Angels in America

[jflynn]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 11:46pm

Picked up the play in a theater bookstore and am reading it now... I was wondering: while the plays were on B'way, they were in the same theater with the same cast, right? Did the two halves play every other night? I'm sure there wasn't an eight-hour performance each night, but it seems odd that they'd be split so that someone visiting New York might only see Perestroika and not Millenium Approaches.

Thanks for the info!!

-James

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 11:48pm

I *think* that Millennium Approaches ran alone, and then when Perestroika was finished, they alternated nights, but I'm not 100% sure.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 11:53pm

Speaking of AIA...I am off to watch Part II!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 11:54pm

yaaaaay! Enjoy, BT11!

[Razz77]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 11:54pm

Emcee -- I believe you are right. Millenium Approaches ran - won the Tony - and early in the next season Perestroika opened. They ran in repertory and were sometimes performed matinee/evening.

[pab]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 11:57pm

You are correct, they did indeed run together. I saw "Millennium Approaches" when it first opened and when I saw "Perestroika", near the end of its run, both plays were running. I remember seeing "Millennium Approaches" on a Saturday matinee and "Perestroika" that same evening.

[jflynn]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 11:59pm

Thanks for the response, I figured that was the case. I'm glad I stumbled across this board, it's a great resource!

[Cyndy]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 2:55am

If anyone's interested in seeing both parts of AIA in rep, it will be playing at the NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood February 18-April 10th. Millennium Approaches will play Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. Perestroika will be presented Saturday and Sunday nights.
Edit~to add a little ticket info. 818.508.7101 X5 or online at www.theatermania.com

Updated On: 1/30/05 at 02:55 AM

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 3:02am

my parents wont let me rent the damn dvds! GAR!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 4:52am

"Millenium" opened and ran about six months by itself at the Walter Kerr (and won the Tony, Pulitzer, Drama Desk etc...) while Kushner worked on, rewrote and workshopped "Perestroika" (the final workshop was at the NYU Tisch School .... with Ben Schenkman as Roy Cohn -- who later played Louis regionally and in the HBO movie -- and then NYU student Debra Messing as Harper, among others).

Once Kushner had a final version of the script, the OBC rehearsed the three-and-a-half hour "Perestroika" during the day, while performing the three+ hour "Millenium" eight times at week (talk about a killer schedule).

After that,"Perestroika" began regular performances in rep with "Millenium," (for the remaining year of the play's run on Broadway) and the production adopted the following schedule:

Monday evening: Millenium
Tuesday evening: Perestroika
Wednesday matinee: Millenium
Wednesday evening: Perestroika
Thursday evening: Millenium
Friday evening: Perestroika
Saturday matinee: Millenium
Saturday evening: Perestroika
Sunday: DARK

This schedule allowed you to see the entire play either on consecutive nights during the week or altogether in a single Wednesday or Saturday (you would buy tickets separately for each performance you wished to attend, so, if you chose to, you could see either part without having to see the other).

[lite2shine]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 1:14am

Cyndy, yeap, I'm planning to see AIA at NoHo in March. But only Millenium as I live in No Cal, I can't catch only one show Still I love the theatre, so just being able to go back to NoHo is great (I saw Dorian there last year)!

Light To Shine fan site for Big River

[lite2shine]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 1:18am

Margo, I have a question. Did you see Daniel Jenkins as Prior? He was the replacement for Prior, and as a fan of Danny I'd like to hear anything about him I'm a bit surprised that he was cast for the role (since he is straight and the role is gay, but I guess a gay actor plays a straight role too so it doesn't really matter) although he is so talented he can pull off anything!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 1:27am

Jenkins did fine in the role, but Spinella was so definitive as Prior (TWO Tonys, one for each Part) everyone else paled in comparison.

And by the way, one could easily name dozens, if not hundreds (thousands?) of straight actors who have successfully played gay roles, and vice versa.

[Cyndy]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 2:26am

lite2shine~I'm in NoCal too. Glad to hear that you had a chance to see Dorian. I wanted to let you know, if you didn't already, that The NoHo Arts Center will be presenting both parts of AIA on Sundays during the run....just in case that makes any difference in you being able to see both parts.

[lite2shine]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 12:46pm

Thanks, Margo. I agree, a replacement role is always tough to fill the original. And yes I know many many actors have performed successfully gay/straight roles too.

[lite2shine]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 12:48pm

Cyndy, I wish I can do Sunday matinee/evening show but no, the schudle doesn't permit it. So are you going to NoHo too? The only thing is the parking is horrible around that area in the evening (prior to the show). And I don't think I'd use the Metro at night...

[Cyndy]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 2:23pm

lite2shine~Yeppers, I'm planning on going to NoHo for AIA. We're probably going to see it the same weekend that we're down to see Kevin Bailey (Henry Lord in Dorian) in Annie Get Your Gun in Thousand Oaks. That'll be an interesting theatre weekend...Annie Get Your Gun Sat. and both parts of AIA Sunday. Talk about contrast!
About the parking: Have you tried the lot across the street from the theatre, back by the Television Academy building? It's a pay lot, but good in a pinch. There's also a free lot (after 6 pm)on Magnolia, across the street from the theatre and on the other side of Lankershim.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 4:58pm

I got to see the video finally.
It was an amazing production. I have to admit that I was confused with some of it. Maybe I was just tired or overwhelmed...But all in all it was truly amazing.

The one who played Prior was phenominal. And Streep and DeNiro where brilliant.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 5:12pm

Streep and Pacino. :)

[Joshua488]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 6:08pm

I absolutely ADORE the play(s), and I enjoyed the HBO miniseries VERY much. I own both MILLENIUM APPROACHES and PERESTROIKA, and whenever I have free time, I like to pick one up and read it. An EXCELLENT piece of work by Tony Kushner.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:33am

I know this is VERY 'after the fact,' but we finally - finally - saw the HBO presentation today.

I would just like to go on record somewhere - and this will do - as saying 'Thank You'. Especially to Mr. Kushner for the gift, and to the creative team who worked with such integrity to honor the vision.

Thank You.

Let the great work begin indeed.

[beacon1]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 8:38am

DGrant...

You saw it at last! I am so glad that you enjoyed this amazing piece.

beacon1 :o)