Most know playwright Tennessee Williams for his classics, A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; however, Williams produced a number of one-act plays up until his death. Six of these plays are featured in Stone Soup Theatre’s wonderful production of 5xTenn (or so), running from February 15-March 9.
The eight cast members deliver delightful performances: Patrick Baxter lights up the stage as the drunken Guiseppe in “Sunburst”; while Brynne Garman and Gianni Truzzi argue, flirt, and connive in “Kingdom of Earth.”
While there aren’t elaborate mechanical horses or ornate costumes, the sets themselves functioned well on the cozy stage, including the smallest of details. A pinup girl, for example, is something that Lot repeatedly ogles in “Kingdom of Earth,” to convey his desire.
Artistic Director Maureen Miko writes, “It is impossible to resist gracing the stage with an American great who lived and breathed infinite compassion, sadness, and utter chaos unlike any other.” The one-acts transition from dystopian in “The Municipal Abattoir” and “Chalky White Substance”, to reflective in “The Big Game,” which was a remarkable undertaking both for the actors and the director.
Director Ellen Graham writes “It is a privilege to be in the room with the words of Tennessee Williams and hear the extraordinary poetry and heart that he brings to the theater.”
I couldn’t agree more.
What: 5xTenn (or so), written by Tennessee Williams and directed by Ellen Graham
Where: Stone Soup Theatre, 4029 Stone Way North
When: Thursday – Saturday evenings at 8pm, Sunday matinee at 4pm, February 15 – March 9.
Tickets: $14-25 through Brown Paper Tickets.