Dan's Papers - July 3, 2009 - The Glass Menagerie

Another upcoming play visiting the East End this July is one that you may find yourself already familiar with, The Glass Menagerie. Hosting this American classic is the new John Drew Theater at Guild Hall in East Hampton, where director Harris Yulin has been rehearsing with actors Amy Irving, John Behlmann, Louisa Krause, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach for the show's opening on July 11.

The Glass Menagerie was written by Tennessee Williams in 1944, and the play parallels so many aspects of his own life that it is often called an autobiography. Set in a cramped St. Louis apartment, the story is centered around the Wingfield family. The narrator is Tom, a struggling poet who feels stifled by his controlling mother and agrees to find a husband for his shy and crippled sister, Laura, in exchange for his freedom. In their own way, Tom, Laura and their Southern Belle mother are all incapable of overcoming their drab existences and escaping their hopeless situations.

As one of the greatest American playwrights in history, Williams' talent as a writer is evident throughout The Glass Menagerie, and many have called it his finest piece of work. Such a play requires a tremendously talented cast, and it will be interesting to see Amy Irving starring as Amanda Wingfield. Irving has had a successful career both on screen and on stage, and her work on Broadway has included roles in Amadeus, Heartbreak House, Three Sisters and Arthur Miller's Broken Glass.

Directing Irving and the rest of the cast is Yulin, the producer of Horton Foote's Trip to Bountiful, which ran at Signature Theatre and Goodman Theatre and won four Lortel Awards and the Chicago Tribune's Production of the Year Award. His Broadway credits include Hedda Gabler, The Price, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Visit, A Lesson from Aloes and Watch on the Rhine. His film credits include Another Woman, Cradle Will Rock, Training Day and Fur.

The production team includes a set of accomplished designers, including set designer Beowulf Boritt, costume designer Martin Pakledinaz and sound designer Brett Jarvis. The entire team has worked hard to create an original production of a play that has been reproduced so many times. If you're at all a fan of theater, you will have to see this rendition for yourself.

The Glass Menagerie at Guild Hall runs from July 8 to July 26 and for a complete schedule or to purchase tickets call the Guild Hall Box Office at 631-324-4050 or visit guildhall.org.