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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2011)
T H E Y E A R IN J*U § — perform ingarts • DECEMBER 9, 2011 Twenty years ago, part one of Tony Kush- ner’s magnum opus Angels in America: Millen nium Approaches staged its world premiere in San Francisco. Few knew then that his story of eight interconnected New Yorkers, set against the backdrop o f the AIDS crisis in 1985, would eventually garner multiple awards— including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and Tony Award for Best Play, both in 1993—and cement itself as a seminal mile stone of 20th century theater. By the time part two, Perestroika, saw its world premiere in November 1992, the play had become a full-fledged cultural phenomenon. And 20 years later, we re still dissecting the densely personal, vulnerable tales o f those eight New Yorkers, all affected by HIV/AIDS in one way or another, ravaged by the fears of facing humanity’s shortcomings and fallibility, and finding the hope and love hidden within those emotions. The magic of Angels in America is in its honest portrayal of the universal themes of trust, love, passion, religion, sex, longing—and humor—while somehow managing to tran scend the crutch of feeling dated. Just ask Wade McCollum, 33, and Noah Jordan, 46, both talented stage actors playing the parts of Prior Walter and Louis Ironson, respectively, for Portland Playhouse’s upcom ing production of Angels in America Part 1: Millennium Approaches, opening December 10, with previews December 8-9 at the World Trade Center Theater. “It’s still radical,” says McCollum. “[Kush- nerl wrote in such a way that it absolutely ar- ticulates a very specific emotional and politi cal situation that the country was undergoing—these trans-personal or societal issues. The genius o f it is he took these grand themes and distilled them into people." “Times have changed, and thank G od,” says Jordan. “A ID S is now a ‘manageable ill ness.’ But [Angels] doesn’t feel dated to me. Very honestly I can say that.” Jordan lived in New York City during the time Angels is set, and says he remembers the intensity of that era vividly, utilizing it as fuel WWW.JUSTOUT.COM Angels at 20 body knows this is the sad part. “I’m excited to see this play and their audi ence, and hopefully a bunch of new audience members to Portland Playhouse’s community to experience this piece o f art.” The “gay Fantasia on national themes” returns to Portland B Y RYAN J. P R A D O for his portrayal of Louis. McCollum’s role as Prior serves as the other half of one o f the more heart breaking aspects of the play, as Louis and Prior’s relationship deteriorates » in tandem with Prior s health following his dis covery that he has AIDS. Interestingly, McCollum and Jordan are a real-life couple, going on seven years together. The pair have appeared in produc tions in the past, but none as substantial as their roles in Angels. They say that their perfor mances as an onstage couple resonate even more personally given their inherent closeness. “I feel like if it was another actor it would have to be this process of getting to know you, making sure it’s okay,” says McCollum o f play- ing a relationship role. “It’s advantageous that we have this uncanny trust and stability in our relationship that allows us to explore the tu- mult of the falling apart in a very safe way.” T ie heartbreak of the performance goes beyond the orbit of Prior and Louis, though, Director and Portland Playhouse artistic di- rector Brian Weaver admits lie’s never actually seen a production of Angels, but has read the play multiple times. Weaver says he’s taking an active role in making sure that the produc- tion remains an intense, present story, rather than a retrospective. To him, that means cm- bracing the heartbreak of all the characters across the entirety of the play. “I don’t think we can do it without breaking A ngf . ls in A merica P art i : M illennium A p previews Dec. 8-9 at the World Trade Center Theater (121 SWSalmon St.). Opening night is December 10; evening shows are 7:30 p.m., Sun day matinees are at 2 p.m. The play runs through December 31. Tickets are S15-S32, a portion of which goes to benefit Our House o f Portland. For more information, visit portlandplayhouse.org. proaches Hallelujah! Portland Playhouse thrives entering fifth year B Y RYAN J. P R A D O our hearts,” says Weaver. “It’s not a play we can do to remember; to do it we have to put our- selves in the middle o f the tragedy and feel it. It breaks my heart, working on it. My hope is that we’ll be able to take the intensity we’re finding in rehearsals and translate that into the show with the audience. I think for that to happen, the audience has to want that, too.” The give-and-take with the audience re mains a powerful part of the experience of the play. McCollum hopes that symbiosis will draw audiences who aren’t there simply to be enter- tained, but to become engaged in the work of deciphering, deconstructing and ultimately ac- cepting the vulnerability o f Kushner’s writing, “T ia t is such an extraordinary feat of crafts- manship on [Kushner’s] part,”explains M cCo- Hum, “allowing the drama to unfold in such a way that everybody in the audience is being confronted with something different at the same time, rather than a fascist approach where evervbody knows this is the funny part, everv- The old Mt. Sinai Church in Northeast Portland— some 105 years old— had sat idle before Brian, Nikki and Michael Weaver real ized their vision o f a neighborhood theater space in 2008. Despite the exterior o f the building managing to hold its stoic, over grown stature, its interior boasts a living envi ronment o f creativity: actors running lines where pews once stood; tape marking oft set design placement; a busy director rolling and unrolling a wrinkly script. Welcome to Port land Playhouse. The theater company is a family affair. Bri an, 36, acts as artistic director; Michael, 33, is the group’s executive director; and Nikki, 28, Brian’s wife, the education director and acting apprentice director. T ie collaborative working arrangement has worked well for the Weav ers, and has helped them produce some of the most exciting new Portland theater experi ences in years. Brian and Michael, Virginia natives, had dreamed o f a theater all their own for years * T T T T T T T T This Holiday, Give the Gift of Music Music Millennium has over 75,000 great gift ideas, including, CDs,Vinyl, DVDs and a great array of unique gift items. * 25 % OFF all books in stock * Not valid on Red Tag items or with any other offer. Offer expires 12/31/2011. With This Coupon Only. M usk Millennium. M USIC EAST PORTLAND M IL L E N N IU M 32nd & E Burnside St. • 503-231 -8926 musicmillennium.com Wednesday, Dec. 21 ■ 7:30pm St. Mary's Cathedral 1716 NW Davis St., Portland Friday, Dec. 23 ■ 7:30pm St. Matthew Catholic Church 475 SE Third Avenue, Hillsboro Handel's most popular masterpiece, The Messiah, presented in collaboration with the OREGON CHORALE. Sarah Parnicky, Soprano Beth Madsen Bradford, Mezzo Soprano Daniel Buchanan, Tenor Richard Zeller, Baritone and the Portland Boychoir (Portland Concert) Hillsboro Community Youth Choir (Hillsboro Concert) Tickets $5 to $25 ■ Box Office 503.205.0715 oronlineatPortlandChamberOrchestra.org