Maryland Ensemble Theatre to Present ANGELS IN AMERICA, PART ONE AND TWO in Rep Beginning Next Month

Maryland Ensemble Theatre is set to kick off their 26th Mainstage season with the highly anticipated production of Angels in America Part II: Perestroika. Following the resounding success of Angels in America, Part I: MIllennium Approaches last spring, this theatrical masterpiece continues to captivate audiences with its poignant storytelling, powerful performances, and thought-provoking themes.

Angels in America, Part II: Perestroika is the second installment of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning magnum opus, which has left an indelible mark on the world of theater. This compelling drama delves deeper into the lives, struggles, and triumphs of its diverse cast of characters against the backdrop of the 1980s AIDS epidemic. With unflinching honesty, the production confronts social and political issues that remain relevant even today.

MET Artistic Director, Tad Janes says, “It is an extreme challenge and pleasure to be able to direct Angels in America: Perestroika, the finishing of the Angels in America story. Not many companies are able to complete this amazing task. The whole story is so important, historically, and really resonates in our current society. We are also able to bring back an entire company of actors and designers for this project as well as connecting to the national community through the display of a panel of the National AIDS Memorial Quilt.”

Select performances of Angels in America, Part I: Millennium Approaches will run in repertoire with Angels in America, Part II: Perestroika. On October 23 both shows will run concurrently. Additionally, thanks to the generous sponsorship by Walter Olson & Steve Pippin and exhibit design support of Parlights, Inc., a section of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be publically on display at DISTRICT Arts on N. Market Street in Frederick, MD during gallery hours Wednesday through Sunday. The entire quilt consisting of approximately 50,000 panels and weighing approximately 54 tons is considered the largest community arts project in history. “Seeing even a portion of it puts us in touch with the real people who died, and the real people who mourn them. It reminds us the crisis is not over, as panels are being added every day,” says Dramaturg Steven Satta, who goes on to say that “the quilt is also a testament to the power of art to inspire important conversations, something that is at the core of MET's mission.”     

Led by MET's Artistic Director, Tad Janes, in the Director's chair the production boasts an exceptional creative team, many of whom return from MET's production of Millennium Approaches, bringing depth and continuity throughout both pieces of this iconic work. The production team includes, Production Manager Melynda Burdette Wintrol, Stage Manager Shayden Jamison, Assistant Stage Manager Olivia Pietanza, Technical Director Cody James, Scenic Designer Tad Janes, Sound Designer Kaydin Hamby, Projection Designer Tom Majarov, Costume Designer Rachel Smith, Properties Designer Lori Boyd, Lighting Designer Shana Joslyn, Dramaturg Steven Satta, Intimacy Coordinators Julie Herber and Shea-Mikal Green, and Dialect Coach Eric Jones. 

The cast features MET Ensemble members Jack Evans as Roy Cohn, Ray Hatch as Belize, Shea-Mikal Green as Harper, Tori Weaver as The Angel, Jeremy Myers as Prior, Julie Herber as Hannah, Eric Jones as Louis and MET Associate Artist Matthew Baughman as Joe. Gifty Amponsem and Joseph Waeyaert are understudying all roles. 

Angels in America, Part II: Perestroika opens on Friday, September 29 and runs through Sunday, October 29 with a $15 preview night on Thursday, September 28. Select performances of Angels in America, Part I: Millennium Approaches will be presented on October 20, 21, and 26. Curtain is at 7:00pm Thursday - Saturday and 2:00pm on Sunday matinees. ASL Interpretation will be available by request on Friday, October 6. Audio description services can be arranged in advance through the box office. 

Angels in America Parts I and II contain mature themes, strong language,nudity, and sexual acts. Part I: Millennium Approaches runs 3 hours with two 10 minute intermissions and Part II: Perestroika runs 3 hours 30 minutes with two 10 minute intermissions. 

Tickets range in price from $15 - $36 with discounts available for students, senior citizens, students, and military. A limited number of Pay What You Will tickets are available for each performance starting at $5 each, while inventory lasts. Tickets may be purchased by phone at (301) 694- 4744, online at the link below or in person at the MET box office Tuesday - Friday, 12 - 6pm and one hour before performances. 

MARYLAND ENSEMBLE THEATRE MISSION:

We are a professional, collaborative theatre ensemble broadly connected to our community by inspiring passion for the arts with courageous, relevant, accessible programs that enable people to feel more, think deeper, and laugh longer.

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