Ella Mitchell
Photography Editor
Sewanee Theatre’s production of Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire had a truly successful run from February 28th through March 3rd before students ventured off the mountain for spring break. The production began work in December before winter break, and the rehearsal process was, without a doubt, beneficial to all involved.
There is something to be said about Sewanee Theatre’s direct connection to Tennessee Williams. Putting together a Williams production in a theater named after the great playwright seems like it would be a daunting task; however, director Jim Crawford made it a very educational and enriching experience for both the cast and crew of the production. During early rehearsals, the cast was asked to do a bit of research about the different aspects of the play and bring in their findings. This created an atmosphere of discussion among the cast. Crawford also made it imperative that cast members understand not only the history of the play, but also the history of Williams.
For those who are unaware, Williams’s grandfather (Reverend Walter E. Dakin) attended Sewanee’s School of Theology, and Williams himself spent some time at Sewanee as a child. When Williams passed he left the bulk of his estate to the University, including the copyright to all of his plays, screenplays, poems, and letters. Sewanee used a large chunk of the funds to set up the Walter E. Dakin Memorial Fund which supports creative writing at the University.
It is also important to note the serious subject matter of the play and the toll that can take on the actors. It is evident that the community formed between the cast members made it easier to tackle these serious topics in a supportive environment. Matt Acosta (C’ 24), who portrayed Mitch in the production, said, “It was an incredibly tough show, but I think the work we put in throughout the entire process really paid off. I also think working with my fellow actors, such as Amelia [Barakat, who played Blanche Dubois], made the rehearsal process so inviting and safe to explore these issues.”
The Sewanee Theatre students who committed their time and energy into portraying the main characters of A Streetcar Named Desire frankly deserve a round of applause. The research, time, and effort each performer put into building their characters would seem daunting to the average individual. Victoria Ryan (C’ 26) says of her journey portraying Stella Kowalski,“Stella was, without a doubt, the hardest role I’ve ever done. She grapples with so many complex emotions throughout the play, navigating the love she undoubtedly has for her sister Blanche, alongside her intense desire to maintain the life she chose for herself in New Orleans with Stanley. That is not to say I didn’t enjoy the experience, though. I feel like I learned so much from doing this show, understanding what it is like to plunge into the emotional depths of a character and separate that from my own personal well-being. Streetcar was a truly unforgettable production to be a part of.”
Another unique aspect of the production was the incorporation of smaller ensemble roles in the show. Sawyer Herring (C’ 27), who was a part of the ensemble along with portraying the Young Man and Allan, said of the experience, “A Streetcar Named Desire was an amazing show that turned out beautifully. It had an amazing cast that I absolutely loved getting to work with. However, it was a very taxing and mentally draining show whose heavy subject matter took an emotional toll on many of the actors.”
When examining the perspectives of different individuals involved with the production, it is important to incorporate the point of view of individuals involved with the technical side. Assistant Stage Manager Jacob Franklin (C’ 27) had a huge undertaking with this production. Stage Managers are often responsible for even the tiniest of details that audience members don’t even realize. Stage management is a difficult job that ultimately acts as a glue that binds different production elements together. Franklin spoke on his experiences with the show. “The whole process was at times very stressful,” Franklin said. “There were a lot of props and costumes to keep track of, and as a freshman, there were a lot of cast members I had not gotten to meet yet, so that was intimidating. But everyone I got to work with was super nice and that made the process much easier. Even when I was stressed about having to be acting stage manager one night during tech week, I felt very supported and all of the stress felt worth it.”
Overall, Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire was a beautiful and important show to see on stage at Sewanee in the Tennessee Williams Center. It is evident that both cast and crew benefitted from the experience, and the heavy subject matter of the play was handled respectfully and carefully by those involved. Oftentimes in theatre, actors have to handle difficult subjects in order to tell an important story. With support from director Jim Crawford, the actors were able to tell this story for many sold out audiences during the weekend of the performance. If you did not get the chance to see the production, I suggest reading the play and doing your own research into the interesting life of Williams and his work.