ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

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ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/1/10 at 6:21pm

Word on ATC is that the cast will include Zachary Quinto as Louis, Zoe Kazan as Harper, Bill Heck as Joe, Billy Porter as Belize, Christian Borle as Prior, and Laura Innes as Hannah.

Very interesting. While I can't really picture Borle, the others all seem extremely well cast.

Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/1/10 at 6:31pm

Isn't Billy Porter a little old for the role? Interesting cast. I loved Zoe in Come Back Little Sheba and Seagull! Any word on who will play Cohn?

Updated On: 5/1/10 at 06:31 PM

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/1/10 at 6:33pm

What a cast...although I fell asleep the second I read the name Christian Borle, guy is the most yawn-inducing actor in New York, how can they cast him as Prior? It almost makes me not wanna see this, especially with Zachary Quinto in the cast who I think would make a much better Prior than Borle...then again I'd rather see Zoe Kazan in the role before Borle.
I was hoping for Cherry Jones as Hannah and Frank Langella as Roy Cohn (though from what I understand they don't go for big name actors) but this really does sound like an impressive group of people (save from the glaring exception).

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/1/10 at 6:52pm

Prior is my favorite character in the play. I'm going to be VERY unhappy if that turns out to be true. I know I'm nearly alone in this, but I can't stand Zoe Kazan. Harper is my second favorite character in the play. And I'm planning on flying in for this from out-of-state. This does not excite me. I hope this person is wrong.

A work of art is an invitation to love.

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/1/10 at 8:52pm

Half that cast is your list from ATC, somethingwicked.

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/1/10 at 10:42pm

Quinto and Porter have been discussed at length on this board as already having been part of the cast.

If you consider that "half" from "my" list, be my guest.

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/1/10 at 10:44pm

When does the subscription season start for this? Like to sign up. I wanna get tickets right away and I guess it would make sense to subscribe.

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/1/10 at 10:46pm

Nevermind. Just saw the other thread. May 18th?

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/2/10 at 8:36am

How Zoe Kazan keeps getting these plum roles is beyond me. She was genuinely well-cast in Jean Brodie, but has done nothing but scream her way through half a dozen parts since then. And every character she plays is the same, which is to say a variation of herself. I don't understand her appeal.

The prospect of Laura Innes, however, is tantalizing. I wouldn't mind seeing Zach Grenier as Roy Cohn.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

#10

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/2/10 at 11:19am

Um, her last name? I was watching a Backstage interview with her yesterday where she addressed that, and went on about how it's not nepotism, she worked really hard and went to Yale and was seen just like anybody else. But come on, of course she's going to say that! And people are not going to ignore that name.

A work of art is an invitation to love.

#11

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/2/10 at 11:30am

As much as I would love to see some man on man action vis-a-vis Bill Heck, isn't he already committed to the Orphans transfer?

#12

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/2/10 at 11:39am

Ugh, Zoe Kazan? Seriously? Christian Borle? Few things could keep me from seeing this play, but this cast might be one of them?

I chose, and my world was shaken. So what? The choice may have been mistaken. The choosing was not.

#13

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/2/10 at 11:50am

I keep forgetting that Zoe Kazan is third-generation famous, which is probably why she keeps getting parts that should go to other, more talented actresses. I'd love to see someone like Emily Bergl as Harper. Someone who would actually take the time to construct a character.

As much as I would love to see some man on man action vis-a-vis Bill Heck, isn't he already committed to the Orphans transfer?

If it ever happens...and it's starting to look like a bigger and bigger if, especially after Pat Healy's article today.

#14

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/2/10 at 12:16pm

I read the article this morning. It seems as though the production team is still committed to a fall transfer. It would be a shame if it didn't, such a remarkable 9 hours of theater...a marathon I wont soon forget.

#15

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/2/10 at 12:30pm

^ This will likely strengthen the play's odds for a transfer.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/139203-New-York-Drama-Critics-Circle-Names-Orphans-Home-Cycle-Best-Play

#16

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/6/10 at 6:12pm

I think I just peed a little.

Having seen Christian actually act before and having been blow away by it, I think this is an INCREDIBLE casting choice! He is a brilliantly talented performer and he has the ability to give Prior the things he deserves! He won't be a copy of Justin K. nor will he fall flat. I haven't seen an actor with his talent or his acting abilities in a long time. He'll absolutely be able to do this. I'm not particularly a huge fan of his but I saw him in California when I was on vacay and it blew me away.

I know it's like, the it thing to do in the Broadway community but at least go and see the fcking show before you spout out your bull**** opinions. I mean, come on. Not only is it ridiculous but it's also a bit pretentious. Yeah, I know, everyone on here is pretentious but still.

Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. ~Hans Christian Anderson

#17

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/6/10 at 6:45pm

I have second hand information that Borle is indeed cast as Prior.

"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert

#18

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/6/10 at 7:55pm

If this turns out to be true, I will be very interested to see Zoe Kazan and how she does. I was blown away by her in The Seagull and then completely disappointed by her in Behanding. Missed her earlier roles, but she's someone who I think is legitimately talented. Even as bad as I found her in Behanding, I felt like I saw glimmers of what could have been. It's so hard judging based on two shows, but this seems like a good part for her. I'm not gonna lie, though...I was really hopeful it would go to Marin Ireland or Nina Arianda. I cannot wait to see what the latter does next.

#19

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/6/10 at 8:11pm

I just popped in here to say Nina Arianda for Harper, but Sauja beat me to it.

In my dreams, Cillian Murphy plays Prior.

#20

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/6/10 at 8:28pm

Look, the Signature has no reason to cast crappy actors. They subsist on a huge grant and subscriptions, so they don't need to cast big-name actors, and Borle is anything but a big name anyway. I have complete faith in their casting, and I bet he'll surprise us. Hell, he reminds me a lot of Justin Kirk anyway.

And he may have had a nothing part in Legally Blonde, but I enjoyed his work in Spamalot.

Formerly SirNotAppearing - Joined 3/08

#21

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/6/10 at 8:40pm

Nina Arianda would make an awesome Harper. She should have a white-hot career after her star-making performance in Venus in Fur (for which she just won a well-deserved Clarence Derwant Award). She's the real deal, not an emperor's-new-clothes situation like Kazan.

#22

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/6/10 at 8:47pm

Theatre World Awards are coming up too. I hope she wins one. She really deserves it.

#23

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/7/10 at 9:28am

I did not see Marcia Gay Harden in the original, so I cannot speak for her portrayal of Harper.

However, for those who feel Zoe Kazan always gives pretty much the same performance no matter what role she is playing (and I tend to agree with that assessment), I would actually say the same thing about Mary-Louise Parker, who was brilliant as Harper on in the TV movie.

Parker's performances are almost always a variation on the same character, as has been the case with Kazan, but she rarely fails to give a fantastic performance (her recent Hedda Gabler aside). I've found the same to be the case with most of Kazan's performances.

I have yet to see Christian Borle in a dramatic role, and I am willing to open my mind and give him a chance as Prior. I don't see any reason why he would have been cast if he gave anything short of a brilliant audition.

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

Updated On: 5/7/10 at 09:28 AM

#24

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/7/10 at 10:14am

Is the Billy Porter casting true? I don't really think of him as an actor. He's an incredible singer who acts but I just can't seem him in the role of Belize. There is a grounded and powerful aspected to the role of Belize that I do not think Billy Porter possesses. I know that we should not make comparisons to the original productions and film but to go from the brilliant Jeffrey Wright to Billy Porter seems as though that role is just an afterthought to the power that be.

I would rather they cast an unknown then cast someone who is kind of a name who isn't really known for his acting chops. I could be wrong though. Angels in America's name recognition alone is enough to move some tickets. I would just hope there wouldn't be any weak links in the cast.

Updated On: 5/25/10 at 10:14 AM

#25

ANGELS IN AMERICA at Signature

Posted: 5/21/10 at 10:07am

Billy Porter has confirmed that he'll be playing Belize.
http://www.bvnewswire.com/2010/05/03/billy-porter-angels-in-america-revival/

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