When we talk about the great American dramatic texts, we most often mention giants such as Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, or David Mamet, whose works are still produced in theatres around the world. In 1991, inspired by events from his private life, Tony Kushner wrote Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes— a work that would forever change world theatre history and establish Kushner as one of the most influential American playwrights. The play received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award, as well as nearly every other major theatre recognition, precisely because of its ability to transform theatre into a powerful tool for social commentary, combining exceptional dramaturgical structure, emphasis on acting performance, and symbolic scenes that remain relevant today.

The story takes place in New York in the mid-1980s, during the presidency of Ronald Reagan—an era marked by conservative politics promoting so-called “family values” and a quiet but devastating public indifference to the AIDS epidemic. Within this political and social turmoil, Kushner focuses on four gay characters: Prior Walter, who has just learned that he is HIV-positive; his partner Louis, who struggles with fear of the disease and his inability to help his partner; Joe Pitt, a Mormon and closeted gay man dealing with his religion and sexual orientation; and Harper, his wife, who is addicted to pills and often escapes into hallucinations to cope with the collapse of their marriage. These stories intertwine with real historical figures, such as the famous lawyer Roy Cohn, who publicly denied his homosexuality but ultimately died of AIDS.

Instead of focusing on stereotypical and comedic portrayals of queer people, the play focuses on stories of love under unimaginable pressure, fear and courage, faith and doubt, and the human need to find hope even when the world seems determined to destroy it. In this play, AIDS is not just a disease—it is also a symbol of how society treats those who are vulnerable, especially in situations when it is politically “convenient” to look the other way.

The production is not recommended for persons under 16 years of age.

This activity is supported by the Culture for Development project of the Government of Switzerland and implemented by the Heartefact Fund. The views expressed in this production are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Switzerland or the Heartefact Fund.

The production is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of North Macedonia, Europe House Skopje, the German Embassy in Skopje, the Association Together Stronger, and Gilead Sciences Europe LTD.