‘Angels in America’ to launch Atlantis’ 20th anniversary

Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group unveils its first major production for its 20th Anniversary Season in 2019: Tony Kushner’s masterpiece Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, the first of the two-part Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning play. 

In the first part of Tony Kushner’s epic, set in 1980s New York City, a gay man is abandoned by his lover when he contracts the AIDS virus, and a closeted Mormon lawyer’s marriage to his pill-popping wife stalls. Other characters include the infamous McCarthy-ite lawyer Roy Cohn, Ethel Rosenberg, a former drag queen who works as a nurse, and an angel. 

Among the twentieth century’s defining works of dramatic art, Angels in America remains as transcendent and as potent and timely in its concerns as when it premiered on Broadway over 25 years ago. It is now the most Tony Award nominated play in Broadway history and the winner of 10 Tony Awards including Best Play and Best Revival of a Play. 

The New York Times Chief Critic, Ben Brantley, has said of Angels in America, “It brought theater back into the national conversation, in a way that hasn’t happened again until Hamilton.” 

Vanity Fair calls the play, “A masterpiece!” And The Los Angeles Times raves that Angels is “The most provocative and affecting drama of my lifetime.” 

Atlantis’ Artistic Director, Bobby Garcia, who will be directing the production says, “What a thrill it is for us to launch our 20th Anniversary with what I believe is the greatest play written in my lifetime. I first directed Angels in America in 1995 when I was 25 years old.”

“I look forward to revisiting the play almost 25 years later from a whole different perspective on life and death, heaven and hell. The play remains as timely as ever which is the true testament of a classic. I also look forward to assembling what I know will be a truly exceptional cast for this landmark production that a whole new generation of theatre goers will get to see in Manila,” he added. 

Asked why only part one is being staged next year, Garcia explains, “When I first saw Angels in America in 1993 on Broadway, only Millennium Approaches had opened. Tony Kushner was still refining and finishing up part two Perestroika. I had to wait eight months before Perestroika opened on Broadway. There’s a thrill to that waiting. It’s similar to how I experienced watching Star Wars when I was a kid. I counted the days until the next part opened. Angels in America  is also a complex beast of a show and taking our time with each part will also allow us to rehearse and tech the show with all the detail it deserves.” 

The 8-person cast includes Art Acuña as Roy Cohn, Topper Fabregas as Prior Walter, Angeli Bayani as Harper Pitt, Nelsito Gomez as Louis Ironson, Markki Stroem as Joe Pitt, Cherie Gil as Hannah Pitt, Andoy Ranay as Belize, and Pinky Amador as The Angel. The entire cast will also be playing multiple roles throughout the show. 

This production will be directed by Bobby Garcia with set design by Faust Peneyra, lighting design by JonJon Villareal, projection design by GA Fallarme, costume design by Odelon Simpao (with Rajo Laurel as designer for the Angel costume), sound design by Glendfford Malimban, and hair and makeup design by Johann dela Fuente. 

Show buying opportunities are now available for Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, which will run at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati from March 22 to April 7. 

For more information contact Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group at 650-5144 or at [email protected]