by tom andrew –
Tony Kushner’s Angels In America gets its first production in California since its 2018 revival in London starring Andrew Garfield, Denise Gough, Nathan Lane, James McArdle
That same year, the National Theatre’s production landed on Broadway with most of the original cast. Both the London and then Broadway productions played to sold-out audiences, winning two Olivier Awards and also two Tony Awards.
Locally, Cygnet Theatre is taking on Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play about AIDS and homosexuality in the ‘80s. The complex, symbolic examination, at times metaphoric show, is broken up into two parts: Part I entitled Millennium Approaches and Part II, Perestroika.
As far as theatre goes, it has been said Angels In America is one of the most important pieces of theatre produced in the 20th century and at the time was considered the most thrilling piece of theatre in years. During the conservative Reagan administration when it premiered however, it was considered controversial because of its unflinching treatment of homosexuality, HIV/AIDS, religion
One of the storylines involves a married Mormon couple. The closeted husband, Joe, is struggling with his sexual desires for men and his wife, Harper, is agoraphobic and suffers from Valium-induced hallucinations. Cygnet has cast San Diego actress Rachael VanWormer in the role of Harper. VanWormer has been performing in and around San Diego since she was young, mainly playing teenagers. She now gets the chance to dig her teeth into what most would see as a career-defining adult role.
“It’s a fascinating experience to watch the way others perceive you shift and change over time,” VanWormer said. “I played teenagers for so many years, which I will always be grateful for. I’m now starting to edge into the next space, which I guess is leading lady. I’m grateful
To prepare for the role of Harper, VanWormer credits director Sean Murray for supplying the cast with dramaturgical information that included enough for the actress to get a running start. The rest was all up to her. “Our director compiled a comprehensive packet of dramaturgical information about every reference, historical figure, event, the political/religious/cultural system, mentioned in the script,” Van Wormer shared. “We also have images, news headlines, pamphlets, and relevant publications to help contextualize the time, place, and culture of the play.”
“I did plenty of my own research specific to Harper,” VanWormer continued. “Probably the most daunting truth of working on a piece like this is how words like ‘controversial, heartbreaking, huge, and daunting’ seem to be intrinsically associated with it. It’s a huge, multi-faceted challenge, that is true, but it involves a lot of reading, re-reading, asking questions and research into the environment of the play, the circumstances of the characters—the script for what the playwright has provided as your road map through this person’s brain and heart.”
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VanWormer opined. “Kushner makes it very easy for an audience to find something they like in a character they despise, and to find something repulsive in a character they root for. He sets the characters inside a tapestry of circumstances, which makes each of them a thoroughly compelling contradiction.”
As for playing the role of Harper, VanWormer is clear that it was not something she expected. “Harper was not a role I ever thought I’d have a chance at until the callback process,” VanWormer said. “It hit me that I did have a chance. I was struck with what a challenging, exciting responsibility she would be. Now that I’m here, I’m only grateful.”
Angels in America runs Wednesday, March 6 through Saturday, April 20 with a special “Out Night” on Wednesday, March 13 featuring a preshow mixer at 6 p.m. before the 7 p.m. performance. For tickets and more information, call 619.337.1525 or go to cygnettheatre.com.