in New York City in the mid-1980s, Act One of Millennium Approaches introduces us to the central characters. Louis Ironson is a neurotic, gay Jew who lives with his lover Prior Walter. Until, that is, Prior develops AIDS—still a largely misunderstood virus—and Louis, unable to cope with the stress, moves out. Meanwhile, closeted (even to himself) Mormon, Republican lawyer Joe Pitt, is offered a major promotion by his mentor: McCarthyist Roy Cohn. However Joe doesn't immediately take the job because he is worried about his Valium-addicted wife Harper.
As the seven-hour play progresses, Prior finds himself being visited by ghosts and angels who proclaim him as a prophet; Joe finds himself struggling to reconcile his religion with his sexuality; Louis deals with his remorse and guilt at abandoning his lover; Joe's mother Hannah moves to New York to attempt to look after Harper; and Roy finds himself in hospital, his only companions being his black nurse Belize—an ex-drag queen and good friend of Prior—and the spectre of Communist Ethel Rosenberg.
The play is filled with moments of black comedy, tragedy, and spectacular dialogue. The play is deliberately performed so that the moments requiring special effects often show their theatricality. Most of the actors play several characters, for example the actress playing Prior's nurse also plays the Angel of America. There are heavy biblical references and references to American society, as well as some amazing scenes including voyages to Antarctica and Heaven, as well as key events happening in San Fransisco and at the Angel of Bethesda statue in Central Park.
It has generally been referred to as one of the most influential plays of all time.
HBO miniseries
In 2003, HBO Films created a miniseries version of the play. It was written by Tony Kushner, directed by Mike Nichols and was released on December 7. It was the most watched made-for-cable movie in 2003 and won both the Golden Globe and Emmy for Best Miniseries. Some scenes were, of course, edited or changed but the production was internationally acclaimed.
The lead cast were:
- Al Pacino as Roy Cohn
- Meryl Streep as Hannah Pitt, Ethel Rosenberg and the Rabbi
- Mary-Louise Parker as Harper Pitt
- Patrick Wilson as Joe Pitt
- Jeffrey Wright as Belize & Mr. Lies
- Ben Shenkman as Louis Ironson
- Justin Kirk as Prior Walter
- James Cromwell as Henry
- and Emma Thompson as Nurse Emily, Homeless Woman & The Angel America
The miniseries was nominated for 21 Emmy awards and won several, including awards for Kushner, Pacino, Wright, Streep and Parker. Shenkman, Kirk, Thompson and Wilson were also nominated.
Quotes
. She isn't. Because, during the trial, Joe, I was on the phone everyday talking with the judge. Every day, doing what I do best—talking on the telephone. Making sure that that timid yid nebbish on the bench did his duty to America, to history. That sweet, unprepossesing woman, two kids, boo-hoo-hoo, reminded us all of our little Jewish mamas. She came this close to getting life. I pleaded till I wept to put her in the chair. Me, I did that. I'd have fucking pulled the switch if they let me. Why? Because I fucking hate traitors. Because I fucking hate communists. Was it legal? Fuck legal! Am I nice a man? Fuck nice! They say terrible things about me in the nation. Fuck the nation! You want to be nice or you want to be effective?! You want to make the law, or subject to it? Choose!''
External link
- About Gay Movies :: Angels in America: Synopsis, gay interest, review, quotes, pictures and more.
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