Theatre prepares for "Angels"

Latest production focuses on homosexuality

April 16, 2007 —

by Christina Dillbeck

Theatre freshman Caleb Knutson, theatre junior Chad Baker and criminal justice and theatre major Bethany Champion rehearse a scene from "Angels in America Part One: Millenium Approaches."

SVSU's theatre department has chosen the Pultizer prize-winning play "Angels in America" for its latest production, and it's challenging resident actors' commitment and ability perhaps more than ever.

"I never kissed another man until this play," said theatre freshman Caleb Knutson.

"Angels," written by Tony Kushner, is about the AIDS epidemic that hit America in the mid-1980s. The story revolves around the lives of Prior Walter, Louis Ironson, Joseph Pitt, and Harper Pitt. Prior is living with AIDS, causing frustration between he and his lover Louis. Joe is dealing with his wife, Harper, who is slowly having a nervous breakdown, as well as questioning his Mormon Faith. These four characters' lives are contrasted by that of Roy Cohn, a conservative man with AIDS.

Angels is considered a controversial play due to the subject matter, but isn't the first play labeled as such to be performed by SVSU's theatre department. Another was "The Laramie Project," which revolves around a hate crime that took place in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998.

Even with the element of potential disapproval, negative views haven't been expressed towards the theatre department for putting on Angels.

"The response has actually been quite supportive," Assistant Professor of Theatre Ric Roberts said. Some classes on campus are even studying the play in preparation for going to see it.

"The message is important enough that you can overlook the controversial stuff in it," said theatre junior Chad Baker.

Roberts said the department has known about Angels for some time.

"About two years ago, scenes popped up in classes," Roberts said. "Back then the theatre department wasn't ready." Now, with more males being involved in the department, Roberts said that the actors needed are there.

Members of the cast believe that Angels is a play that will really push their acting skills. "It is really a test of all our acting abilities," Knutson said.

Knutson plays the role of Louis Ironson and said that this role has him doing things that he has never done before and wouldn't do in the real world.

"If I can play this role 100 percent and really dedicate all my energy to this role that I might not necessarily 100 percent agree with, then I know I can play any role a director casts me as."

Baker, who plays Prior Walter, agrees, saying that when he got the part he went from being excited to being nervous because Prior is a "hard character to play."

Theatre senior Alyssa Kindy plays Hannah Pitt, Joe's mother. "My character has to be so completely against homosexuality," Kindy said. "I don't like what I have to say."

"There are people in this cast who may abhor what they say or do in the show and that is okay," Roberts said.

As per Kushner's intentions, this play has "men playing women's roles, women playing men's roles, straight men playing gay roles," Roberts continued.

"Almost every character starts out as a stereotype," said theatre and criminal justice junior Bethany Champion. "By the end everyone makes a 180 and they are completely different from what they started with."

The audience rating of 16 and older is due to language throughout the play and nudity that appears in a scene.

The play will run from April 20 to 22, and from April 27 to 29. Tickets are $7 for general admission and $5 for students and senior citizens.