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AUTHOR Carr, John C. TITLE " Part 1: Millennium Approaches." Spotlight on Theater Notes. INSTITUTION John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. SPONS AGENCY Department of Education, Washington, DC. PUB DATE [95) NOTE 17p.; Produced by the Performance Plus Program, Kennedy Center Education Department. Funding also provided by the Kennedy Center Corporate Fund. For other guides in this series, see CS 508 903-906. PUB TYPE Guides General (050)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Acquired Immune Defi-:ency Syndrome; Acting; *Cultural Enrichment; *; Higher Education; ; Homosexuality; Interviews; Playwriting; Popular Culture; Program Descriptions; Secondary Education; History IDENTIFIERS American Myths; *Angels in America

ABSTRACT This booklet presents a variety of materials concerning the first part of 's play "Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes." After a briefintroduction to the play, the booklet presents a description of the prinipal characters in the play, a profile of the playwright, information on funding of the play, an interview with the playwright, descriptions of some of the motifs in the play (including AIDS, Angels, , and Mormons), a quiz about plays, biographical information on actors and designers, and a 10-item list of additional readings. (RS)

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1: MILLENIUM APPROACHES

S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION C Oiiico of educabons, Research and Impro40Manl I EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it MeilMiSR Minor changes have boon made to improve reproduction quality

Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent 7,1;:g:TE7474"L'.1-Ea -Composed of two-----Ef---7-TSo-within that seemingly-loomog_eritous- OA:potential r. . - dependentplaysunitthere is enormou&r.onflict Aim\ ..Fehes and Pefestraika7'77-Icireruptiorf." ns in the Eisenhower What Millennium ApprOcitheriiridPerestroika for which show is how the erigitizikiir4rsandhow it ------NENEEto4une 8. Perestroika; hours, arate Spotlight on Theater _ affects all those involv.-ece:-W41,seven . itkrur-Apne 9 to July 9. the crazy mix of charaffis7:1Wepjgrgy_of time to collide, confrontone another and dis- LENNIUMAPPROACHES card what they believe in, then totiirn-.sloWly_ Frank Rich, former theater critic forThe New back and, confronted with their ownde*ticf,-,_ --- York Times, points out thatAngels in America is tion in various forms, seek outwhat among the "a political call to arms for the age ofAIDS, but might still prove to be true."** it is no polemic. [Playwright TonyKushner's] To provide a synopsis of thethree acts of convictions about power and justice are Millennium Approaches would take awayfrom matched by his conviction that the stage...is a the pleasures of its subtleties andsurprises. It is space large enough toaccommodate every- helpful to be aware of the cast ofcharacters thing from precise realism to surrealistichallucina- (see list, page 3) and to knowthat the plot tions, from black comedy to religiousrevelation."* weaves two storiesinto one fabric. in one, the by Roy Cohn to Kushner explained in a 1993 interviewpub- latent homosexual, Joe, is hired in Washing- lished in The Tribune that the twoplays work with the Justice Department personal agenda. In that make up Angels in America are"about ton to help achieve Cohn's Approaches, the the other, Louis must decidewhether to care pairs of people. In Millennium lover, Prior couples are drawn so that they make overt for his AIDS-afflicted homosexual Walter, or leave him. The sense. Republicans are with stories interrelate with Republicans, Mormons are Plagwright Tong Kushner chose these lines one another in a rever- with Mormons, gays are with from Stanleg Kum tz. s The TestingTree.' to berating fashion. gays, straights are with straights. It is all neatly set up, Rpproaches *Frank Rich, "Embracing All precede the script for Millennium_ . but then it doesn't work Possibilities in and Life," because of all sorts of internal -In a murderous time The Times, May 5, 1993. stresses: the Mormon who is the heart breaks and breaks **Amy Schwartz, "Final Things married is gay, and one [mem- on Broadway," The Washington ber] of the gay couple has AIDS Post, December 23, 1994. and the other can't deal with it. and lives btj breaking.-

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4/ ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS WHO APPEAR IN rincipatCharactets,-,-,/ ,JALLENNIUM APPROACHES OF ANGELONIMETIICA ' An Orthodox Jewish rabbi MILLENNIUM APPROACHES_,_ MR. LIES: Harper's imaginary friend/travel agent AND PERESTROIKA 717 MAN IN THE PARK: A man Louis picks up in Central Park ROY M. COHN: The powerful New York lawyer HENRY: Roy Cohn's physician who rose to fame through his association with Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Army- EMILY: Prior's nurse McCarthy Hearings (see notes, page 11) MARTIN HELLER: A Justice Department public Louis !RONSON: A word processor for the relations representative Second Circuit Court of Appeals SISTER ELLA CHAPTER: A Salt Lake City real estate agent JOSEPH PORTER PITT: Chief clerk for Justice PRIOR 1: The ghost of a Prior Walter ancestor Theodore Wilson of the Federal Court of Appealsof the 13th century

HARPER AMATY PITT: Joe's wife, an agoraphobicPRIOR 2: The ghost of a ONEOF THE THINGS I wanted to explore with a mild Valium addiction Prior Walter ancestor of the 18th century [in Angels in America] was how legiti- HANNAH PORTER PITT: Joe's mother ESKIMO: "A fisher of the mate is the notion of community It is a PRIOR WALTER: Louis's boyfriend, who some- polar deep" fundamental American question times works as a club designer and caterer ETHEL ROSENBERG: because that's what the country is BELIZE: A registered nurse and former drag The ghost of the woman a community comprised of not only queen. Also Prior's former lover. Original name:executed for transmitting Norman Arriaga atomic secrets to the different [constituencies) but hostile THE ANGEL: Four divine emanations Fluor, Soviet Union (see note, ones, and irreconcilably so.- Phosphor, Lumen and Candlein one being page 11) Tony Kushner, Chicago Tribune, April 25.1993.

3. 4 BEST COPY AVAILABLE For Millennium Approaches he received the Pulitzer Prize, the , Nag right: Tog Kushner and 's Evening Standard and Critics' Cir- cle Awards, among numerous others. \t 39, playwright Tony Kushner findshim- Kushner is working on the screenplay for An- self one of the most acclaimed playwrights gels in America, which will be directed by in the Western world. The unprecedented . A list of his published plays attention and praise given to Angels in America is will appear in the Spotlight on Theater Notes the stuff of writers' dreams. for Angels in America, Perestroika. But, as Kushner points * , April 12, 1993. out as though cautioning himself, "Celebrity does sick things to people. I'm still sort of a nerd. I'm a Support very insecure person." At FROM THE KENNEDY CENTER FUND the same time, the play- FOR NEW AMERICAN PLAYS wright is quick to say, "I he writing of Angels in America, do believe that I'm a Millennium Approaches was supported by great writer.I think I'm a grant from the Kennedy Center Fund interesting, that I have a for New American Plays. reasonably sophisticated When playwright Tony Kushner was awarded political analysis, which in the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Millennium Approaches, America is not the usual thing. As an American it marked the third time in what was then the writer, I feel I have an obligation to uphold the Fund's eighth year that a grant recipient literary tradition of overreaching one's self."* achieved that recognition. Preceding him Kushner was born in , New York, but spent were for TheHeidi Chronicles most of his younger years in Lake Charles,. and for . He returned to New York to study at ColumbiaUni- Established by the Kennedy Center's founding versity and, later, at . chairman Roger L. Stevens, the Fund supports playwrights in their writing and helps to fi- Kushner feels that his homosexuality is not only nance productions of their works in the na- central to his identity but is a key to understand- tion's leading regional theaters. To date, the ing his work. Fund has provided $2 million-plus in seed In addition to playwriting, Kushner has been As- money to nearly 50 playwrightsand theaters. sociate Director of the New York Work- Each year, all not-for-profit theaters in the na- shop and Director of Literary Services for the tion are invited to subm.t up to three plays Theatre Communications Group. He has taught with for funding. Each play is read playwriting at Princeton University and is play- by the chairman and director of the Fund and wright-in-residence at New York's by the Fund's artistic advisors10 leading of Drama. His writing of Millennium Approaches theater professionalswho constitute the se- was supported lection committee. by the Kennedy The Kennedy Center Fund for New American ONEOF THE TIM I learned from Center Fund for Plays is a project of the John F. Kennedy Cen- I being in the closet and then corn- New American ter for the Performing Arts with support from Plays and the i-g out is how much stronger and the American Express Company in coopera- tion with the President's Committee on the National Endow- more fun life can be.(Referring to Arts and the Humanities. ment for the Arts. a remark by philosopher-historian Hannah Rrendtl It's better to em- brace your pariah-hood than to try to assimilate.- Tony Kushner, Chicago Tribune, lipril2S. 1993. 4 BEST COPY AVAILABLE :blOS.siaris (I :1 5,). Y.Vha(haS' COme to beirecog-, , nized athe.full complement of -angel Apeared in The word '':angel" comes from the Greek language , !if* -century A(.6,..treatis:koe Hierarchiti Celesti. meaning "messenger" The Greek word ia There;niliebrders of angels 1Trcategoried in: . translation froM.the Hebrew. word Meaning three hierarchical cycle'S:: "shadoW side of .God: Angels are als6 referred to as celestial:beings. ,:l..Ser'aphim, Cherubim, Thrones Some groupS of celestial beings are named in the 2. DominionsVirtues, Powers epistles of St. l)aul to the Ep-hesiaris(1:21)Aand the Principalities, Asrchangels,.Angek

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Brine Excerpts from an interview wrights in general are beginning with playwright Tony Kushner, to feel more and more comfort- conducted by Adam Mars Jones able with making overt the politics at the , that our relationships are always London, January 24, 1992. * riven with. ANYour play Angels in America AIMWhy is the angel such a has two controversial words in theWestern-tradition angel? Would subtitle: A Gay Fantasia on NationalMormon angels be different? Themes. One is "gay," the other is TKThe thing that appeared to "national." Joseph Smith, to tell him where TKWhat was important to me the book was hidden, was not was the conjunction of ever actually described as an angel the two words. I felt in his writing. He calls it a person- that a lot of what you aqe in robes of surpassing white - could identify as gay r.ess. It's not described as having theater in America in the wings. This is Prior's angel, not late '60s and '70s was focused ;oseph Smith's. Prior's angel would very extensively ondomestic definitely have wings. issues and relational issues. I think Could I ask that was appropriate to its histori- Audience question cal moment and to what was of you about the Jewish side of the concern to the community atthat play? Do you think Jewishness is a time, because the notion of gay main theme or an incidental issue? Also, I'm interested in the fact that liberation was relatively new. I think there's a shift in attention both of the main Jewish characters happening now, and Angels is an are quite unsavory and unpleas- ant. Obviously Roy Cohn is, but I example of that. There are other wondered why you chose to make lesbian and gay writers in the States who are beginning to Louis such a miserable individual address issues that connect per- as well. ;onal dynamics and questions of TKOh God, I don't think he's relationships with the political miserable! He's certainly miserable issues that are of such tremendous in the sense that he's incredibly significance to the lives of gay unhappy. I have to Say that question men and women. In American drama, politics tends to be very, 'The book Kushner refers to is the Book very deeply embeddedin psycho- of Mormon, the sacred text believers logical, familial, relational issues, hold to be the divinely inspired work of and I think that American play- the Prophet Mormon.

7 has come up before. Judaism isn't see a lot more of her in what the play is about, but I'm Part Two and the Rabbi. Jewish and it took me by surprise Audience question that it wound up being Could I ask about positive the play. Louis is an interesting images? What I found fasci- character to me. I think Louis car- nating and exciting about the ries the biggest burden of the play. play is that it seemed to have One of the things it's about is that moved beyond simply doing a it's incredibly hard to take care of glossy propaganda exercise in a someone who is catastrophically very good cause. You didn't seem ill.I think this is going to become to be too worried about possible an issue that is inescapable, homophobes in the audience because people are getting sicker maybe drawing the all the time. We live in a very bad wrong conclusions. time for the human body, and this There seemed a much is a problem that all of us are more relaxed attitude going to have to face at a much toward presenting younger age than our parents did. images of gay people. What do Louis wrestles with that particular you think are the benefits and angel and sometimes people are restrictions of a positive-images very upset by the choices he policy? makes, but he's struggling tremen-TKIt's a very complicated issue. I dously with it. I'm very critical of think one really has to trust that because I am one, and for the good cause will speak even instance, Jewish homophobia through bad characters. It's just no makes me angrier fun to watch than Goyishe homo- polemics. If phobia. I think, good Iwrotethe first 5pages and you're telling a God, after what thought it was the worst thing I. d story it has to we've gone through be full of all euer written. the worst thing any- for the last six hun- the twists and dred years and :Ine had euer gent It off nooks and before...surely suffer- to two uerg good friends, and both crannies that ing should teach you people's stories compassion. So I've had a completely blah response are full of. If been kind of hard But Joyce [Ketau. his agent' was you're really about it. But there ueru excitedi don t think I euer committed, are also two other and you want Jews in the play: would haue continued working with badly to see there's Ethel you the play ifI hadn't gotten that Continued on p. 8

Tong Kushner. [Jamul fair, May 1993

3 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Coned from p. 7 the world change because youbelieve together. I trusted it's very screwed up right now and that connections people are in great danger, and you're would become clear. You engaged in the struggle in your own read about Chekhov, that life, you can trust more that it will he desperately wanted plays come across in your writing.This to turn out differently andthey sounds pompous. I don't mean it to just wouldn't. The Democracy in sound like I'm an example of this, America scene happened like t: 's: because I think sometimes I'm not. I had written Acts One and Two, But I do think that if your politics are the Eureka people [Eureka Theatre in good enough, it will come through. , which commis- You don't have to go about saying it sioned the play] the characters will say it. were screaming Audience questionI must say that at me every day, at certain points of the play Icould "Where is the play, not see you anywhere behindthe it's six months late and we have to go characters. into production. What are you TK The great thing about being a doing?" I was contracted to write a playwright is that you never have to two-and-a-half-hour play with songs take responsibility for anything. It's my that was the original contract for second play. With the Angels. I had no way first play that I wrote, of resolving it.I OF THE THINGS THE PLAY IS started to sketch in an I was much more ONE conscious of a design SAYING is that [religious' theory is outline. It was clearly and plan. It was incredibly important to us and two evenings long and went on forever. about Reagan's re- that without it. we don't know election, although it So I actually sat where we are going On the other was set in the Weimar down and asked Republic. It was a hand. as systematic approaches to Louis (who is the character I identify very angry response the ethics age get passed up by with most, not for to Reagan. When I history. the rules and laws which autobiographical rea- started writing Angels, they had laid down become irrele- sons, but just as a I deliberately set person) to tell me myself the most uant and impossibleand we dis- what the play was weird assortment of tort ourselues terribly trying to about so I could end it. things and had no adhere to those beliefs, but it can idea how to tie them This sounds silly, but I also be a life and death matter to know when its time to say they

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.,1111!V,iSne: R5rd ,7!3. 0 3 BEST COPYAVAILABLE just started writing and that scene came out in ANOTHER FANTASIA twenty-five minutes. It just Angels in America is subtitled A Gay Fantasia poured out, and that was on National Themes. Similarly. the subtitle of tremendously exciting. I really George Bernard Shaw' g . felt like there was this other per- son. It sounds a little schitzy, but first produced in 1920, is R Fantasia in the that's what it felt like. Sometimes Russian Manner on English Themes. Giuen there are things that characters just certain aspects of Heartbreak House. the won't do, and if I ask them to do it, the similarity may be a happy one. scene is lousy. Nobody knows the Like Angels in America, Heartbreak House is answer to any polit- a play of judgments and prophecies. It ical problems any discusses the decomposition of society and more. We've lost our way so profoundly, we're in such a complete warns that unless ciuilization is both nurtured miasma, theoretically and politically. and changed, the world will be destroyed. Systems have really collapsed around us. Like both plays that make up Angels in [Being] socialist or not , even [being] vehemently anti-socialist, gave a dialec- America, Heartbreak House comments darkly tical depth to the worldthe fact that on human behauior. but ends optimistically. there was this other place. It really wasn't socialism in the sense that people talked Like Angels in America. Heartbreak House is about in the nineteenth century, but the long. Shaw's play runs three and a half world had two sides in a certain way, hours: Kushner's Millennium Approaches runs there was a space held out, and that's three hours and 20 minutes and Perestroika gone now. There's a terrible sense of flatness, or it feels that way in America. runs three hours and 40 minutes. The play can't help but reflect that One other Link: When Heartbreak House debuted sense, that people are looking all over the place for answers and making great in London, one critic referred to Captain messes in the process. Shotouer. its central character, as an -archangel.- *Extracts from the interview with Tony Kushner are reproduced by permission of the Royal National Theatre. The interview is part of Plat- form Papers 2, published by the National and on sale at its Bookshop. (Royal National Theatre, South Bank, London SET 9PX).

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OY --;-11ciy:COfindivlici-irt_i_86- at age 33715-e6irrfignited -States Itorneyoric:City in the early Ren 1950s, w17101rzred in cases brought enenme -:for sursive:csti_ n- issue of consider- !90-_ -able-C-01WrilAttial_Ifik ROSENBERG Cohn rtii:OTiati4Lfashington in 1952 to be a :77 special-assistant -Kifie Office of the United r= EthelRosenberg and her husband, Julius, States Attorney General. His reputation as a accused of being members of an "atom spy vocal anti-Communist brought him to the ring" and were convicted in 1951 for pasiing.... - attention of Senator Joseph McCarthy (see secrets to the Soviet Union. The Rosenbergs separate note), who named him Chief Counsel were electrocuted at New York's Sing Sing to McCarthy's Permanent Subcommittee on Prison in 1953. Investigations. Cohn and McCarthy became The historical jury is still out on the Rosen- household names during the infamous, tele- bergs. While some insist they were guilty, the vised Army-M -Carthy hearings of 1954. Rosenbergs went to their deaths persisting in Following McCarthy's fall from power, Cohn their claim of innocence. returned to New York, where he became Of particular note is the fact that the Rosen- influential and powerful in law, politics, and bergs were the only convicted "conspirators" society through his brilliant and unscrupulous in the case who were executed. Klaus Fuchs, a behavior. top-level spy involved in the Project Cohn was tried and acquitted three times for (the code name for the American atomic fraud, bribery, and conspiracy. For over 20 effort), and others were only imprisoned. years he was audited by the Internal Revenue Persistent in the minds of many are the beliefs Service, which placed a $3 million lien that the judge in the Rosenberg trial func- against him. Shortly before his death at the tioned as an agent of the prosecution, that National Institutes of the Rosenbergs were Health in Bethesda, targeted as examples, and Maryland, where he was JHENYOU RERD about [Roy Cohn' sl life, he that while Julius may have undergoing experimen- really must haue been a tremendously charming been a spy, Ethel was falsely tal treatment for AIDS, person. I feel I was seduced by the character convicted. Cohn was disbarred in as I was writing him People loved him During the Army-McCarthy New York State for Hearings,Roy Cohn which. considering the deeply repulsive things "unethical," "unprofes- bragged that he was sional," and "particularly he did in his life, is incomprehensible. "largely responsible" for the reprehensible" conduct. Tony Kushner,The Rtlanta Journal. Rpril 25. 1993. execution of the Rosenbergs.

11 i 2 EST,COPYAVAILABLE beliefs that God originally evolved from humankind and that the members of the Trinity are separated from one another. A central commandment of Mormonism into baptize one's departed ancestors into-the, osephiV4 daity_tfromname the pejo- church. Through proxy Baptism, Mi51141.)ris errh MCCatthyisrrr'was fashioned, was engaged in the effort to save the souTs'iarali: frItim Wisconsin in humanity. The process involves collectintiVier.- on the4.btd War fear of names of all who have lived since rthy efigaged in ruthless time and storing them on genealor0Eriftitir-- t Lure him re-elec- in Salt Lake City, Utah, so that tion, a atcolima.force in nafrKnal perform the baptismal rites for_teiterrsgt,- politics. individual basis. Initially perceived by many patriot, he was Following the lynching of Joseph_ eventually recognized by most as a self-serving in 1844 by a mob othii:inerriiii: liar and bully. Instrumental in McCarthy's-v. Young led the faithful to vViiatis downfall was journalist Edward R. Murrow, which Mormons called Deseret* TriWilireMati:: who exposed his deceptions and methods. lished the most extensive theocracy iii-Afrie-rica The Army-McCarthy Hearings of 1954 in since the original New England settlements. which the general public saw him as a reckless There are more than 9 million Mormons world- accuser and blustering posturerled to his wide. Mormonism is the fastest-growing major censure by the United States Senate. denomination in the United States. Although McCarthy's chief aide in many of his Wash- the church was founded in this country, ington endeavors, including the Army- approximately half of its members live outside McCarthy hearings, was Roy Cohn. the United States, in 140 countries. By the time of his censure, McCarthy's influ- AND IT ALSO DOESN'T HURT ence had essentially disappeared. He lapsed if you also know something about: into alcoholism and died in 1957. Lillian Hellman Newt Gingrich MORMONS Emma Goldman Jesse Helms According to Joseph Smith, the founder of Paul Robeson J. Edgar Hoover Mormonism, Mormon was an American prophet, warrior, and historian of the fourth Grace Jones century A.D. who was revealed to Smith as the Teddy Roosevelt Jeane Kirkpatrick author of a sacred history of the Americas. Wafter Winchell Jesse Jackson Mormons are more properly known as members of the Church of Ed Koch George Bush cak a- ,A1). Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Ed Meese Saints. Smith founded Jimmy Carter Richard Nixon the church in 1830. Kate Smith :4 Its elements include V.,/hif Barry Goldwater aspects of Joseph Welch Judaism and "Reagan's kids" Christianity, (Maureen, Mike, Nikolai Bukharin plus those Ayn Rand unique to Patty and Ron) Mormonism, Nostradamus Oliver North including the George Will Maria Ouspenskaya

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h pup,Mr. Pulitzer: B. Rail Quiz The Pulitzer Prize in Drama has been given since 1918 for "a distinguished play by an American author, preferably original in its source and dealing with American life." Tony Kushner was awarded the Prize in 1993 for Angels in America: Millennium Approaches. Here are clues to ten other Pulitzer Prize-winning plays. How many can you name? How many have been seen at the Kennedy Center? Answers on page 16.

Considered by many to be the finest American play, This dark comedy set in the Austrian Alps on the verge this 1959 `rama marked the fourth time its playwright of World War II starred and . was awardei the Pulitzer Prize. 6The movie starred Clark Gable and . Mr. and Mrs. Antrobus cope with an obstreperous Dana Ivey, , , and maid, Sabina Fairweather, in this play once called an all had success in the leading role of this 2"allegory of Everyman as seen through the comic strip." 71988 Pulitzer winner by . won his second Pulitzer Prize for this Charles S. Dutton and S. Epatha Merkinson went drama that featured two talking lizards. at it tooth-and-nail in this comedy-drama about 3 family heritage. The character played by got and qA highlight of this play set in a kept the upper hand in this two-character play by San Francisco bar is a spectacular display by a 4Donald L. Coburn. pinball machine. Six hours long, this play by Robert Schenkkan was Wendy Wasserstein garnered the Pulitzer for this the first in Pulitzer Prize history to receive the award ruefully funny take on modern women. 5prior to a New York debut.

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Robert Sella (Prior Walter) and Reg Flowers (Belize) in a scene from Angels in America.

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----=---7:. - ----:1_W------P_ETER BIRKENHEAD (Cou-aRoNsoN) -7.- _ _ _ -_,.._-=.--=---,__.:..- 01.117a6pperarance at the --7---, -11Mle Peter Birkenhead has appeared in _CenterW-a---013--the=fevival of Gypsy, in regional theaters throughout the country in. ---i-J--_-:-:- Ertl oppotite . Before plays by a wide range of playwrights, his pre- that he had been seen _vious Broadway and in the Terrace Theater:- touring performances have all been inpls by . 13etiie-ziilqiiisy and _ Most recently,- -=77 _ 7- --e/S-3-&-America;he-r-- Birkenhead w-a-s seen in appeared in Larry Laughter on the 23rd rA me r's The Destiny of Floor on Broadway. in Terrence Before that he played - McNally'sLips _in Brighton Beach Together, Teeth Apart, -Memoirs and Broadway KiftMeiRot&ay revival of . Bound. On tour he continued in and , and also played viauuate of Montgomery County, r-Yra-ricrs:Walter Johnson High School, is one in . rare actors who never seemsto be In addition to many off-Broadway appear- television ---:=:=-:;-_,---Tf-t-'-'-711ietween jobs." Since his first professional ances, Birkenhead has been seen on of in "Law and Order" and in the soaps "Another = break playing Schroeder in the 1968 tour You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, hehas World" and "." become one of America's most highly DIRECTOR: regarded stage actors. Prior to directing the current tour of Angelsin Hadary is familiar to viewers of "Law and America, Michael Mayer was acclaimed for his Order," "Miami Vice," and to thosewho saw production of Perestroika (Part Two of Angels in the Showtime production of inwhich he America) at New York's Tisch School of the Arts. re-created his original stage role. Another recent produc- COMPOSER: MICHAELWARD tion was the New York Michael Ward received a Drama DeskAward premiere of Marivaux's nomination for his music for the Broadway 18th-century The Triumph of Love. For four production of Millennium Approaches. seasons he was associ- other Tony He has provided music for three ated with the Young produc- Kushner plays, as well as for the recent Playwrights Festival at Night's tion of Shakespeare's A Midsummer New York's Playwrights Festival. Dream at the New York Shakespeare Horizons. He has also directed at Ithaca, New York's Hangar Theater, the Berkshire Festival,the New York Theatre Workshop, and at New York's Juilliard School of Drama. Mayer has served as a guest faculty member at New York University, Juilliard, and Yale. Currently, he teaches in the Fordham University Theatre Program.

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_eiier.audie-nces-113av -- ___EXIVIRcALIO'S SCENIC DERGINtsi_ellorrny, for TOUR THE EH OF iiILLEHIUR 11PPRORCHES FS.-Aisociate Scenic DeiA§ner large book-apilear_a Inscribed with the ftArnoile-: His -work has .alsols*etieft:.4-n-a- -pioductiOns at the Seattle Reps the Lo:Angei IPAtateph.whithilluminates. Theater Center, the Stage,---inci-at±±- rRepliIli is to1.7 firstt Letter of the Hebrew alphabet New York's WPA Theatre, among others. -:and.is the initial letter of God's name In addition to his much-discussed designs for the New York Shakespeare Festival revival of Adonai -fileph and tau- (the last letter in Sophie Treadwetl's , for which he the Hebrew alphabet) corresponds to -alpha received a nomination, he and omega.- denoting complete integration collaborated with director Michael Mayer on _ a a a the recent production of Marivaux's The Triumph of Love.- THE ClIRREHT ISSUE of the professional trade The work of COSTUME DESIGNER MICHAEL KRASS publication Forthcoming Books notes that was seen at the Kennedy Center in the Julie 83 titlesfiction and non-fictionusing Harris-Brock Peters tour of . Like scenic designer-, he collabo- . _word -angel- were set for publication rated with director Michael Mayer on the between summer 1994 and June 1995..

recent production of The Triumph of Love. a a a 4 Krass' designs have graced productions across inn sometimesSnit? ISthe the country at such regional theaters as San Diego's Old Globe, the Berkeley Rep, the sincerest turn of flattery Recent flatten tor Cleveland Playhouse, the Rep, and, Q.10* :Ffni!rri for many years, the Philadelphia Drama Guild. Julie Ralston s one-woman cabaret act 'The LIGHTING DESIGNER BRIAN MACDEVITT'S ripproaches i ;lot recent Broadway designs can be seen in Love! Valour! Compacsionl, the new Terrence McNally hit. Earlier this season his work was on view in the Broadway production of What's Wrong With This Picture? At the Kennedy Center, audiences have seen MacDevitt's work in Three Hotels. t%> ---"\ In London, MacDevitt lighted the revival of , starring Alan Alda. He also lighted the American tour of Can Can, starring . MacDevitt is a member of the design faculty at the State University of New York, College at Purchase. He received the 190-4- re 'wr d for Sustained Excellence.

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