(photo by Indy Ghost Light)

Indy Bard Fest mounts both parts of Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America” in rep at the Schrott Center for the Arts through June 25. I caught part one on opening night and hope to get back for part two.

For now, some thoughts: 

– Staging “Angels in America” would be a major endeavor for even the biggest local theater companies – not just because of its scale but also because of its wild range of stylistic choices. It’s unofficially part of what could be called Indy theater’s Big Swing Summer for small, facility-less theater companies in Indy. Elsewhere, Southbank Theatre Company is prepping an original musical version of Shakespeare’s “Troilus & Cressida,” Catalyst Rep is trying to inject new life into the failed B’way sci-fi musical “Starmites,” and Stage Door Productions is having a go at the acclaimed addiction drama “People, Places and Things.” Ambition clearly isn’t lacking here at the moment. 

– Cutting to the chase, Bard Fest, in “Angels” part one, proves itself up to the challenge of this challenging work. 

– The timing is interesting. With some audience members – and possibly some of the cast – not born when the play first reached the stage in the early 90s, many don’t have first-hand experience with or even fully appreciate that there was a modern plague prior to COVID-19.

— The shock, confusion, and horror of the early days of AIDS comes through here. And unlike many disease-of-the-week plays and movies, the “Angels” world isn’t populated with saints. Kushner boldly lets his characters be selfish jerks sometimes. I’m not just talking about Roy Cohn (Chris Saunders), the real-life Republican fixer, kingmaker and notorious asshole who has been famously played elsewhere by Al Pacino, Nathan Lane, and Ron Leibman. Another of the play’s central characters, Louis (Matt Anderson), abandons his AIDS-stricken partner, Prior (Jay Hemphill). Meanwhile closeted Joe (Joe Wagner) leaves his Valium-hooked wife, Harper (Miranda A. Nehrig). Halos are in short supply here. 

– What may be by those who haven’t seen it but only know its now-legendary status, Angels in America is filled with humor. It’s there in the truth-telling of nurse Belize (Allen Sledge), in Cohn’s expletive-laden phone calls, in fantasies (populated by cast members doubling as ancestors, historic characters, and more) and even amidst more brutal, emotional scenes. Even in life and death situations, these flawed folks are part of the human comedy.   

– The width of the Schrott stage gives the company room to breathe and adds to the gravitas of the play. That being said, it’s best to avoid the first few rows. A little distance allows for greater perspective – and avoids neck strain as the action moves from one side of the stage to the other.

— Here’s hoping some of the sound glitches are worked out, particularly when a character is shouting. And that the Antarctic snow can be contained a bit. I doubt if I was the only audience member who got a bit in the eye.

– In a piece for Midwest Film Journal about “Dune,” I complained that that epic movie wasn’t a satisfying experience because it ended halfway through. “Angels,” potential attendees should note, is similar. As powerful as the work is, part one is not a complete experience in and of itself. Exhilarating, powerful, compelling…yes. But complete, no. While I realize it creates greater challenges for the company, but I’m glad that the two parts of Angels in America are being presented in rep. The first half half justifies its more than three hour running time (with two intermissions), but I am yearning to see its completion — which I hope to get to next week. 

– And here I go again about printed programs: I realize they take resources, but I stand by my belief that even a few Xeroxed pages are far superior to electronic programs. Not only do they make clear those generous folks who helped make such a production as this financially possible, they also answer questions about the talent both on and off stage. It’s easy in a market such as Indianapolis to believe that everyone knows everyone. The reality is that that’s not the case. During intermission, for instance, two separate people affiliated with local theater told me they had not seen Miranda A. Nehrig before and were very impressed with her work here. A program with credits in the bios could have shown them that she has worked extensively with Bard Fest, Footlite Musicals, Buck Creek Players, Catalyst Rep and more. 

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