actors theatre
of San Francisco
ACTORS THEATRE OF SAN FRANCISCO
855 BUSH STREET
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108
United States
ph: 415-345-1287
fax: 707-748-4327
alt: 415-345-9582
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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
By Tennessee Williams
Directed by Keith Phillips and James Baldock, Designed by Biz Duncan
featuring:Jennifer Welch, Nicholas Russell, Christian Phillips, Hannah Marks, Carole Lynn Robinson. Sean Hallinan, Randy Hurst, John Krause, and Tiffani MitchellBy Tennessee Williams
Directed by Keith Phillips and James Baldock, Designed by Biz Duncan
On a story-telling level "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" concerns a disaffected, former football star's descent into alcoholism following the death of his college friend and teammate, and the indefatigable efforts of his wife to save him so that he can take over his dying father's plantation.. Many themes that pervade other Tennessee Williams plays are also present here; ambivalence of sexual orientation, disaffection, and the fragility of intimate relationships. But particularly in the the dynamic second act in which the dying Big Daddy confronts his son's self destruction Williams' language is at its powerful and poetic best. And in the largest sense the play is about the question of wether a life stripped of illusion and fantasy is possible or even worth living. Williams' answer delivered by Maggie in a speech to Brick is , "My only point, the only point that I'm making, is that life has got to be allowed to continue even after the dream of life is all over."
Amen.
One of the most acclaimed productions of the 20th century, Cat on A Hot Tin Roof tells the drama of seething passions that beset a wealthy Southern family whose lives are stripped of pretense in a shattering moment of revelation. Winner of the 1955 Pulitzer Prize, the piece was an instant phenomenon during its original Broadway run and has been called “The masterpiece that changed American Theatre forever”. A film adaptation in 1958, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman, was nominated for 6 Academy Awards.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is the story of a Southern family in crisis, focusing on the turbulent relationship of a husband and wife, Brick and Maggie Pollitt, and their interaction with Brick's family over the course of one evening gathering at the family estate in Mississippi, ostensibly to celebrate the birthday of patriarch and tycoon "Big Daddy" Pollitt. Maggie, has escaped a childhood of desperate poverty to marry into the wealthy Pollitt family. The favored child, Brick, has neglected Maggie and ignores his brother's attempts to gain control of the family fortune. Brick's indifference and his near-continuous drinking dates back to the recent suicide of his friend Skipper. Big Daddy is unaware that he has cancer and will never live to see another birthday; his doctors and his family have conspired to keep this information from him and his wife. His relatives are in attendance and attempt to present themselves in the best possible light, hoping to receive the definitive share of Big Daddy's enormous wealth.
Mendacity is a primary theme in the play. Moreover, Cat on A Hot Tin Roof revolves around the lies in the aging and decaying Southern society. With the exception of Brick, the family lies to Big Daddy and Big Mama, as does the doctor. Big Daddy lies to his wife. The play alludes to the presence of homosexuality in Southern society and examines the complicated rules of social conduct in this culture. Tennessee Williams himself was unclear about the nature of Brick's feelings for his friend Skipper while developing different versions of the play.
Wednesdays Through Saturdays at 8 pm
ACTORS THEATRE OF SAN FRANCISCO
855 BUSH STREET
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108
United States
ph: 415-345-1287
fax: 707-748-4327
alt: 415-345-9582
informat
