Psych Drama Company and RI Shakespeare Company Present A Streetcar Named Desire
"Streetcar Named Desire is the famous Tennessee Williams play which revolves around the one-time southern belle Blanche Dubois. After suffering a series of tragic events, she arrives at the doorstep of her sister Stella, who lives in a rundown neighborhood of New Orleans. Blanche blows in like a gentle southern breeze but quickly comes into conflict with Stella's husband, Stanley. While Blanche attempts to maintain an air of refinement, Stanley is anything but refined and his brutish, animalistic and often violent ways clash with Blanche from the moment they meet until the play's perhaps inevitable climax...
"Likely to split audience members is the acting by Wendy Lippe in the role of Blanche. To her credit, she makes a big choice and seriously commits to it, and that should be applauded. Some will find it a brilliant performance that works perfectly while others will find it a less-than-brilliant performance.
"Sacchietti is an unexpectedly perfect Stanley and it's only unexpected because he doesn't, at first, look the part. He's kind of lean and wiry and rather clean-cut, almost all-American. As Stella, Howe also presents a real and believable woman who is caught up in circumstances she cannot control. In a sense she's trapped between two worlds and torn apart by them, a situation which Howe plays perfectly. Jon Brandl is also excellent as Mitch. While he does have an element of Stanley's rough, potentially violent manliness, he cloaks it in a sweet, loving and kind exterior. The rest of the ensemble, as various friends and neighbors, are also quite good in minor roles. What the entire ensemble has is great chemistry."
-Robert Barossi, BroadwayWorld.com
"The play premiered on Broadway in 1947 and tells the story of what happens when faded Southern Belle Blanche DuBois moves in with her sister Stella and husband Stanley Kowalski. Blanche tells Stella of the “loss” of their ancestral home Belle Reve in Laurel, Mississippi, how it upset her so much that she took a leave of absence from her job teaching High School English and now needs to recover. Blanche blames Stella, who she claims deserted her to marry Stanley and left her alone to deal with the illness and death of their father and the debts that led to this “loss.” Stanley is suspect of her stories from the beginning and eventually “finds her out” with disastrous results. The play deals with alcoholism, abuse, and mental illness. It is filled with passion and poignancy.
Wendy Lippe, founder and Producing Artistic Director of the Psych Drama Company, takes on the challenging role of Blanche with great success. She shines in all facets of this complex character. Margaret Howe as Stella shows us the iron glove in the velvet hand. She is by turns meek, determined and passionate. Stephen Sacchetti portrays Stanley, capturing the fire and ardor of the role perfectly. Jon Brandl is Mitch, the dutiful son who is entranced with Blanche until her true past is revealed to him by Stanley. His portrayal is perfect. Greata DiGiorgio as Eunice, the upstairs neighbor and “Mexican Woman,” is wonderful. Frank Brennan is Steve, Eunice’s husband, and he does a great job. Derek Bousquet is Pablo one of the card-playing friends of Stanley and the “Collector,” and the paperboy who is almost seduced by Blanche. He is terrific and I honestly didn’t think it was the same actor who played both parts.
Director Nicholas Meunier has done a great job with this talented cast.
Larry Siegel is Stage Manager and also plays the Doctor who appears at the end of the play. He handles both parts capably, keeping the performance running smoothly.
The set designed by JC Wallace is a suitably shabby representation of a dilapidated apartment in a run-down section of New Orleans. The jazzy pre-show music draws the audience in and takes us back to post-war Louisiana. The lighting by Anthony D’Uantano continues the mood.
This production also has Ted Eaton working with the cast as Fight Consultant and Dr. Phillip Freeman as Character Consultant. Those attending the final performance on Sunday will have an opportunity to hear Dr. Freeman discuss the character complexities after the show."
- Cindy Sue, Don Gillis' Little Rhody Theater
"She is a fiery, passionate yet ethereal Blanche. Wendy-moth burns bright in this extremely emotionally and physically demanding role.
--Carmen D.
© 2019 The Psych Drama Company/Pandora’s Box Productions, Inc.