After scoring eleven Tony nominations, The National Theatre revival of Angels in America is now the most-nominated play in Tony history. Heightening the excitement of that news is the announcement that the two-part play will extend its run through July 15, 2018, giving audiences additional opportunities to take in the Tony Kushner, Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork.
Angels in America received Tony nominations for Best Revival of a Play, Best Direction of a Play (Marianne Elliott), Best Actor in a Play (Andrew Garfield), Best Featured Actor in a Play (Nathan Lane), Best Featured Actress in a Play (Susan Brown), Best Featured Actress in a Play (Denise Gough), Best Scenic Design of a Play (Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce), Best Costume Design of a Play (Nicky Gillibrand), Best Lighting Design of a Play (Paule Constable), Best Sound Design of a Play (Ian Dickinson for Autograph Sound Ltd.), and Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Adrian Sutton).
Set in New York City during the 1980s as the world was affected by the emergence of the AIDS crisis, the play follows the story of a handful of gay men and those surrounding them who are affected by the changing world the disease creates. Funny and thought-provoking, the play is a commentary on the world of Reagan America and the direction it would take.
Andrew Garfield plays Prior Walter, a gay man living with AIDS who, when visited by an angel, is revealed to be a new prophet. Nathan Lane portrays the notorious Roy Cohn, a closeted gay man who is dying from AIDS, using his influence and money to bulldoze his way toward beating it. Joining them in the cast are James McArdle as Louis Ironson, Prior’s partner, Lee Pace as Joseph Pitt, a married Mormon who is struggling with his sexuality, Denise Gough as his ever-suffering, pill-addicted wife Harper, Susan Brown as Joe’s mother Hannah, Nathan Stewart-Jarret as the outspoken nurse Belize, and Amanda Lawrence as the powerful Angel.
Angels in America is also the recipient of 7 Drama Desk nominations and 6 Outer Critics Circle Award nominations. The celebrated production comes to Broadway via London’s National Theatre. It opened at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre on March 25, 2018.
Mark Robinson is the author of the two-volume encyclopedia The World of Musicals and maintains a theater and entertainment blog at markrobinsonwrites.com.