ARTS AMERICA: Berkshires, Broadway and Beyond: The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures

Kathleen Chalfant (Benedicta Immacolata Marcantonio [Bennie]) and Michael Cristofer (August Giuseppe Garibaldi Marcantonio [Gus]) in the world premiere of THE INTELLIGENT HOMOSEXUAL’S GUIDE TO CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM WITH A KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES, by Tony Kushner at the Guthrie Theater. Directed by Michael Greif, set design by Mark Wendland, costume design by Clint Ramos, lighting design by Kevin Adams. May 15 – June 28, 2009 on the McGuire Proscenium Stage at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Photo credit: 2009 © Michal Daniel

Michael Esper (Eli Wolcott) and Stephen Spinella (Pier Luigi Marcantonio [Pill]).

There has been enormous interest in Tony Kushner's newest play, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures now ready to open at the Guthrie in Minneapolis, directed by Michael Greif. We are pleased to run the fist pictures of this production. Kushner, of course, is the author of Angels in America the two part play (and movie, tv series and opera) which scooped all the 1993 awards on Broadway, from the Tony to the Pulitzer Prize.

ABOUT THE SHOW: The title of Tony Kushner’s new play is inspired by two 19th-century thinkers and their works -- George Bernard Shaw’s The Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Socialism and Capitalism and Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. The play looks at the life of a 20th-century thinker, retired longshoreman Gus Marcantonio, who’s feeling confused and defeated by the 21st century. In summer 2007, he invites his sister and his three children (who in turn bring along spouses, ex-spouses, lovers and more) to a most unusual family reunion in their Brooklyn brownstone. With humor and passion, the play examines the importance of connectedness and belonging – to a family, a community, a group, an ideology, a marriage – and what happens when those connections are lost.

Linda Emond (Maria Teresa Marcantonio [Empty])and Mark Benninghofen (Adam Butler)

The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures begins performances May 15 and continues through June 28, 2009 on the McGuire Proscenium Stage at the Guthrie. Single tickets are priced from $24 to $60. Tickets are now on sale through the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE and online at www.GuthrieTheatre.org.
The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures is presented as part of the Guthrie’s Kushner Celebration.