Tony Kushner – Angels In America
I think my first love loved Tony Kushner. I didn’t know (and I still don’t know) all the reasons why. The last movie she told me she liked was Steven Spielberg’s “Munich,” screenplay by Tony Kushner. I love Tony Kushner for his intellect, independent thoughts, and craftmanship.
(Click on the images if you wish to view them individually or larger.)
My artistic talents are in presentation, connection with an audience, vulnerability, and coordination of diverse artistic styles and ideas. When I get up in front of an audience that is familiar with my artistic bents, I tend to make them excited and on edge because they know there’s a threat of controversy and laughter.
Most live performances have a sense of nervousness because the performer might make mistakes. But I’ve rarely been worried about making mistakes, because mistakes are to be expected. I worry I may not convey ideas and feelings that are worth remembering – that is a more difficult task for an artist.
In college, I was disciplined for my theatrical performances because I went off the script. I exceeded the boundaries the censors had implied. But my performances were funny, unconventional, and memorable.
Tony Kushner does the same things for his audiences. He carefully scans the cultural horizons for the topics people are afraid to discuss . . . then he discusses them.
The extraordinary actors featured in the excellent film version of Angels In America include: Mary-Louise Parker, Patrick Wilson, Emma Thompson, Al Pacino, Justin Kirk, Jeffrey Wright, and Ben Shenkman.
Sometimes the Angels in America are not winged creatures sent down from Heaven.
Sometimes they are ordinary humans willing to discuss and face what most people fear.
Angels in America on Wikipedia
© All rights reserved by Tony Kushner and the respective artists.
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I, I , I am the bird of America.
just admiring the art.
If you put up pictures of angels they should be holy not sexual!
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OneMoreOption: You have an interesting opinion, possibly suggesting that either angels should not have sexual aspects or that holy things should not have sexual aspects. You may have a very Purticanical perspective, possibly even anti-sexual.
Comparatively, “Angels in America” is a very sexual play, showing potential associations of “holiness” with “sexuality.”
@ “Samantha”
8:40 PM CST
Quote :
…”If you put up pictures of angels they should be holy not sexual!”…
Just what is your problem, “Samantha” ? For Pete’s sake, (and Sam’s, and John’s; especially John’s)…They have clothes and wings on…Not repressive enough for you ?
“OneMoreOption” is being polite.
Get some help. Serious…
J.B.
4/11/10
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OneMoreOption: I am being polite. But please don’t hold that against me.
OMO…
Never
I love angels, and this image is beutiful, i like it very much
angels are always good. it is said in the bible that they guard us. this picture is nice
Define “always good”.
One in particular killed 10000 men at the command of God. The same angel hundreds of years later told Mary of the coming of her Son.
Don’t put human emotions to angels. They are not and have never been human and they do not have the same emotions or desires as us.
Angels, are neither male nor female…they are messangers of God.
They report to God our deeds, they have the power to change any desision that we make, and how do they change it?…
Well, they change the situation with a MORAL lesson that we will never forget.
Amen. (which means “I believe” )
@ “et al”
8:35 PM CST
…Well I prefer my angels to be female, thank you…
…And…uh…by the by…Angels were not female til the Victorians; obviously the end product of a repressed sexuality, or something in the water.
And in that top image, there be one Avenging Angel if I get a say so…Or is it me just projecting again…?…
J.B.
4/11/10
Actually the book of Enoch portraits angels that came to earth and had sexual enounters with mortal women. The offspring of said sexual encounters were quoted as being supernatural for lack of a better term. You know…taller, stronger,etc…
2:15 PM CST
…so are we talking gender neutral here ??
Tall hermaphrodites ?
J.B.
5/22/10
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OneMoreOption:
Kushner had the sense to use angels as a metaphor. He wasn’t interested in debating their literal attributes. He wasn’t interested in debating how many of them could be stacked on the head of a needle.
wow
Hi folks,
These photos are lovely! Do you know which productions the pictures of these angels were from? I’m hoping to use the photos for a production history of the show, but I need to know where and when the photos come from. Thanks so much!
-SH