The Glass Menagerie

by Tennessee Williams

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“Yes, I have tricks in my pocket, I have things up my sleeve. But I am the opposite of a stage magician. He gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth. I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion..."

So begins the opening soliloquy given by Tom Wingfield, one of the 4 characters in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, fittingly The Brewster Theater Company’s first production of its 2012 season. 

This theme of ‘truth in the guise of illusion’ is one that the Brewster Theater Company espouses as it strives to offer the range of human experience to its audience.  “While our ultimate goal is always to entertain, we also want our audiences to be engaged, to relate to the people on stage.  This play deals with the dreams and illusions that people hold close -- the ones that give them hope.  Whatever those illusions are, we all have them.  That’s the common bond,” says producer Carolyn Adams.

The Glass Menagerie is a memory play seen largely from the point of view of Tom, an aspiring writer caught in a dead-end job that provides the sole support for his family -- Amanda, Tom’s loving yet demanding mother and Laura, his fragile and painfully shy sister who spends her days caring for her glass collection of animals.   Amanda, reliving her own youth as a popular Southern belle, is obsessed with finding a gentleman caller for Laura and charges Tom with the responsibility for introducing her to a suitor.  

Tennessee Williams (who’s real first name was Thomas) wrote the largely autobiographical, The Glass Menagerie in 1944.  When it moved to Broadway the following year it won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award.

The Brewster Theater Company production is directed by Patricia Sebastian (Mahopac, NY) and features Laura Menzie (Cortland Manor, NY) as Laura, Laurel Lettieri (Mount Vernon, NY) as Amanda, Chris Luongo (Bethel, CT) as Tom, and Gary Kline (Middlebury, CT) as Jim.   

The Glass Menagerie will be performed on Feb 17, 18, 24 and 25 at 8 pm at The Melrose School 120 Federal Road, Brewster, NY 10509.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for students/seniors.  Senior or student groups who purchase 10 or more tickets for any performance pay just $10 per ticket.  Please call 845-598-1621 or log onto www.brewstertheater.org to make reservations or obtain more information about the show. 

Cast Announcement

Rehearsals are underway for Brewster Theater Company’s first production of 2012, the classic drama from Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie. 

Cast members include Gary Kline (Jim), Laurel Lettieri (Amanda), Chris Luongo (Tom), and Laura Menzie (Laura).  Newcomer to BTC, Laura Menzie graduated from Clark University with a BA in theater.  Most recently involved in Worcester (MA) Shakespeare company productions, Laura lives in Cortland Manor.  Gary Kline is also a new performer to the BTC stage and he comes to us from Middlebury, CT.  He is returning to the stage after a long hiatus and most recently performed in Sam Shepard’s Buried Child with the Newtown Players.     Chris Luongo last performed with BTC in the January 2011 production of Tartuffe playing Cleante.  His most recent performance was also Buried Child (where he played son Vince to fellow performer Gary Kline’s Tilden!).  Chris lives in Bethel, CT.    Laurel Lettieri has many theater credits in the local area.  This fall, she played Mrs. Webb in BTC’s production of Our Town and also performed in Ridgefield Theater Barn’s production of Round and Round the Garden.  Laurel is on the board of directors of BTC and lives in Mt. Vernon.

Director Patricia Sebastian hails from Mahopac and is also a member of the BTC board of directors.  Ms Sebastian, who also has extensive theater credits, has been involved in numerous BTC productions in various capacities including producer, stage manager, and actress.  She most recently appeared in this summer’s musical, The Sound of Music which she also co-produced.

The Glass Menagerie will be performed February 17-18, 24-25 at The Melrose School in Brewster.   Anyone who is interested in helping out with the show is asked to contact Carolyn at 845-598-1621 or at cadams@brewstertheater.org.  

 

Photo Credit: Carolyn Adams

From Left to Right:  Gary Kline, Laura Menzie, Chris Luongo, Laurel Lettieri

 

Audition Information

The Brewster Theater Company, Inc

Announces auditions for its Winter 2012 Production of

Glass Menagerie

By Tennessee Williams

Audition Details

Dates/Times: November 14 and 16 from 7 - 9 pm

Call Backs: November 21 at 7 pm

Location: Hudson Valley Cerebral Palsy Center

Mt Ebo Rd S, Brewster, NY 10509

Summary

The Glass Menagerie is a memory play narrated by Tom Winfield, the brother of Laura and son of Amanda.  Abandoned years ago by her husband, Amanda is consumed with finding a husband for her awkward and withdrawn 20-something year old daughter Laura.  Son Tom supports the family by working in a warehouse and is torn between his desire to become a writer and escape his dreary existence and his commitment to his family. 

Cast

Amanda (45-55 yrs old)

Mother of Tom and Laura - often digresses back to memories of her former days on the southern plantation farm and her night with 17 gentleman callers

Laura (mid-late 20s/early thirties)

Amanda’s daughter - she has a slight limp and is pressed by her mother to find a husband.

Tom (late twenties – early thirties)

Laura’s brother - is also pressed by his mother to find his sister a gentleman caller and to keep the job at the shoe factory to support the family.

Jim (late twenties – early thirties)

A friend of Tom’s from the factory - Tom invites him to dinner and Amanda treats him as Laura’s first gentleman caller.

Readings will be done from material provided. 

The Glass Menagerie is scheduled to be performed February 17, 18, 24, 25 at the Melrose School, 120 Federal Hill Road Brewster, NY 10509.   Produced by Carolyn Adams and directed by Patricia Sebastian. 

For further information and directions, please go to www.brewstertheater.org or leave a message at 845-598-1621.

This event is made possible, in part, with public funds from the Artslink Program, combining or using both State and County dollars.  In Putnam County, the Artslink Program is administered by the Putnam Arts Council.

 

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