The rehearsals of Angels in America have been going on for three weeks already, but they've just moved into the theatre. Cast member Rebecca Morris (Harper) took these photos, and Willie Repoley (Prior) edited them and shared them with us. Enjoy the peek into Tony Kushner's masterpiece and our first play(s) of the Mainstage Season!

Andrew Hampton Livingston as Joe Pitt, Michael MacCauley as Roy Cohn

Willie Repoley, Michael MacCauley, and Angie Flynn-McIver (Director)

Callan White as Ethel Rosenberg, Michael MacCauley as Roy

Callan White as Henry, Roy's doctor; Nathan Crocker as Belize

Dusty McKeelan as Louis, Andrew Hampton Livingston as Joe

Dusty McKeelan as Louis, Michael MacCauley as Roy, Andrew Hampton Livingston as Joe, Willie Reploey as Prior Walter

Dusty McKeelan as Louis, Nathan Crocker as Belize, and Willie Repoley as Prior

Michael MacCauley as Roy

Rebecca Morris as Harper Pitt, Callan White as Hannah Pitt

Vivian Smith as the Angel, Willie Repoley as Prior


Willie Repoley as Prior, Dusty McKeelan as Louis

Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches and Part Two: Perestroika run October 13 - November 13, in rotating repertory. Tickets can be purchased online, in person, or over the phone (828.239.0263). For more information on the play or the repertory schedule, check out our website: ncstage.org or call the box office (828.239.0263).

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Why I'm excited to see Angels In America again.

Interview with Angie Flynn-McIver about Angels In America, Parts 1 and 2, and the challenges of directing such an epic play and what's it like to direct the same play for a second time.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

THE END IS NEAR *

* See Angels at NC Stage! - Run Ends SUNDAY 11/7

Fun Internet Search Anecdote:

It's true! The apocalypse is here, if you take the definition from the Greek, meaning 'revelation' or 'lifting of the veil.' Angels in America is an apocalypse in itself!

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It's hard to believe we're in our final week of performances of Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, but it's true. Time flies, but don't let it fly by you this weekend if you haven't seen this production yet. As I'm writing this, there are only 95 tickets left spread over the four remaining performances -- WAIT -- make that three remaining performances; tonight is sold out. Word's been spreading and the word is good. (As are the pictures! Credit: Treadshots Photography)

Jorja Ursin as Hannah Pitt

Speaking of words, if you have seen the show already and want to read the play, head to Malaprop's, our lovely neighbor and script purveyor for the 2010-2011 NCSC Season. And let us remind you, our production is only Part One! Tony Kushner's masterpiece is so epic, it's a two-part play, and Part Two, AKA Perestroika, picks up where Millennium Approaches leaves off. The story continues!

Andrew Livingston and Michael MacCauley as Joe Pitt and Roy Cohn

So pass the word along and share your Angels story with a friend, or with us! We love hearing from patrons, so give us a call, write on our blog, send an email, or write us a letter -- however you want to communicate we're open to it. Hope to see you this weekend!

Andrew Livingston and Rebecca Morris as Joe and Harper Pitt

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

What does 'Angels' mean to you?

We're now entering our third week of performances of our production of Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, and we've heard wonderful responses from audience members afterwards. In fact, on Sunday, as a woman was leaving the building she told me in a whisper, "That was the best performance I've ever seen in my life." We've received great reviews from both the Asheville Citizen-Times and the Mountain Xpress, too. A lot of people, however, have told us, "I need some time with this one," and we understand. It's a doozy.

But if you have seen it -- either our production or elsewhere --

and you're ready to share, we'd like to hear from you:

What does 'Angels' mean to you?

If you haven't been following the blog, you can go back and read what some of the designers and other production people have said about their experiences with the play. Also, we have what actor Willie Repoley shared with us on the significance of the play not just on a large scale, but personally as well. (A similar post about Angels that Willie wrote after we read Millennium Approaches a couple years ago in the (For)Play Series caught the attention of someone writing an article about the resurgence of Angels productions for its 20th anniversary, and now you can find a quote from Willie in the most recent Newsweek!)

Basically, we'd love to hear from you. Anything you've got... and if you'd rather share in person, we have three community discussions with Western North Carolina AIDS Project coming up regarding the play and AIDS. They are Friday, October 29 after the show; Saturday, October 30 at 2 PM; and Saturday, November 6 after the show. Angie Flynn-McIver will be at this Saturday's discussion if you have any questions for her. And don't forget to tell your friends to come see the show! Send 'em our link to buy tickets online: ncstage.tix.com or they can call our box office at 828.239.0263.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Visual Stimuli: Worldwide 'Angels' Poster Designs

NCSC's Basic Angels poster design

While I was doing some research on the production history of Angels in America, I came across a number of production posters from all over -- from college productions to Broadway, small town America to the Netherlands. Fascinating stuff, though many seem to focus heavily on the Angel or wings feature. Here are some I've come across... any thoughts, please share 'em! Thanks for reading and watch for more poster posts in the coming days.

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The poster for the original Broadway production in 1993.

A more recent production of Angels from Amsterdam, the Netherlands... strays farther from the Angel/wing theme than many of the others.

Fort Lewis College in Colorado seemed to keep with the Angel bit for their poster, perhaps inspired by the Broadway poster, no? Very similar vulnerable pose for the angel.

Interesting choice for a poster design... really embraces the setting being that of New York. Quite busy design, wings are very eerie for this one.
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Hmm... well, I know what play I'd be going to see, that's for sure. It just doesn't keep my attention for long.

I really like this one. It stays with the wing design, but remains simple and still it brings in the many themes of the play in the intricate feather-newspaper-clippings.

As the poster says, this was the design for the British Premiere in the early 90s. Like the previous poster, it is very simple, but visually appealing in its simplicity. This one was produced at The National Theatre.

Now this one has an interesting story... Intiman Theatre in Seattle produced both Part One (Millennium Approaches) and Part Two (Perestroika). From what I read on this design was that this poster was for Part One and the other half was for Part Two. The Intiman was the first regional theatre awarded the rights to the play, and Part One closed their 1994 season and Part Two opened their 1995 season. Perhaps the design seemed confusing to folks, but I find it very intriguing in the mystery of what is 'missing.'
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So, any thoughts? We'd love to hear from you. Watch for more posts in the coming days, and be sure to come out to see Angels at NC Stage!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Free Fall - Notes from Angie

Our first Angels blog post this season shared a bit from Angie about why NC Stage chose to produce the play in the first place. Today, the first night of our public performances (and Pay-What-You-Can Night), we have another snippet from Angie -- this time about how this amazingly talented ensemble has really come together in this project to put forth some stunning work. We had a smaller audience for our dress rehearsal last night, and our set designer, James Johnson, took some pictures. Keep your eyes peeled and you'll be seeing them in the very near future. For now, feast your eyes on the words of Angie Flynn-McIver, the director of Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches.

Free Fall

"When I start thinking about a play I’m directing, I begin with the cast. That may seem obvious. For me, though, choosing the people I’ll be working with for upwards of thirty hours a week, spending days and nights, many meals, the requisite company-wide cold, the change of season…the decisions are crucial and can’t be fixed once we move forward. So I agonize and labor over casting, dragging it out for weeks.

And then it’s done. And we’re in rehearsal. And all the auditions and moving around of head shots and list-making start to pay off. At the time of this writing, we are a little more than a week from our first performance. Rehearsals are going well, and we moved onto the set last weekend. But this play is huge, and even though we’ve had an extra week of rehearsal, I feel like I could use another week, or two; I’m afraid I’ll miss something. But aaahhh! The actors! They are smart, and they understand their craft. I can throw myself off the trapeze, calling, “Heeeeey! We have to fix this blocking but I’m out of ideas!” and one actor or another, or all eight of them, will swing by and grab me by the wrists, keeping us all aloft, or we all fall into the net and laugh and pick ourselves up again and tackle the dilemma of the moment together.

Theatre is a collaborative art. We are all in this thing together. The cast of Angels in America is a great example of this, in part because the cast is a mix of actors I’ve worked with before and some new faces. I love the rapport I have with an actor like Willie Repoley (playing Prior) because he and I have worked together half a dozen times—we know each other’s shorthand and trust each other implicitly. It’s also great to get to work with people I haven’t directed before, like Dusty McKeelan (playing Louis) because the newness keeps me on my game and pushes me to be better. The chemistry of the cast provides its own momentum, in many ways, and informs the process as well as the production."

Friday, October 8, 2010

Kat Martin, Production Assistant

We've been learning all kinds of fun facts about one particular member of our Angels production team lately, and that is intern and production assistant Kat Martin. Just the other day we found out that Kat's dad works with a company that owns and flies the biggest kite in the world. For real, it's in the Guinness Book of World Records. It's an American flag. Also, Kat's grandfather served two terms as governor of North Carolina. Remember Gov. James Grubbs Martin? Well, that's Grandpa to Kat. Her uncle, Joe Martin, also was in the news. When the 1996 Charlotte Rep Angels controversy flared up, he went on the defensive to keep the proposed arts funding cuts from going through.

Here are her words about the experience:

    "I grew up in Charlotte during the controversy surrounding the 1996 Charlotte Repertory production of Angels in America: Part One the Millennium Approaches. I was too young to know what all the fuss was about but it was very clear that there was a fuss. Everyone from politicians on the radio to artists in the paper and even my parents around the dinner table were talking about Kushner’s master work. My whole life I thought of Angels as an intimidating show that created division. I did not realize how wrong I was until NC Stage began working on their production. The show speaks for itself in its philosophical yet secular, beautiful yet grimy effect and speaks to the heart of what it means to be a modern American.

    As incredible and thought provoking as the script itself, the most exciting part of this process for me has been the chance to learn more about my own uncle. Politicians used the infamous Charlotte production of Angels as a tool to spark a political debate about arts funding. During this controversy, funding for the arts was cut under the banner of censorship although many suspect it was an early piece of regional morality legislation. My uncle, Joe Martin, was a passionate opponent to the arts budget cuts. I had always heard stories of the speech he delivered to the county commission (it has become lore within my family), but I had never read it for myself. Working on this show gave me an opportunity to read Joe’s speech and I could not be more proud or revved up. The power of labels is discussed throughout the play and could not have been more pertinent to the debate in Charlotte. According to Uncle Joe, “This debate is not about the arts is it? This about something more fundamental. This is about the power of government on one hand and the nature of community on the other.”

    This fundamental issue is an essential theme in Kushner’s work and creates the conversation that must happen to create true community and a true sense of “American-ness.” It is a very hopeful sign that society has become more tolerant and the NC Stage production can be produced without sparking a huge ideological controversy. This play and specifically this production will always remind me of the important role that open dialogue has in creating a tolerant cultural identity. I will always feel a sense of connection to this show because of the connection it created for me with my own uncle."

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Want to read "Uncle Joe's" opinion piece in the Charlotte Observer? Click here.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Sneak Hear: Radio Ad for Angels

We just got our newly recorded radio ad in the other day - give it a listen!

Holy sh*t!

What productions have you seen that made you think just that?

We're shooting for that kind of reaction with Angels, so I would suggest that you order those tickets you've been thinking about...

Thursday, September 30, 2010

On Costuming 'Angels'

Today we have responses from Giny Speaks, the costume designer for Angels. Giny is a recent graduate of Warren Wilson College where she majored in Theatre/English. Sneak peek pictures of her Angels costume designs will be up soon, but in the meantime, check out what she designed for WWC's productions of The Bacchae and The Winter's Tale. Now what you've been waiting for...

Heeeerre's Giiinnnyyy!

1) What's your history with this play? I first read Angels in college, and I have seen only bits and pieces of the film adaptation. I've been searching photos of various other productions that have served more as a counter-influence; I try to look at what has been done, what people's exposure has been to the play and go in a different direction.

2) What has been your biggest design challenge for Angels? My biggest challenge is to take such a well-known play in a new direction. Particulary since the release of the movie, audiences have begun to expect certain things from this play, and designers often stick with the comfortable, accepted design choices because it's a guaranteed hit. I want to change things up and find new ways to stimulate the aesthetic senses of the audience.

3) What aspect of the design process for this particular production excites/has excited you most? One of the things that I love about this play is the wonderful juxtaposition and coherence between different spheres of American society. The characters range from devout Mormons to corrupted businessmen to drag queens and beyond, and despite each character's background and personal beliefs, they all share in the human condition and have ties to people who are extremely different from themselves. I constantly find myself asking, "How can I translate this concept into the language of shape and color to unite such a vast range of personalities?"

4) When you think of 1985, what comes to mind first? Don Henley won the MTV Video of the Year award for "Boys of Summer". My parents were married.

5) What's your favorite chaser for hot dogs? Mozzarella sticks

6) Any other highlights/last words? Photos coming soon!

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One last note: Remember to come see us at Blue Ridge PRIDE this Saturday! Tell us your Angels story, get info on tickets, see what we're up to... we'll be there all day. See you there!

Monday, September 27, 2010

More Designer Responses... Questions, anyone?

For today's post we have James Johnson's responses to the designer questionnaire. James is our set designer, and here's what he had to say:

1) What's your history with this play? Angels in America was one of the first productions I was in during my college career. I was a freshman, and I played Prior Walter in Perestroika. I was in way over my head. I don’t think I understood the cultural importance of this play, which is integral to a quality production. For me, this play is so much more than a play, it’s a commentary, a critique, an adventure with America at the heart.

2) What has been your biggest design challenge for Angels? Ha! Biggest design challenge? How does an Angel crash through the roof? How do we move seamlessly from scene to scene in such a small space? How do you excite the production team with an interesting design? How do you speak to the audience through a design? A very good friend of mine once said, "I never finish a design, I simply abandon it." That statement speaks volumes to what I try to do onstage. Everything is a challenge, and should always be a challenge. But that’s why I love what I do!

3) What aspect of the design process for this particular production excites/has excited you most? I love finding interesting shapes and colors that can become other things or harken an idea. For this production we harken the look of New York, yet nothing really looks like New York. Its more American than that.

4) When you think of 1985, what comes to mind first? I wasn’t born yet... Is that weird?

5) What's your favorite chaser for hot dogs? Or, your preference: hot dog or antacid? Or, if that weirds you out, what's your favorite flavor of ice cream? Hot dogs are good anytime, I would just have another hot dog. Cookie Dough!

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NCSC Mainstage: Angels in America

As we approach the opening of Angels in America, we will be posting some more responses of our design team about their process and vision for the production and interviewing some cast members about their experience. I just came up with the questions on my own, but how 'bout you? Do you have questions for our Director? Cast members? Designers? Artistic Director? Producing partners, Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) or Posana Cafe?

Respond at the end of the post or email us. Hope to be hearing from you soon...

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Over the Years: Angels

Drawing by Al Hirschfield

While looking for some informative links, videos, and pictures from productions of Angels over the last twenty years, I found some fun and stimulating stuff. (Amazing, the internet.) Aside from the picture above, we've found a great article from Out Magazine entitled "Angels in America: The Dream Life of Angels", a snippet from an Arts Wire 'Current' from the archives of 1997 on the decimation of arts funding in Charlotte attributed to Charlotte Rep's production of the play, and a video by Signature Theatre Company in New York City who is producing both Millennium Approaches and Perestroika this season in a 20th anniversary celebration of Angels.

From Signature Theatre Company:

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Sneak Hear from Jason

So Monday we had our sound designer's responses to the Designer Questionnaire, and as promised, today (the aforementioned 'later in the week') we have a sneak hear of what Jason's been working on for Angels. This is the main theme he wrote for the production and what he is currently working from to develop the music in the show. Check it out!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Angels Designer Insight

Just last week I came up with a few questions for our design team to answer about their process, the play, and some personal anecdotes relating to the play. Today we have the responses of Jason Waggoner, our sound designer.

1) What's your history with this play?
I actually have never seen Angels on stage or screen. I knew about it by reputation only, but didn't encounter it in my professional or personal life until NC Stage approached me about designing this production. I feel like this is an advantage in some ways specifically because I don't have any preconceived notions about the show or how it should be done. Essentially, I can have a completely unencumbered design process for it.

2) What has been your biggest design challenge for Angels?
The sheer size of the text has been quite a challenge. I am at a point in my career where I am almost insisting on composing any music used in my designs, with the exception of incidental music called for by the script, of course. With a play like Angels, a play that has something in the neighborhood of 30 scenes, that's a fair amount of music to write. In addition to the sheer size of the show, trying to capture the feeling of Angels has proven a bit of a challenge. I want to keep the sound of the music rooted in reality, that is to say not write music that makes Angels seem like a fantasy play. However, I also want to keep the fantasy alive enough in the music that fantastic moments in the show can be supported by the score when appropriate. Doing all this and keeping the music from going stale through the show is a constant balancing act, it seems.

3) What aspect of the design process for this particular production excites or has excited you most?
Writing the music is always the most exciting part for me. I enjoy putting together sound effects and creating the aural environment of a show, but for me the most challenging and exciting part of a design is the composition.

4) When you think of 1985, what comes to mind first?
Punk rock, Reagan, AIDS epidemic, crack cocaine epidemic, Dallas (the TV show), my dad's rocking chair... to name a few.

5) What's your favorite chaser for hot dogs? Or, your preference: hot dog or antacid? Or, if that weirds you out, what's your favorite flavor of ice cream?
My favorite dog chaser is a nice cold PBR, I don't take antacid because I have insides made of iron, and my favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip.

6) Any other highlights/last words?
Doing Angels seems to be a modern right of passage almost. People talk about their first Romeo and Juliet, or their first Mamet play; Angels seems to be joining the ranks of theatrical monoliths that all actors, designers, and technicians do at some point in their career and remember as a milestone from that point forward. I entered this show fairly unassuming, and while I expect to come out the other side having experienced something profound, I feel I am remaining rather unassuming throughout the process. I feel extremely privileged to be going through this process with other artists that I know and trust, and who I know will support me and trust my decisions. I hope that as the audience experiences the full production of Angels in America, the passion and the heart of the people involved on all sides of the production will translate to a truly memorable and remarkable experience.

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Be sure to check back later for some sneak peeks (sneak hears?) of what Jason's been working to create for the production, as well as more designer interviews.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Stories of 'Angels'

As we get closer to opening our production of Angels in America, we will feature personal stories about the play. Today we have our first story about how Angels played an important role in how theatre is a part (or became a larger part) of the author's life.

We welcome the words of Willie Repoley. Willie is frequent actor on our stage and will be playing the role of Prior Walter in our upcoming production of Angels. Here's what he had to say:

"I posted something on the NCSC blog in 2007, when we presented this play as the very first (For)play reading. It has now been three years since that posting, and 10 years since I first performed in the play (as Louis) at Guilford College. That makes it about 15 years since I first experienced the play, at Charlotte Rep.

It seems so unlikely that a single play would keep showing up in my life, and even more unlikely that I would be just as excited to approach it each time. After all, plenty of plays -- or songs or artists or you-name-it -- that once seemed vital and full of life now strike me as ordinary or even boring. What is is about Angels in America? Why does this play still seem so revelatory?

It's hard to say exactly or concisely, but I'll try. I left the theatre after seeing Millennium Approaches at the Rep in a state of amazement, and said to my dad, who took me, "That's why." It was the best I could articulate what had just happened at the time, but years later, I can recognize how seeing the play literally changed the trajectory of my life. Now that I knew firsthand what people meant by "the power of theatre," I knew that I wanted to share in making theatre that had the potential of affecting people in serious and profound ways. So, that's why.

It's also an unusual play in the sense that it is set so precisely in time, this moment in the mid- 80's when Reagan was president and AIDS was an almost wholly unknown and terrifying modern plague. Plays that are tied so closely to one snapshot of time run the very real risk of growing dated. No one wants to perform --or come see-- a play that doesn't feel like it matters anymore. And Angels is also about very specific people, all of whom are removed by at least a degree or two from "mainstream" America-- the lone WASP? He's gay. The white Army widow? She's Mormon. The black male nurse ex-drag queen? Well, you get the idea. But the relationships between these people are as vivid and emotionally engaging as if every one of them were a close family member or dear friend. When I first saw it, the play made me feel like a better citizen of the world and a more powerful inhabitant of the good old US of A, even though the world of the play was fairly far removed from my own life and my own experience. It is remarkable to me that a story about a particular time that is reasonably meaningless to me personally (I was 8 in 1986), and about characters have little to do with me personally are so well constructed and so true to themselves, that they can still engage me is such a visceral, immediate way. So that's why.

What can I say? The play challenges me, and engages me, and pushes me, and comforts me, and makes me cringe, and makes me laugh, and makes me sit on the edge of my seat in giddy excitement at my good fortune to be involved again with this story, and with these characters. I think it is one of those rare plays that actually helps me see me. Like, say, Hamlet: I'm never going to be in his situation, but experiencing his struggle engages me in not only his story, but, if it is done well, in my own. I think it is Alfred Hitchcock who is credited with saying something like, "If you want to be universal, be specific." It sounds strange, but when someone gets it right, it makes perfect sense, and for me Angels in America is about as right as it gets. It is very specific on every level: the time, the place, the people, even the language and punctuation of the play itself. And in risking making the play inaccessible to a wider audience, Kushner actually has allowed it to be much bigger than the sum of its parts. So, that's why.

I'm pretty much scared out of my mind to start work on the play with the specific goal of playing Prior Walter, who on the surface is very unlike myself. Where do I start? How do I present him honestly, coming from such a different place? I don't know. But I do know that the answers will be found in the rehearsal room with the help and hard work of not only myself, but of the entire cast and crew, and of course Angie. And ultimately, I know that the truth of Prior is already there, in the words, and in the very real connections he has with all the people and situations of his life. And I know, I have absolute faith, that I can trust in that.

And that's why, too.

I hope this play keeps showing up in my life. I will always be ready to visit it again. Let's get started. See you on the other side."

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Many thanks go to Willie for sharing his Angels story. If you have a story to share about Angels, please share it with us! Contact Lauren at laurenkriel@ncstage.org to do so.

Keep checking in every Monday (and mid-week, too) 'cause we'll have more stories, pictures, designer sneek peaks and interviews coming up in the next month. Thanks for reading!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Monday Update: Bard-a-thon, 'Angels' (For)Play

We've finished the Bard-a-thon and 'twas a smashing success. We surpassed our fundraising goal by over 30%! Thanks go out to all donors, viewers - both physical and virtual - and, of course, participants. We'll have more info up later in the week once we get through some number crunching and tallying, and we'll also have another blog post this week with some personal stories from folks involved in Angels. Some hosts and participants from the Bard-a-thon are cast members from Angels, and you can see and hear them read again very soon...

If you haven't had your fill of hearing plays read aloud this weekend, TONIGHT, Monday, September 13 is the first (For)Play reading of the 2010-2011 Season! Come hear the cast of Angels in America: Millennium Approaches read this epic play at 6 PM in the Carol Belk Theatre on the UNC-Asheville campus. We hope to see you there!

So you've never been to a (For)Play reading? Here's the deal: The (For)Play Series is a series of free readings of our Mainstage plays before rehearsals begin. If you enjoy watching the artistic process unfold, we encourage you to come to this initial reading and then buy a ticket to see the fully realized production. For an even more in-depth look, buy a copy of the script at Malaprop's Bookstore, which is stocking all of NC Stage's plays this season.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Angels... Approaches

Greetings all! It's been quite a while since our last post, but as our Mainstage season is fast approaching, we wanted to give you a peek at what's been going on in preparation for our first production, Tony Kushner's Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes - Part One: Millennium Approaches. We'll be posting every Monday from now until when the show opens with all kinds of interesting stuff from designers, cast members, and (potentially) folks from the community, too!

To start off, Angie has shared a little about the play and why we chose to produce it...

"This play, first produced in 1990, was a catalytic theatrical event of the last twenty years and is generally regarded one of the finest and most influential plays of the 20th century. Though most of its plot points revolve around AIDS and gay life, the themes are much wider: loss, identity, home, truth. Tony Kushner masterfully explores timeless human concerns through the lens of the AIDS epidemic, specifically as it affects Prior Walter and Roy Cohn, two of the main characters.

We have been attracted to this play for years. I saw it on Broadway in the mid-90s, and the characters' stories and the piece's inherent theatricality stuck with me. Its intimate scenes are well-suited to our space and our aesthetic, and its theatricality is an exciting challenge. Kushner, like Shakespeare, often works with pairs--opposites, complementary pairings, and things that look like opposites but really aren't...we are using this structural inclination to inform our design choices and the approach to this sprawling, gorgeous play.

We are thrilled to be working on this piece. The designers, cast and I have been working for weeks already to distill our approach to this play, and to define our theatrical language. Already, many people have asked, 'How are you going to do the Angel?' All I can say is wait and see. It's gonna be awesome."

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And now you can meet some of the people involved! Pictures are from a reading of the play we had a couple weeks ago with most of the cast (including one castmember in Los Angeles via video iChat!), designers, and NCSC staff.

Angie - Director, Rob Bowen - Lighting Designer, Charlie, Michael MacCauley - Roy Cohn, Vivian Smith - the Angel, Willie Repoley - Prior Walter, Rebecca Morris - Harper Pitt

Andrew Livingston - Joe Pitt, Jessica Kammerud - Props Designer

Michael MacCauley - Roy Cohn, Willie Repoley - Prior Walter

Rebecca Morris - Harper Pitt

To meet the rest of the cast not pictured, you can check out the Angels page on our website.

If checking out these pictures has piqued your interest in what it would be like to sit in on a reading, you're in luck 'cause next Monday, September 13 at 6 PM we kick off the first reading of our (For)Play series at the Carol Belk Theater on the UNCA campus by reading Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.

So you've never been to a (For)Play reading? Here's the deal: The (For)Play Series is a series of free readings of our Mainstage plays before rehearsals begin. If you enjoy watching the artistic process unfold, we encourage you to come to this initial reading and then buy a ticket to see the fully realized production. For an even more in-depth look, buy a copy of the script at Malaprop's Bookstore, which is stocking all of NC Stage's plays this season.

More to come... just wait 'til next week!

Theatre - The neXt generation

Thursday, October 20, 2011

What were YOU doing in 1985?

Average Price for new car $9,005.00

Friday, October 7, 2011

Angels Rehearsal Photos