ANGELS IN ANN ARBOR

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ANGELS IN ANN ARBOR: A STAGED READING OF TONY KUSHNERíS ANGELS IN AMERICA PARTS I & II With panel discussions exploring the ethical issues of the play. A CO-PRODUCTION OF THE BLACKBIRD THEATRE AND A2ETHICS.ORG The schedule for Angels in Ann Arbor is as follows: Panel Discussion #1 Friday ñ February 8, 7:00 ñ 8:30 p.m. ìIíM SORRY TO TELL YOU THIS: THE ETHICS OF GIVING AND RECEIVING BAD NEWSî Following a sketch of a bad-news scene from ìAngels in America,î a panel consisting of a physician, a business manager, a coach, a military officer, and a journalist will discuss possible ethical and unethical ways of relating bad news to patients, employees, players, families of fatally injured soldiers, and the community at large. They will also share their experiences of how people receive both good and bad news. Q&A session follows. Venue: Blackbird Theatre, 1600 Pauline Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Performance: Part I of ìAngels in Americaî Saturday ñ February 9, 8:00 p.m. ìTHE MILLENIUM APPROACHESî Actors from the Blackbird Theatre Company present a staged reading of the first segment of the play. The Story: In Tony Kushnerís award-winning Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches, several stories of AIDS and politics begin to unfold. Prior Walter has contracted the disease, and when his lover Louis abandons him, he is visited by an angel with a dangerous and important message. Louis, meanwhile, begins a relationship with a Mormon Republican lawyer who works for the notorious Roy Cohn. Roy learns that he is also dying of AIDS, and thus begins a fierce ethical battle to cover up his past. It is 1985 and the Culture Wars are being waged. The world is changing, and the foundation of Heaven itself is shaken. Considered one of the most important works of the 20th century, Angels in America Parts I & II carries an important message. The work remains as powerful and topical now as when it premiered in the early 1990ís. Directed by Heidi Bennett. Venue: Blackbird Theatre, 1600 Pauline Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Panel Discussion #2 Friday ñ February 15, 7:00 ñ 8:30 p.m. "RELYING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS AND ANGELS: SHOULD COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE A ROLE IN DECIDING WHATíS FAIR IN RESPONDING TO AN EPIDEMIC?î Since the start of the AIDS epidemic in America, both individual and collective resources have been deployed to assist those suffering from the disease. In this panel discussion, area politicians and public health professionals offer their views on the local policies, models and programs intended to ensure fair and effective care, both private and public, in dealing with epidemicsóincluding AIDS as well as future outbreaks of SARS and other diseases. Emphasis will be on the publicís role in determining how community resources are allocated to deal with epidemics, taking into account ethical considerations such as access, quality of care and affordability. Followed by a Q&A session. Venue: Blackbird Theatre Performance: Part II of ìAngels in Americaî and Afterglow Celebration Saturday ñ February 16, 8:00 p.m. PERESTROIKA Members of the Blackbird Theatre Company present a staged reading of the last segment of the play. The Story: In Tony Kushnerís Angels in America Part Two: Perestroika, Prior has had his angelic vision and becomes a self-proclaimed prophet, presaging a dark future for America. Roy Cohn has procured an enormous supply of AZT, and he and his nurse, Priorís trusted friend Belize, engage in a battle of wills at Royís bedside. The wars of Heaven and Earth rage on. Venue: Blackbird Theatre, 1600 Pauline Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103 ìANGELS IN ANN ARBORî PHOTO EXHIBIT Audience members will also be able to view the Angels in Ann Arbor photography exhibit. Photographers of all abilities are encouraged to contribute their depictions of ìangelsîóincluding local individuals who have engaged in good deeds. Sales of the prints will be used to support the Ann Arbor Childrenís Creative Center, a non-profit arts organization affiliated with the Blackbird Theatre. Entries should be submitted no later than January 29 to Barton Bund via email. Please submit photos in PDF format to blackbird_theatre@yahoo.com. A2ETHICS.ORG is a new locally-oriented online community created to foster discussion and raise awareness of the ethical concerns facing 25-35 year olds working or living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the surrounding communities within Washtenaw County.