J Jha (Prior), Lisa Ramirez (Angel) RT back: Emilie Whelan (Harper)
Oakland Theatre Project, “Angels in America” (Part 1: Millennium Approaches) brilliantly captures the chaos of life-and-death struggles, as characters reach for courage, hope, and human connection.
Set during the 1980s AIDS crisis, this production not only captures the horror and fear of that era, but also resonates deeply with the anxieties of the 2020s. As COVID, wars, assaults on personal freedoms, and social injustices persist, the same sense of uncertainty hangs over society today. Republican leadership continues to fail the people.
The intricate set, by innovative Set Designer Mark Thomas, places us in the white ethereal space between heaven and earth. Four actors sit in each corner, suspended above the audience, representing their isolated worlds. Meanwhile, the pit below symbolizes an earthly reality.
Characters move in a counterclockwise pattern, eliminating the need for visible scene changes. Their movement, designed by Bear Graham are flawlessly timed. They even crash to the floor in perfect syncopation. Visual effects by Projection Designer Sarah Phykitt, clouds as Angel descends, city skylines as characters shift in the background, blend the supernatural with the mundane. We are immersed in the experience.
Director Michael Socrates Moran orchestrates the pacing of this three-hour epic with such mastery that the time flies. He draws out exceptional performances from each superb actor, capturing the pain and fear of their personal torment.
Dean Linnard (Louis), J Jha (Prior)
The powerhouse performances of J Jha as Prior and Dean Linnard as Louis grounds the play’s central theme. Prior’s descent into the ravages of AIDS is heart breaking. J Jha masterfully portrays the physical and psychological abuse of the disease, yet injects wonderful relief moments of dark humor. Prior’s encounter with the soft-spoken Angel, “The Messenger” seeking a prophet, subtle Lisa Ramirez, marks a turning point. Her ethereal touch on his shoulder sparks his questioning of God, his fate, hope, and life.
Louis, unable to cope with Prior’s sickness, leaves. Linnard’s portrayal of Louis skillfully embodies the universal conflict between love and fear that drives individuals to abandon the person they love the most.
Victor Talmadge (Roy M. Cohn)
Balancing this tension is Belize, Prior’s fierce and compassionate transgender friend, played by James Mercer II with warmth and flamboyance. Belize’s biting wit and wisdom offer moments of relief in a world where characters are drowning in loneliness and despair.
Victor Talmadge delivers a powerhouse performance as Roy M. Cohn, the narcissistic lawyer, most like our past goverment leader. Cohn’s relationship with shy Joseph Pitt, played by fervent Edric Young, captures Joe’s inner conflict. Joe, torn between his devout Mormon faith, questions his loyalty to Roy, and hides his repressed desires. Roy pushes Joe to join him as another Republican in power. The Republicans in DC have shut down justice and shun the LGBTQIA community, much like today. Meanwhile, Roy also denies he is dying of AIDS and, consequently, negates his vulnerability.
Front standing: Edrick Young (Joe), Emilie Whelan (Harper) In the pit: Dean Linnard (Louis), J Jha (Prior), Back: Lisa Ramirez (Angel)
Emilie Whelan shines as Harper Pitt, Joe’s Valium-addicted, hallucination-prone wife. She shifts between moods and behaviors in the blink of an eye, deftly capturing Harper’s desperate attempts to escape her unraveling mind. Whelan oscillates between biting humor and heart-wrenching pain, as Harper remains lost in delusions and unfulfilled desires.
Erin Mei-Ling Stuart plays many roles. As the Rabbi, she states, “So this is the melting pot where nothing is melting.” Between Erin, James Mercer II, and Lisa Ramirez, 17 characters are unveiled. Kudos to the versatility of their superior acting.
Erin Mei-Ling Stuart (Rabbi)
The tension between isolation and connection underscores much of the drama. Yet through the characters’ nightmares emerges a profound transformation, as they grapple with their authentic selves.
These COVID years, much like the AIDS pandemic of the ’80s, compels us to confront the struggles of a chaotic world. It instills fear and confusion, and prompts us to reevaluate our lives, and then charter a unique path to a more hopeful future.
Oakland Theatre Company’s Angels in America remains a timeless exploration of the human psyche in crisis, a must-see for anyone and everyone.
“Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes” by Tony Kushner, directed by Michael Socrates Moran, Lighting Director, Kevin Myrick, Sound Director, Ray Archie, Oakland Theater Company, at Marin Shakespeare Company 514 Fourth Street, San Rafael Info: www.oakland theatercompany.org until October 27, 2024.
Photos by Ben Krantz Studios
cast: J Jha, Dean Linnard, James Mercer II, Lisa Ramirez, Erin Mei-Ling Stuart, Victor Talmadge, Emilie Whelan, Edric Young