On Friday, November 3, 2023, “Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches” opened at the Studio Theater in the WCSU Visual and Performing Arts Center.

I sat in the very back row of the theater with a somewhat new friend. I watched the show unfold with them without knowing much about the play prior to viewing. “Angels” is a Tony Award-winning drama details the life of a gay man, Prior, who contracts the AIDS virus and is subsequently abandoned by his boyfriend, Louis. Parallel to that is the story of a closeted lawyer, Joseph, dealing with his wife Harper’s addiction to pills and their failing marriage.

Before seeing the show, I sat down with Donovan Shaw (he/they) who plays Belize/Mr. Lies, the former being Prior’s ex-boyfriend and the latter being one of Harper’s hallucinations. I have known Shaw since my freshman year, and interviewing him was another way in which my college career has come full circle. I was ecstatic to learn more from them about the rehearsal process of “Angels.”

When asked about their dream for this season, Shaw said, “As soon as they announced ‘Angels,’ in my heart I thought, ‘Ugh, it would be so great to be Belize.’”

“I knew ‘Angels in America’ before, I mean, how could you not?” he continued. “It’s literally brilliance, one of the most famous modern American plays. […] I knew about it, but I had never seen it. I only knew the plot and the characters, and I read and said, ‘Ugh, this is for me.’”

As someone who had even less knowledge going into the show, I loved how clear this iteration of “Angels” felt to me. I especially appreciated the diagram in the program given at the entrance which showed the relationships between each of the characters. Once I could visualize the ties between each character, I did not have any problems with understanding the show.

Shaw also mentioned that the cyclical nature of the story makes it more accessible to audiences. “The thing with the show is there’s a plot, but it’s not a linear show. It’s a concept play,” they stated. “So, you can start at the beginning of the first act, you can start halfway through the first act, you can start in ‘Part Two,’ and you wouldn’t be confused about what’s going on because every scene is built on a concept or relationship dynamic rather than this is a plot you have to follow. I would love to do ‘Part Two,’ I mean, ‘Perestroika’ is brilliant, but with ‘Part One,’ audiences will walk out feeling fulfilled.”

And fulfilled was almost exactly how I felt. I had my questions about the ending (no major spoilers!), but I crafted a theory in my head about what would happen next and felt satisfied otherwise. While theater should fulfill one’s cathartic appetite, wanting just a little bit more is never a problem. When I want to know what happens next, I can always read “Perestroika.”

When asked about their character work process, Shaw discussed how they had to separate themself from who they thought Belize was. He said, “A lot of the challenge for me came from identifying the time period and identifying the commonalities between being a person of color and a gay person of color and contrasting that with what the differences are between living in a time period that was the AIDS epidemic. Had I had to live through a time where the hardship was a bit more lethal, unfortunately, I think I’d be a bit harder of a person, a little less me, a little more reserved.”

“As unfortunate as that is,” Shaw continued, “I think Belize finds the most humor and finds the best ways to cope with everyone around him dying on top of everyday 1980s American racism, 1980s American homophobia. It’s really amazing how he’s still someone who brings a lot of light into the show. It was preparing and understanding who I was to play Belize and also understanding his circumstances and how those are different from my life now.”

Shaw brings comedy to the show as Mr. Lies and Belize, but they also ground the show in a scene with Jackson Tubis’ character, Louis. Louis goes on a racist rant to Belize, and once Belize has heard enough, he counters every argument. If you want to feel immersed in that scene, it is best to sit in the house left section. Shaw and Tubis play off each other’s energy so well. They do a stellar job of demonstrating to the audience how Louis and Belize’s interaction reflects relations between Black and Jewish people in the 1980s.

When asked about what else they personally brought to Belize’s character, Shaw talked about how icons like Whitney Houston and Tina Turner have inspired them. He also values being an active participant in living: “As an actor, if you don’t engage in life, engage in hardship, engage in the beauties and the trauma and the mess and the flaws and the discoveries…if you’re not doing that in your everyday life as a person, then as an actor, you don’t have much to draw from.”

Another admirable aspect of “Angels” is its staging. I adore performances like those that occur in the Studio Theater with immersive aspects, and “Angels” was no exception. When you are facing the stage area, there are three rows of seats to your left, right, and back. In the back left corner of the theater is a place, a platform with a small staircase on either side, for characters to enter and exit in addition to the main stage.

Towards the end of the show, there is a moment where one of Jamishay Cammann’s characters, Harper, is distraught. A light shines down on her as she stands on the platform. Her body freezes, but you can tell her mind is racing. Cammann showed incredible range in that instance as the majority of her scenes are comedic. Seeing her character up close and vulnerable is one of many brief moments that make this show memorable.

“Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches” is a stunning addition to this year’s theatrical season. You can still catch the last four performances between Nov. 10-12 at the Visual and Performing Arts Center and can buy tickets on Eventbrite now.