The Telescope

Issue Date: 4/27/09

'Angels' entertains, informs

By Graianne Ward

Media Credit: Rob Bacon Harper Pitt (Calandra Crane, left) shakes hands with Mr. Lies (Ibrahim Brewer, right), a hallucination brought on by Harper's use of valium.

"Angels in America" is an excellent play that grabs your attention and doesn't let go until the end. Even though the play is based in 1986, it's still topical in 2009, with the AIDS epidemic and gays battling for equal rights.
It's a must-see play for everyone who ignores that these issues exist and for those who hope to call attention to the two topics.
"Angels in America" is a play by Tony Kushner that revolves around three main characters. Prior Walters, who is dying from AIDS, is abandoned by his lover Louis as he progressively gets worse. Roy Cohn, a strong-willed back-breaking attorney, is in denial about having AIDS. And Joe Pitt, a Mormon who is struggling with his closeted feelings, takes his valium-popping wife down with him.
The dialogue was well written, with every word being significant to the overall play.
The make-up was excellent. Jared Spears (Roy Cohen) had dark circles under his eyes, his skin was pale and the lines in his face were intensified.
Spears cut his hair, leaving a bald spot on the top of his head, for the part. There was a point in the play where Spears looked like Lon Chaney, who was in the original "Phantom of the Opera."
The actors are top notch. Spears came booming onto the stage, capturing the attention of the audience and keeping it.
Alex Guzman, who played Louis Ironman spoke so fast, the audience needed close captioning but he had his lines well memorized. Guzman also took on some of the most controversial scenes, and handled them well.
Calandra Crane, who took on the role of Harper Pitt, did a good job of looking crazy. From her large, shifty eyes to her footsies, she portrays a disturbed woman very well.
Most of the actors played multiple roles but their costumes were so good you couldn't recognize the actors.
The set was realistic, making the audience feel like they were in the Pitt's house, in a restaurant, in a hospital, or in the park after dark. The props were authentic for the time period, as were the clothes. Their costumes would be hard to find in any thrift store. and there wasn't a part of the set that didn't get used.

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