Ronnie Joseph Morgan Sr.
February 6, 2013
Osaka a memorable dining experience
February 7, 2013
At the Bayou Playhouse, desire is heating up the stage in Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, “A Streetcar Named Desire.”
“Streetcar” tells the classic, yet tragic story of former schoolteacher and wilting Southern Belle, Blanche DuBois, amid the gritty setting of New Orleans in the 1940s.
Blanche, played by Mary Bliss McCrossen, has fading expectations of chivalry along with her neurotic judgments.
McCrossen, who is also the Bayou Playhouse managing director, says Blanche is a complicated character.
“It is a very challenging part,” McCrossen says. “She has a lot of levels and a lot of emotional range. She is a very fragile, yet very strong character as her name suggests and I am just hoping that I can do her justice.”
Blanche leaves the family home to stay with her pregnant sister Stella, and Stella’s brute of a husband Stanley, near the French Quarter. Blanche is critical of the confined living space, although she no longer has connections to Belle Reve, the Dubois plantation.
Stanley and Blanche immediately clash. When Blanche sparks a romance with Stanley’s friend Mitch, Stanley uncovers the past to destroy her hopes of a fresh start. With Blanche fighting for Stella’s safety and Stanley determined to keep Stella’s love, the plot escalates into a violent situation.
Will Schneider, playing Stanley, says this is one of his dream roles.
“I have always wanted to play this character ever since I first started getting into acting,” Schneider says. “It is just one of those great, iconic roles.”
Andrea Watson, playing Stella, says her character is also one of her favorites. Stella is down to earth and content with the simplicity of her life.
“She is like the sanity linchpin with all this stuff swirling around her,” Watson says. “It is just a matter of, as an actor, whether your character is the fulcrum or the balance, or the foil; it is just from moment to moment figuring out where Stella fits in with all this madness around her.”
Travis Resor, who plays Stanley’s best friend Mitch, says he is comfortable in this role because Mitch has many similarities to himself.
“I am excited about the character because I really do not have to act with this,” Resor says. “I mean, the character is very awkward around women, which is me dead on.”
Director Perry Martin has worked on several Tennessee Williams shows. The Bayou Playhouse is dedicated to performing only Louisiana works, so Tennessee Williams is often a perfect fit.
“I am most excited about the cast that we have put together,” McCrossen says. “I am really excited about working with these talented people and Perry (Martin) on Tennessee Williams again.”
McCrossen played Maggie in Tennessee Williams “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” also under the direction of Martin.
“Perry knows Tennessee Williams very well and he directs it very well so I am always excited to work with him on shows like this,” McCrossen says.
Schneider says although the show has plenty of challenges, he has no doubt the cast will be able to pull of the iconic piece.
“It is going to be a challenge but I want to make it my own,” Schneider says. “I just cannot wait to work with the new people in a new space with the role I have wanted to play for a long time.”
The sultry setting of New Orleans is right in time for Carnival.
The play runs from Feb. 22 through March 24 at the Bayou Playhouse, 101 Main St., Lockport. Tickets cost $20, or $15 for students. For more information, call (888) 992-2968 or visit www.bayouplayhouse.com.
Travis Resor (Mitch), Mary Bliss McCrossen (Blanche DuBois), Andrea Watson (Stella) and WIll Schneider (Stanley) read for the Bayou Playhouse’s production “A Streetcar Named Desire.” A Pulitzer Prize winner written by Tennessee Williams, the play runs from Feb. 22 through March 24 at the Bayou Playhouse.
