ANGELS IN AMERICA: PART I & II

BOSTON THEATRE WORKS PRESENTS
ANGELS IN AMERICA: PART I & II

Company continues 10th Anniversary celebration with one of the defining works of the 20th century in the Roberts Studio Theatre at the Calderwood Pavilion.

[BOSTON, MA] Boston Theatre Works continues their 10th Anniversary season in January with a staging of Kushner’s epic drama. This six-hour story told in two parts begins performances January 18th and will
be presented in repertory in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts through February 10th (4 weeks). The full performance schedule appears at the end of this release.

Arguably one of the most poignant and pivotal plays of the 20th century, and certainly one of the hottest tickets in Boston’s theatre season, Angels in America will be co-directed by BTW Artistic Director Jason Southerland and Nancy Curran Willis. The two directors previously collaborated on the company’s Elliott Norton Award-winning The Laramie Project. Millennium Approaches and Perestroika (parts I and II) will be presented in repertory allowing audiences to experience the entire story beginning to end over the course of two evenings or see the pair back-to-back beginning at 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays for the last two weeks of the run of the show.

Tony Kushner’s seminal modern epic is a story both intimate and grand, which follows the painful disintegration of two ?relationships against a backdrop of greed, conservatism and the discovery of AIDS. The play transports the audience to New York, Washington, the Kremlin, Salt Lake City, Antarctica and even to Heaven. His characters overflow from the American melting pot as the story weaves through fantasy and reality in a powerful exploration of politics, religion and sex that remains as relevant in George W. Bush’s America as it was 15 years ago. Collectively, the two parts of Angels in America won the Pulitzer Prize (1993), two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk awards and more than 200 other awards throughout the world.

As we celebrate our 10th Anniversary,” says director Southerland, “I wanted to revisit a play that had a major impact on me as an artist. As I read Angels for the first time in over a decade I was struck by how prescient it was when it was written, but more amazed at how poignant it is in today’s world. Although its specifics are about Reaganite politics, the rationing of AZT and the corrupt practices of Roy Cohn, it seems more prophetic than ever in the era of George W. Bush, Halliburton, gay rights battles and the upcoming elections. Kushner understood the importance of forming a ‘community’ to help us cope in our complex society, a message that is gaining ground in our current culture.”

The production features a showcase of Boston stage talent including Susanne Nitter as Hannah Pitt (the role Meryl Streep played in the HBO adaptation) and Richard McElvain as Roy Cohn (played by Al Pacino in the film). Ms. Nitter is well known as the Producing Director at the Publick Theatre where she has played a dozen roles and Mr. McElvain is best known for his Elliot Norton Award-winning performance in St. Nicholas at Sugan Theatre and the American Repertory Theatre. The supporting cast includes Bree Elrod as Harper, Christopher James Webb as Louis, Tyler Reilly as Prior, Maurice Parent as Belize, Sean O’Brien as Joe and Elizabeth Aspenlieder as The Angel.

Tickets range from $25 to $48, with 2-play passes for $80. Single tickets may be purchased via our website, www.BostonTheatreWorks.com, or by calling Boston Theatre Scene at 617.933.8600. You must call to order the two play pass. Tickets and passes are also available in person at the BU Theatre Box Office, 264 Huntington Avenue and the Calderwood Pavilion Box Office, 571 Tremont Street. During performances the box office will remain open 30 minutes after last curtain. Student Rush is available at the box office 2 hours prior to curtain.

To request photos, a press kit or to schedule an interview, please call Kirsten Amann at 617.733.2791 or via email at [email protected].

Purchasing Tickets
www.BostonTheatreWorks.com (service charges apply)
Boston Theatre Scene at 617.933.8600 (service charges apply)
Calderwood Pavilion Box Office, 527 Tremont Street, Boston‚ MA 02116 (no charge)
B.U. Theatre Box Office, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston‚ MA 02115 (no charge)

Box office hours vary. Check the schedule at www.bostontheatrescene.com/contact/

Angels in America Curtain Times/Ticket Prices

Performance Dates:
Friday, January 18 through Sunday, February 10, 2008

Performance Schedule:
Week 1: Millennium Approaches
Friday, January 18, 7:30 PM
Saturday January 19, 7:30 PM (Press)
Sunday, January 20, 2:00 PM (Press)

Week 2: Perestroika
Friday, January 25, 7:30 PM
Saturday, January 26, 7:30 PM (Press)
Sunday, January 27, 2:00 PM (Press)

Weeks 3 and 4: Repertory Schedule (1/30 – 2/10)
Millennium: Wed/Fri at 7:30 PM; Sat/Sun at 2:00 PM
Perestroika: Thu/Sat/Sun at 7:30 PM

Running Time:
3 hours with two intermissions

Ticket Prices:
Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday $43/adults, $40/seniors, $25/students
Friday, Saturday $48/ adults, $45/seniors, $25/students
Two Play Passes (1 ticket to each play): $80
“Student Rush” price is $10 cash, night of performance, 2 hours before curtain

Group rates ($5 off ticket) available for parties of 10 or more by calling 617.728.4321

Pay What You Can: Millennium: Friday, January 18; Perestroika: Friday January 25

Theatre Information:
Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts
527 Tremont Street, Boston (South End)

Parking:
Valet parking at BCA, $15 (evenings only)
Warren Street garage, $12
Metered parking in the area (n/a on Sundays)