The festival, celebrating five plays by Steven Carl McCasland, features a look at many historical figures including Gertrude Stein, Dorothy Parker, John F. Kennedy, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Richard Strauss, Laurette Taylor, Rose Kennedy and legendary playwright Tennessee Williams.
While McCasland's play What Was Lost visits a young Williams at the beginning of his career, En Avant! takes a look at the playwright in the latter years of his life. Drawn from Williams' own journals and letters to family and friends, as well as several other writings about him, En Avant! An Evening with Tennessee Williams is a biographical recounting of the four major elements of Williams' life: his family (including his schizophrenic sister who was lobotomized in 1943, his frigid mother, and his verbally abusive father), his three most important lovers, his seminal works, and his battle with inner demons: a fear of insanity and extreme loneliness (which he masked with alcohol, barbiturates and a compulsive sexual appetite). The entertaining and engaging show offers a glimpse into the personal side of the American theatrical treasure, exposing the emotional essence of this immensely talented playwright. En Avant! and writer-performer Shumann won the 2013 NYC International Fringe Festival Overall Excellence Award for Solo Performance.The Clarion Theatre is located at 309 East 26th Street in New York City. Tickets for En Avant! and all five plays in the festival are priced at $18 each and now on sale. A 5-Play Package (excluding En Avant!) is available for a reduced price. Tickets can be purchased at http://beautifulsoup.showclix.com.
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