For Immediate Release: February 22, 2005
Media Contact: Oscar A. Claveria, BCKSEET Productions, 267.575.3007

BCKSEET Productions continues its inaugural season in Philadelphia with Tony Kushner's Angels in America Part I: Millennium Approaches, winner of the 1993 TONY for "Best Play" and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The intimate Red Room at Society Hill Playhouse provides the ideal location for this sometimes brutal, yet always beautiful production that previews on March 3, opens March 4 and closes March 19. Tickets are $16.00 in advance, $21.00 at the door and include a $1.00 donation to ActionAIDS.

When Angels in America first opened in 1993, critics and audiences welcomed Kushner's vision of an America trying to deal with AIDS and the ways it affected its society. It demonstrated how various communities throughout the country were united by the consequences of this disease. Filled with moments of black comedy, biblical references, elements of Greek tragedy and spectacular dialogue, Kushner's play blends contemporary style and classical influences with brilliance.

Set in the mid 1980s across a spectrum of locales, Millennium Approaches deals with homosexuality, AIDS and spirituality in America. Just like the play's varied settings, its characters run a broad range of religious, ethnic and political views. Homosexuals, Mormons, Reagan-ites, Jews, drag queens and angels are among the communities that collide to compose the American psyche.

After HBO's recent adaptation of the play, Angels in America was thrust into the spotlight again. The goal of BCKSEET Productions is to express how this play's message is still important to America-and, more specifically, Philadelphia. The production uses unconventional casting to help audiences connect the play's characters to those who are currently most affected by AIDS. A pre-show exhibit and guest lectures by the director and dramaturgy will be offered to contemporize the themes and issues of the play.

Additionally, one dollar from each ticket will be donated to ActionAIDS to support their efforts.

Gregory G. DeCandia takes the helm of Millennium Approaches. The Producing Artistic Director and founder of BCKSEET Productions, DeCandia has directed and acted in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Guatemala. While in Guatemala, he also created the Colegio Interamericano's Theatre Department for K-12TH grades, and designed and refurbished the school's first black box theatre. Gibbs Murray, the scenic designer, creates a stark, theatre-in-the-round design that relies on the cast and simple stage devices to convey Kushner's hypertheatrical vision. Jessica Sentak returns as the lighting designer for this production. Michael Dees, who studied dramaturgy at Villanova University where he extensively researched Angels in America, organizes the exhibit and guest lectures as dramaturgy.

The assembled cast includes both Philadelphia theatre veterans and newcomers. Robb Spath, who plays Prior, was last seen in BCKSEET's January production of Pvt. Wars as Natwick. Prior's lover Louis is played by Dan Rich, a Phillies Phanstormer and experienced children's theatre performer. He can be seen in BCKSEET's next production, The American Plan, as Gil. Miguel Feliciano and Kate Brennan, who play Joe and Harper Pitt, have both recently understudied at the Arden Theatre Company. Brennan also understudied in this season's Annie Warbucks at the Walnut Street Theatre, where she is a school faculty member.

Tina Brock, who plays Joe's mother Hannah, is a Philadelphia Fringe Festival veteran. In 2004, she wrote and performed in Tales of a White Hoe and was featured in Azuka Theatre Company's Laura's Bush. Jerry Perna, who plays Roy Cohn, has performed in Philadelphia, San Francisco, New York City and Poland. His original solo piece Seven Men from Now will be produced in this year's Fringe Festival by Intrepid Theatre Company. Stedmen Croft, who plays Belize and Mr. Lies, was cast as Booth, an Actor's Equity role, in the Philadelphia Theatre Company's Top Dog Under Dog. The Angel is played by Nicole Benson, a newcomer to theatre, who has extensive experience in commercials and industrials.

BCKSEET Productions was founded in 2000 by Greg DeCandia at Emerson University in Boston. Since its inception, the company has launched shows in Boston, New York City and Guatemala. This year marks its "Die Trying, 2005" season-its first in Philadelphia. Previous Philadelphia shows include last fall's Closer and last month's Pvt. Wars. BCKSEET Productions is a fresh theatre company whose mission is "to produce art with the talents of multidisciplinary artists who educate, entertain and enlighten society with the ideals of classical, contemporary and original cutting edge works of art." BCKSEET Productions' next project will be The American Plan, a play by Richard Greenberg. It opens in April and will be directed by Braden LuBell.

BCKSEET Productions' Angels in America Part I: Millennium Approaches is a co-production with The Academy Theatre in Bordentown, NJ, where it will be presented in late spring. Tickets purchased in advance cost $16.00 and are available at the Society Hill Playhouse or by calling 215-923-0210. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $21.00. A one dollar donation from every ticket will be made to ActionAIDS.

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