By LAUREN SOVISKY
staff writer
“A Streetcar Named Desire” opens at the Erie Playhouse this weekend.
As Erie cools down and welcomes the fall season, the Playhouse will create that hot summer getaway to New Orleans, and recreate one of Tennessee Williams’ famous plays.
In Laurel, Miss., Blanche Dubois hops off the streetcar named Desire and moves in with her younger sister, Stella, and brother-in-law, Stanley.
Blanche has lost everything — the family estate, her money and possibly her mind.
Her stay only brings up concerns for Stanley. He feels Blanche is putting on a fake façade and attempting to cheat Stella out of more money.
Throughout the play, Blanche’s true colors show as she works her way through different men and her lies catch up to her.
“A Streetcar Named Desire” was written in 1947 by Williams and it received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948.
The many emotions found within the drama were taken from Williams’ own life, filled with depression and alcoholism.
The character of Blanche is even believed to be based on Williams’ own sister, Rose Williams, who struggled with mental health issues.
The name of the play itself is a creative way Williams utilized the many unique street names within New Orleans.
Desire Street is located in the 9th Ward of New Orleans, the largest section of the city.
Hopping off this train with Blanche will be one of Gannon’s very own students.
Ellise Chase, a senior theatre and advertising major, will be playing Stella in the Playhouse’s rendition.
Stella is Blanche’s younger sister who traveled to New Orleans as a teenager in order to better support herself after the family had lost its wealth.
There Stella met and married Stanley Kowalski, a rough man who does not fit the ideals Blanche has set for her sister.
“Stella Kowalski is a bucket-list role for me,” Chase said. “I absolutely love Stella; she is a woman trying desperately to do the right thing, but her family – Blanche and Stanley – are pulling her in different directions. Ultimately, she is forced to choose between her husband and sister.”
“A Streetcar Named Desire” opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Erie Playhouse located on West 10th Street. The play will be performed on select dates in November. Student tickets are $14.
See www.erieplayhouse.org for all showtimes and ticket information.
LAUREN SOVISKY
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