Directed by Thomas P. Joyner
Starring:
David Knoell
William Lage
Nicole O'Donnell
Allison Moseley
The Sands Theatre Sparkles with Glass Menagerie
The Sands Theater Center will be presenting the Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer prize winning The Glass Menagerie in it’s black box theater April 5 - 20. This American classic will not only touch your heart but also inspire you to embrace living abundantly, as you watch a family of three live more in their fantasy worlds than in reality.
The play centers on an overbearing mother who is a victim of fantasies about her withdrawn daughter, Laura. Laura wears a leg-brace because of a crippling childhood illness and is at home only in her private world that centers on a collection of glass animal figures. When Amanda persuades her son to invite a friend from work for dinner with hopes that it will lead to romance for Laura, it changes the family forever. Many believe this is an autobiographical tale of Williams, as it mirrors his real life story more than any of his other works.
Orlando resident Tom Joyner is directing the production that includes David Knoell and Nicole O’Donnell, also from Orlando. Sands Theater regulars Will Lage and Allison Moseley round out the cast.
The Glass Menagerie made its 1944 debut in Chicago and moved to New York in 1945 where it won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play launched Williams’ success as a playwright, and the show ran for 563 performances at New York's Playhouse Theatre. After such a blazing success, Williams' won another Critics' Award and Pulitzer for perhaps his most lasting masterpiece, A Streetcar Named Desire in 1948. He won yet another Pulitzer in 1955 for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Glass Menagerie was initially written as a screenplay for MGM (The Gentleman Caller), then reworked into one of Williams' short stories, "Portrait of a Girl in Glass”. Williams had deep doubts about the production and did not expect the play to last more than a few nights. Producers even had closing notices prepared. But two critics loved the show, gave rave reviews and eventually, tickets to the show were some of the hottest items in Chicago. It then moved to New York in 1945. An interesting fact to note is that on opening night in New York, the cast received an unbelievable twenty-five curtain calls.
Glass Menagerie performs April 5 – 20, and plays Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. There is one Thursday performance, April 10, at 7:30 p.m.
The Sands Theater Center is located inside the Cultural Arts Center, 1/2 mile north of downtown DeLand at 600 N. Woodland Boulevard. Ticket prices for the show are $18 for adults and $10 for students with a valid school I.D. To order tickets, call the box office at (386) 736-7456 or log onto to www.sandstheatercenter.com.
Contact Information:
Sands Theater Center 600 N Woodland Boulevard, DeLand, FL 32720
Jeffrey D. Ault,
Executive Director (386) 738-7156 JDAult@aol.com
Tracy McCoy,
Administrative Director (386) 738-7156 CTFtheatre@aol.com