Tony Kushner: Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes

(Play, 289 pp. 1995)

Sprawling in scope, this award-winning play combines historical figures Roy Cohn and the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg with contemporary characters, as they navigate an AIDS- and Reagan-infected 1980s America. The humorous and visionary drama graphically explores the themes of loss, betrayal, and redemption.

• Discussion questions
• “Angels in America” from Wikipedia
• Essay by Alisa Solomon, “Wrestling with Angels: A Jewish Fantasia”
• Introduction,” Warren Hoffman, The Passing Game: Queering Jewish American Culture
• Video: “Tony Kushner: Angels in America” (8 min.)