PLAY ANALYSIS DOCUMENT
Schwartz
TITLE: Angels In America Part One: Millennium
Approaches
DATE: 1991
PLOT: Gay couple Louis and
Prior’s relationship falls apart
when Prior gets diagnosed with
AIDS. Meanwhile, Joe, a Mormon,
top law clerk and repressed
homosexual, is being groomed by
his boss Roy to go to Washington
which he’s reluctant to do because
of his mentally ill, valium-addicted
wife. Prior begins hearing a voice
from above and experiencing
supernatural events while ill.
Ultimately, Louis and Joe have sex
while Prior is visited by an angel
declaring that the “great work” is
beginning.
KEY LIGHTING
ELEMENTS:
Lighting impacts the “threshold
of revelation scene” in many
ways. First, Harper’s blue lights
contrast Prior’s pinks, which
makes the shared hallucination
understandable to the
audience in a very visible way,
giving the entire scene an
ephemeral feeling. Later, Prior
is spoken to by the voice
through a bright, directed
spotlight.
KEY COSTUME
ELEMENTS:
Prior’s flamboyant clothing
shows how unapologetic he is
to be as a gay man despite the
stigma. Very stark contrast to
Louis, or especially Joe.
LANGUAGE: Colloquial,
occasionally raised in
flamboyance to display
sexuality.
MESSAGE: If one is not true to themselves, dire consequences are to follow? (This is a bit difficult
considering we only see one half of the story.
YOUR NAME: E.J.
PLAYWRIGHT: Tony Kushner
MIS-EN-SCENE: Rotating segments of smaller cubicles. 20 WORD SUMMARY:
The sets therein are changed throughout the show to reveal Two couples struggle to balance
a wide variety of locations, from apartments to funerals to religion, sexuality, ethics, love, and
alleyways. humanity in America through the
start of the AIDS epidemic.
NOTES: CONFLICT:
 “The Great Work” – the Angel. This phrase carries a lot Social stigmas drive people
of meaning without giving anything away. Perfect (together and) apart throughout
example of “show, don’t tell” about the importance of the play, as the external world
whatever task Part 2 holds. breaks into internal struggles.
 Who was Belize to Prior, prior to the events of the play?
Also, does Part 2 have more Prior Walters?
 I’d like to steal the general structure of shorter, more
intimate scenes with fewer characters. It provides
simultaneous clear storytelling and character
development. KEY ELEMENTS BEYOND
SPOKEN LANGUAGE:
The Angel at the end of the
play’s hulking, intimidating
presence is very key to setting
CHARACTERS: up Part 2. Not only do we have a
Joe: Mormon who has repressed his homosexuality. Has an
greater sense of the scale
unhappy marriage with Harper.
of/want more answers about
Louis: Prior’s lover who ultimately leaves him. Jewish. Has
Prior’s importance, but the stark
sex with Joe, who he recognizes as gay before Joe himself
difference from the otherwise
does.
(generally) grounded play
Prior: Flamboyant homosexual/drag queen who speaks to
presents a raise in stakes.
the voice/the titular angels. Suffers from AIDs.
Harper: Joe’s wife. Addicted to Valium and hallucinates.
Emotionally volatile. Learns of Joe’s sexuality because of a
vision involving Prior.
STRUCTURE: KEY PROP ELEMENTS:
Split scenes and fragmented narratives add subtexts and The sandwich in the beginning
further understandings of characters’ motives. How one of the play is
character is treated by another often results in their shift in representative/foreshadows Roy
future conversations, as they are constantly growing and and Joe’s future interaction, as it
learning as a real person might. With few exceptions, shows a refusal before
characters talk in twos showing specific relationships and questions are even really asked.
how they are informed by change.
IMAGERY: Joe and Roy at the bar, Harper in “Antarctica,” SOUND: The Angel’s voice
the flaming book, Prior’s lesions and bloody clothing, the coming from above before it
angel, Louis sleeping with a man in the alleyway, Mr. Lies. makes any appearance onstage
has audience question Prior’s
sanity, while also adding the
supernatural/divine to an
otherwise very based show.