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PULSE EDITOR: BEVIN CAFFERY bcaffery@gladstone.uoregon.edu
ANGELS’ DESCEND
ON THE DDDINSON
Tony Kushner’s ‘Angels in America’ opens May 25; one performance
will benefit the HIV Alliance of Eugene
By Peter Maurer
for the Emerald
During the Reagan era, issues sur
rounding homosexuality and the
outbreak of the AIDS epidemic
bombarded American culture,
demanding to be addressed. These is
sues are examined in this month’s
University production of “Angels in
America,” the season closer at the
Robinson Theatre.
Subtitled “A Gay Fantasia on Na
tional Themes” by its writer, Tony
Kushner, “Part I: Millennium Ap
proaches” will open May 25 and run
May 26 and May 31, June 1-3 and
June 8-9 in Villard Hall.
Director John Schmor, an assistant
professor of theater arts at the Uni
versity, observes that while the
1990s brought us shows such as
“Will & Grace” to broaden the pub
lic’s perspective and acceptance of
homosexuality, “Angels in America”
is the answer to a need for a more
frank look at the issues of AIDS and
homosexuality in society.
However, Schmor does caution
that “Millennium Approaches” con
tains imagery and subject matter that
may offend those who dislike sexu
ality or politics as topics of public
discourse.
“Eugene tends to be generally tol
erant of controversial issues,” he
said. “This is a play for people who
both think and feel, who are not
afraid of language and its rich capac
ities for paradox or poetry.”
Schmor went on to say the play
has “so many different things: AIDS,
the Reagan years, homosexuality,
Mormon religion, and it really has an
incredibly wide scope in the social
issues it covers.”
Patrons should come prepared to
get an “in-depth look at something
that hasn’t had a lot of in-depth
looks,” actress Katie Breene said.
The essence of “Millennium Ap
proaches” concerns two couples try
ing to cope with the disintegration of
their relationships and the difficult
self-examination that comes with it.
The play paints a painfully candid
picture of AIDS and its impact on the
homosexual community. It also
makes the point that people aren't
the only ones falling apart: So is the
planet in general.
The acting ensemble includes jun
iors Kimberly Bates, Matthew Wood
burn and Nathan Bloch and senior
Breene.
If there is any doubt as to whether
this is a thoroughly witty and engag
ing play, consider that at its incep
tion in 1993, “Angels” impressed
critics and was awarded recognition
for achievement and playwriting. As
if this was not enough praise, the
Turn to Angels, page 6
Tom Patterson Emerald
Mberto Albuquerque’s character, Belize, comforts the bedridden Prior, played by Matthew Woodburn.
Sitcoms exhibit the same-old same-sex cliches
MR. RIGHT
DAVE DEPPER
What a difference four years makes.
When Ellen DeGeneres announced
in May 1997 that she was a lesbian,
it sent shock waves through the en
tertainment industry. Here was an established
star of a hit TV show — effectively torpedoing
her career at its zenith! Or was she?
In fact, the episode of “Ellen” in which her
sexual preference was announced was one of
the great media events of the television era. It
won DeGeneres an Emmy, created a cultural
firestorm and turned her into a television icon.
Unfortunately for DeGeneres, poor writing,
sponsorship fallout and declining ratings
sounded the death knell for “Ellen,” and the
show was canceled soon after. For a time, it
looked as though television was through with
taking chances on “alternative lifestyles.”
That trend didn’t seem to last long. Have you
been watching the tube lately? “Will and
Grace,” featuring two gay main characters, is a
huge hit for NBC. “Queer as Folk” is a hit drama
on Showtime, and even the juggernaut
“Friends” featured a girl-on-girl smooch be
tween Jennifer Aniston and Winona Ryder (and
later, Lisa Kudrow). John Goodman even tried it
on the now-defunct “Normal, Ohio.”
Looking at the evidence, you’d think that
there was a massive revolution in gay presence
on television. In fact, I set out to write this arti
cle with the philosophy that we were experi
encing a golden age of homosexuality on televi
sion. However, I made the mistake of making
assumptions.
Debra Merskin teaches the journalism course
“Women, Minorities and the Media.” I asked
her how she thinks that television’s portrayal of
homosexuals has changed in the past few years.
She quickly pointed out that by asking that
question, I was assuming that things have
changed at all.
“I would say that certainly there are more
prime-time television programs that feature a
gay character. ‘Ellen’ broke the ground for that.
However, two programs is a pretty small num
ber,” she said, referring to my mention of “Will
and Grace” and “Normal, Ohio.”
Merskin informed me that soon after De
Generes’ exodus from the closet, Kentucky
Fried Chicken, JC Penney and Chrysler all
pulled their advertising from “Ellen.” Televi
sion programs are competing for millions of dol
lars in advertising revenue, and their producers
are making sure that the least amount of people
are offended by the content.
Because of this, “you’re not expecting to see a
gay character in a lead role. If you do, it’s usual
ly a comedy,” she said.
Why comedies?
“I believe that there’s a presumption on the
part of the creators of TV that the audience isn’t
prepared to watch or consider gays and lesbians
Turn to Depper, page 6