BCKSEET Productions will open their 2009-10 season on October 28, 2009 with our repertory staging of both parts of Angels in America, Tony Kushner's Tony and Pulitzer-Award winning plays about the impact of AIDS on the national culture. Our production will coincide with the 20th anniversary of Angels in America, Part I: Perestroika, and will mark the first time that a Philadelphia company has produced both parts in repertory, as Kushner intended them to be presented.

Frank Rich of The New York Times called "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches" "the most thrilling American play in years." But he added that the play's political and historical significance was immeasurably important to its success, writing that “Angels in America' speaks so powerfully because something far larger and more urgent than the future of the theater is at stake."

Even 20 years after Kushner wrote his two-part epic, the HIV epidemic contnues to spread, and has recently reached an all-time high within Philadelphia's senior community. In addition to targeting students through adults, we will partner with senior organizations to address this problem. We will hold 30 performances throughout the run, weekly forums, and visit Universities, community organizations, and senior centers. In line with the thrust of our mission, we will educate, entertain and enlighten with this project, charting the epidemic over twenty years while improving our community through socially-relevant arts endeavors.

Kushner's plays will provide the centerpiece of our educational programming, which will include videotaped interviews with prominent commentators (available online), and our "Angels Symposia," three post-show talkbacks that will fuse education, medicine, social awareness, and the theatre arts.

BCKSEET's productions will serve an extremely diverse audience, as the play's thematic elements address issues within the African-American, Jewish, Mormon, and LGBT communities. We will collaborate with ActionAIDS and additionally partner with local educational institutions and community centers.

The productions will take place in the Red Room of the Society Hill Playhouse, located at 507 S. 8th Street in Philadelphia. Tickets are $30, which includes one complimentary beverage from our bar (beer, wine, soda, water). Tickets are available through the Society Hill Playhouse's box office at 215.923.0210; seating is general admission.

JUST THE FACTS:

WHAT: Tony Kushner's Angels in America: Millennium Approaches in repertory with Angels in America: Perestroika

WHEN: October 28 to November 28, 2009
Visit www.bckseet.com and click TICKETS for complete calendar of shows.

WHERE: The Red Room @ Society Hill Playhouse
507 S 8th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146

HOW: $30 General Admission for each show
SOCIETY HILL PLAYHOUSE BOX OFFICE: 15.923.0210

DIRECTIONS:www.societyhillplayhouse.org/directions.htm

CAST:
Kate Brennan......................................................Harper Pitt/Martin Heller
Michael Byrn..................................................................Roy Cohn/Prior 2
G DeCandia..................................................Prior Walter/Man in the Park
Paul Felder.....................................................Joe Pitt/Prior 1/The Eskimo
James iJames*.................................................................Belize/Mr. Lies
Brendan Norton....................................................................Louis Ironson
Catherine Palfenier......................The Angel/Ella Chapter/TheWoman/Emily
Catherine Rush*........Hannah Pitt/Ethel Rosenberg/Rabb Chemelwitz/Henry

Directed by Andrew Borthwick-Leslie

*Denotes member of Actor's Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers

PRODUCTION:
G DeCandia (Artistic Director), Kate Brennan (Co-Artistic Director / Casting Director), Tara Gruber (Manging Director) Natalie Ross (Production Stage Manager) Mike Durkin (Dramaturge/ Community Outreah) Steven Heitz (Lighting Design), Maura Roche (Set Design), Peggy Walsh (Costumes), Andrew Morris (Sound Design), Brandon Morton (Graphic Design)

ABOUT BCKSEET PRODUCTIONS
Founded in 2000 at Emerson College in Boston, BCKSEET Productions traveled to Portsmouth, Brooklyn, Guatemala and finally parked in the city Philadelphia in 2005. BCKSEET proudly celebrates their fifth year as the resident theatre company at the historic Society Hill Playhouse during its 50th Anniversary Season. An active member of the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, BCKSEET has participated in the Philly Fringe/ Live Arts Festival, Free Night of Theatre, and SPARK Showcase Festival. BCKSEET continually strives to "entertain, educate and enlighten" its audiences with exciting world premieres and innovative explorations of classic works.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITIATIVE
BCKSEET collaborates with community organizations on each production in order to raise awareness and money for local causes. By selecting socially important texts and linking their thematic elements to pertinent contemporary struggles, Previous organizations include: Philadelphia Zoo, American Red Cross: Tsunami Relief, Musicians on Call, Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley Chapter, Joseph J. Peters Institute. $1 of all full price admissions to Angels In America will be donated to our benefiting organization: ActionAIDS. ActionAIDS is a Philadelphia-based organization in partnership with people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, working to sustain and enhance quality of life. We provide a range of direct services and take an active and professional approach to leadership in service, education and advocacy. Staff, volunteers and the board of directors are committed to including and assisting people from our heterogeneous community and are responsive to the dynamic needs generated by the epidemic. ActionAIDS will be coordinating the guest speaker of the "Angels Symposia," three Sunday talkbacks (November 8th, 15th, 23rd at 3PM).

ABOUT SOCIETY HILL PLAYHOUSE
The Society Hill Playhouse has been a pioneering force in Philadelphia's theatre community since its inception in 1960. The theatre is housed in the historic David Garrick Hall. As Philadelphia's first professionally operated theater to bring both American and European premieres to the area, Society Hill Playhouse has laid the groundwork for younger theatres throughout the Delaware Valley. During its forty-seven year history, Society Hill Playhouse has produced hundreds of area premieres on its Main Stage: from Brecht/Weill's Threepenny Opera in 1962 to Rachel Wyatt's Crackpot in 1996. The second stage "Red Room" opened in 1986 with William Gibson's Handy Dandy. Its premieres include Manual Puig's political drama Kiss Of The Spider Woman in 1987 and Christopher Durang's Laughing Wild in 1988. Long-running "popular theatre" pieces include Nunsense and Menopause the Musical, She Loves You, a musical tribute to the Beatles, and Say Goodnight Gracie. Society Hill Playhouse celebrates its 50th year with the World Premieres of The Kids Left. The Dog Died. Now What? A New Musical and The Bridge Club a play by Richard Raskind.