Angels in America-Part One: Millennium Approaches
26 Nov, 2021~
26 Dec, 2021
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Venue
Myeongdong Theater
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Genre
Theater
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Show Time
Weekdays 7pm ㅣSat & Sun 3pmㅣNo performance on Tuesday
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Tickets
R 60,000KRW | S 45,000KRW | A 30,000KRW
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Duration
225 minutes. Subject to change.
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Enquiry
cs@ntck.or.kr
Language Korean
* English subtitles are provided on Thursdays and Sundays.
Age Restriction Suitable for ages 20 and over
※ In line with the current social distancing measures enforced by the South Korean government in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19, we leave seats between different groups empty.
- Bookings may be made for groups of up to 4 people.
- One seat on either side of each group will be left empty.
※ As per our preventive measures against Covid-19, all visitors will be required to fill out a mobile questionnaire and have their temperature checked before entering the theater. Please allow extra time for these quarantine procedures.
※ In the event of a confirmed case or a close contact of Covid-19, the production may be suspended or cancelled, and all tickets will be fully refunded without incurring cancellation fees. We will send out further instructions on how to proceed with the cancellation.
The biggest, boldest, yet the most dangerous queer play in the history of Broadway. – TIME
American playwright Tony Kushner’s ground-breaking play Angels in America is finally introduced to audiences in Korea. The winner of numerous prestigious awards including Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Tony Awards, and Drama Desk Awards, the play presents a multi-layered portrait of American society during the 1980s—encompassing such key issues as homosexuality, AIDS, politics, race, and religion. In Angels in America, homosexuality is considered on a national level rather than as individual concerns. The characters in the play never falter in the face of despair. Instead, they draw attention to the love and lives of those excluded and ostracized by others or by choice, not to mention their indefatigable liveliness.
“In the new century I think we will all be insane.”
Many expected the millennium to turn the world upside down and bring about the Second Coming. In 1985, the world is fraught with vague fear and excitement about such unknown changes. Things that have been believed to be stable begin to crumble one by one—love, power and ordinary everyday life. People each put up a fierce and lonely battle to protect their lives. In a way, it resembles today’s world where unforeseen and unwelcome pain has wrested away our everyday lives.
Award-winning Director Shin U-chung Takes on a New Challenge
Director Shin U-chung finds the essence of theater in ‘people’, and emphasizes the importance of ‘colleagues’. He has embarked upon an epic journey of creating a production of seven and a half hours (Part One and Two combined) with some of the finest actors in Korea. The impeccable cast includes veteran actors Park Ji-il and Jeon Guk-hyang as well as Jung Choung -ho, Jeong Hwan, and four NTCK season members Kim Bo-na, Kwon Eun-hye, Kim Se-hwan and Park Yong-woo. The first rehearsal took place last July, and by the time of the last performance of Part Two next March, the eight actors, who had will have spent four seasons together, the whole time impressing us with the best ensemble.
Synopsis
New York in 1985 is pervaded with conservatism and the fear of AIDS spreading across the United States. The play begins with the funeral of an elderly Jewish woman, who immigrated to the States and built a community for her family. Her grandson, Louis, is shocked to learn that his lover Prior has AIDS. Joe, a clerk in a judge’s office is offered a position in the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., by the devilish lawyer Roy Cohn, but finds it difficult to persuade his wife Harper to move. Frightened by the sight of his lover’s deteriorating conditions, Louis leaves Prior, and Prior begins to hear an angelic voice and receives visits from apparitions.
Written by Tony Kushner
Tony Kushner is an American playwright, author, and screenwriter. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1993 for his play Angels in America, thereby establishing himself as one of the most important contemporary US playwrights. As a gay man from a Jewish family, Kushner actively participated in the LGBTQ rights movement in the midst of the AIDS crisis in the US durinf the 1980s. Angels in America tells the story of social minorities who, like himself, are easy targets of prejudices and discrimination. In recent years, Kushner has made a mark in the film industry as the screenwriter of Munich (2005, co-written), and Lincoln (2012). He received a National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2013.
Directed by Shin U-chung
Shin U-chung’s previous works—such as Incendies and Wife—highlighted some of the most profound contemporary issue with intensity and sophistication. He is celebrated for his highly creative and theatrical explorations, which at the same time remain faithful to the original texts. Having swept a number of major theater awards, including the 2020 Baeksang Arts Awards and the Dong-A Theater Award, Shin has certain become a name to remember in the world of Korean theater.
