Writers' Theatre Presents A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE 5/4-7/11

Writers' Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by David Cromer. The production runs May 4-July 11, 2010, at Writers' Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe. Tickets are on sale through the Writers' Theatre box office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org. 

One of Chicago's foremost directors takes on one of the country's greatest plays. After staging last season's acclaimed production of Picnic, David Cromer returns to Writers' Theatre. Blanche DuBois, an aging southern belle, arrives unexpectedly on the doorstep of her sister Stella and her explosive brother-in-law Stanley. Over the course of one hot and steamy New Orleans summer, Blanche's fragile façade slowly crumbles, wreaking havoc on Stella and Stanley's already turbulent relationship. Embodying the turmoil and drama of a changing nation, A Streetcar Named Desire strips Williams' tortured characters of their illusions, leaving a wake of destruction in their path.
"As usual, David's skill for breathing fresh life into a play has challenged us to look anew at a play we thought we knew," said Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. "As with Picnic, together with his team, he has crafted a design that will offer our audiences an exhilarating new way to interact with our theatre and which will allow us all to experience the play at intensively new levels of intimacy."
The cast includes Esteban Andres Cruz (Pablo), Jenn Engstrom (Eunice), Ryan Hallahan (Young Collector), Derek Hasenstab, (Doctor) Matt Hawkins (Stanley), Loren Lazerine, (Steve), Natasha Lowe (Blanche), Danny McCarthy (Mitch), Carolyn E. Nelson (Colored Woman/Matron), Stacy Stoltz (Stella) and Rosario Vargas (Mexican Woman).

The designers are Collette Pollard (scenic), Janice Pytel (costume), Heather Gilbert (lighting) and Josh Schmidt (sound).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

David Cromer (Director) returns to Writers' Theatre where he directed Picnic, Booth, The Price and Oscar Remembered. Most recently he directed When the Rain Stops Falling at Lincoln Center Theater, for which he was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award. Broadway credits: Brighton Beach Memoirs. New York credits: Our Town (Barrow Street Theatre, 2009 Obie and Lortel Awards for Direction), Adding Machine (Minetta Lane Theatre, 2008 Obie and Lortel Awards for Direction) and Orson's Shadow (Barrow Street Theatre). Other Chicago credits include: Come Back, Little Sheba (Shattered Globe), Cider House Rules (Famous Door), Angels in America (Journeymen), The Dazzle, Golden Boy, Orson's Shadow (Steppenwolf Theatre Company). Regional credits include: The Glass Menagerie (Kansas City Repertory), The Farnsworth Invention, SantaLand Diaries, Orson's Shadow (Alley Theatre).

Esteban Andres Cruz (Pablo) has appeared in Hey! Dancin! (Factory Theatre) and Jesus Hopped the A Train (Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in a Principal Role, Raven Theatre). He has also appeared at Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, The Oak Park Festival Theatre, Piven Theatre, Halcyon Theatre, Apollo Theater and Theatre at the Center. Esteban is co-creator and performer in the late-night smash hit The Game Show Show...& Stuff! at Lakeshore Theater. Esteban has developed and appeared in his one-person show, Stuffed! (Strawdog Theatre, Lakeshore Theatre and Raven Theatre Company). He is a recent graduate from The School at Steppenwolf and IO and is an improviser on several teams in the city.

Jenn Engstrom (Eunice) has appeared at A Red Orchid Theatre in The Fastest Clock in the Universe, Kimberly Akimbo, The Hothouse and Eric LaRue. Other Chicago credits include The Great Society (Famous Door Theatre Company), Sky Girls (Northlight Theatre); Hot l Baltimore (Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.), The Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage (Defiant Theatre) and The Incident and Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been...(Next Theatre Company). In 2001, Engstrom appeared in Steppenwolf Theatre Company's London production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Ryan Hallahan (Young Collector) is a recent graduate of Illinois State University and has been seen as Clifford in Sideman at The Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.
Derek Hasenstab (Doctor) has performed in Aladdin, Sunday in the Park with George and Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Oedipus Complex (Goodman Theatre), A Home at the End of the World and Cloud Nine (About Face Theatre), Dealer's Choice, Phyro Giants!, Was and Ecstasy (RoadWorks Productions) and The Buddy Holly Story, A Christmas Carol, I Hate Hamlet and The Foreigner (After Dark Award, Drury Lane Oakbrook). Regional credits include The Glass Menagerie (Kansas City Repertory) and Metamorphoses (Mark Taper Forum). He performed the role of Zazu in the Broadway national tour of The Lion King.
Matt Hawkins (Stanley Kowalski) returns to Writers' Theatre after directing the fight choreography for Rosencrantz And Guildentstern are Dead. Recent directing credits include Cabaret (The Hypocrites), Red Noses (Strawdog Theatre Company) and Hatfield & McCoy (The House Theatre of Chicago). He has worked with The Royal Shakespeare Company, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Court Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Neo-Futurists, Redmoon Theater and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He is a founding member of The House Theatre of Chicago, an artistic associate and resident director with Strawdog Theatre Company, an artistic associate with 500 Clown and the recipient of two Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards. Upcoming projects include directing American Theatre Company's Silver Project followed by remounting his production of Red Noses with Strawdog Theatre Company. Hawkins is a graduate of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. He is married to Stacey Stoltz.

Loren Lazerine (Steve) recently appeared Awake and Sing! at Northlight Theatre after living in Los Angeles for 14 years. Chicago credits include the first main stage Cabbie in Famous Door's long running Hellcab at The Organic Theater Company, Ivanhoe Theater, Edinburgh International Festival and an Israel Tour; Julius Caeser (Next Theatre Company), Holy Ghosts (Shattered Globe Theatre), Neil La Bute's Lepers (Cafe Voltaire), Never Come Morning (Prop Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Glengarry GLen Ross and Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been directed by Anna D. Shapiro (Big Game Theatre). Film credits include Fast And Furious 4, The Big Tease, Asylum, Boogie Nights Hijacking Hollywood, Double Bang, Light It Up and Hellcab. Television credits include Frasier, CSI, Pushing Daisies, Las Vegas, Gilmore Girls, According To Jim, Navy NCIS, Criminal Minds, An American Family on P.B.S, Kitchen Confidential, Girlfriends and Caveman, among many others.

Natasha Lowe (Blanche DuBois) returns to Writers' Theatre after appearing in Picnic as Flo Owens and Sheila in Benefactors. Chicago credits include Angels In America, Parts I and II (Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Ensemble, The Journeymen Theater), Betty's Summer Vacation (RoadWorks Productions), Golden Boy (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), The Boarding House, The Front Page (Next Theatre Company), Pledge of Allegience (American Blues Theater), Meridian (Joseph Jefferson Citation for Best Supporting Actress), 1,001 Afternoons In Chicago (Prop Theatre and Live Bait Theater), Lydie Breeze and Women and Water (Big Game Theatre).

Danny McCarthy (Mitch) makes his Writers' Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Abigail's Party, The Unseen (A Red Orchid Theater), The Pillowman (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Seranading Louis (RoadWorks Productions) and Take Me Out (About Face Theatre). Film credits include The Express, Derailed, Fred Clause and Alleyball. Television credits include Agent Danny Hale in Prison Break.

Carolyn E. Nelson (Colored Woman & Matron) has been seen in Chicago in The Little Foxes (Shattered Globe Theatre), Katrina: The Girl who Wanted her Name Back (Adventure Stage Theatre), numerous family productions at ETA Creative Arts Foundation and Flyin' West (Thymly Theatre). Regionally, she appeared at Des Moines Playhouse Theatre, Rat Pac Theatre and Rialto Theatre Company. She can also be seen in numerous commercials.
Stacy Stoltz (Stella Kowalski) has appeared in Over the Tavern (Noble Fool Theatricals at Pheasant Run Resort), Frankenstein, The Hairy Ape, Our Town, Miss Julie, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Henry 5, Blood Wedding, Camille/La Traviata, Balm In Gilead (The Hypocrites), 4.48 Psychosis (The Hypocrites at Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe, Hatfield and Mccoy, Hope Springs Infernal and The Rocket Man (The House Theatre of Chicago). Off-Broadway credits include The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love Suicide (59E59 Theatres). Stoltz is a company member with The Hypocrites and The House Theatre of Chicago. She is married to Matt Hawkins.
Rosario Vargas (Mexican Woman) is the Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Aguijon Theater Company. Vargas was born in Cartagena, Colombia and her vast professional experience includes many productions as actress, director and producer, both in Chicago and abroad. Her directorial credits for Aguijon include ‘Til Mortgage Do Us Apart, Ceviche in Pittsburgh, The Empty Chalices, Genesis was Tomorrow and An Admiral for the Sea. Acting credits include The House of Bernarda Alba, Blood Wedding, Orchids in the Moonlight, Johnny Tenorio and The Strip. In 2003 Vargas was named the Sor Juana Ines Honoree by the National Museum of Mexican Art.

TICKET INFORMATION

Performances are May 4-July 11, 2010. The press performance is on Thursday, May 13, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. Curtain times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. There will be no performances on July 4 or 6:00 p.m. performances on June 13 or July 11. Wednesday matinees will be performed at 2:00 p.m. on June 9 and 30.

Tickets are $40-$65 and are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.

TWEET SEATS

New this season, Writers' introduced Tweet Seats, a day-of ticket discount program. Follow Writers' Theatre on Twitter (Twitter.com/WritersTheatre) and everyday by 3pm, Writers' will Tweet a code that can be used to purchase remaining seats for that day's performance at a discount. Tweet Seats are available for purchase only through the Writers' Theatre website at writerstheatre.org.

WRITERS' PARTNERS

Writers' Theatre is delighted to welcome Magnetar Capital back as Corporate Production Sponsor for A Streetcar Named Desire. This marks Magnetar Capital's third year collaborating with Writers' Theatre, following successful partnerships on our world premiere production of A Minister's Wife, and our production of As You Like It.

A Streetcar Named Desire is also supported by The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation.

The Writers' Theatre season is underwritten, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
DiPescara is a 2009/10 Season Restaurant Partner. Patrons receive 10% off their guest check when they present their ticket stub when ordering. Di Pescara is one of the North Shore's top restaurants, named among the city's best new restaurants by Chicago magazine. This Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, conveniently located at 2124 Northbrook Court, is just five minutes from the theater. Call 847-498-4321 to make your reservation.
Writers' Theatre introduces a new 2009/10 Season Restaurant Partner, Winnetka's award-winning, Restaurant Michael. Featuring impeccably crafted cuisine of the freshest local and organic ingredients, Restaurant Michael prepares classic, haute cuisine, in a unique and contemporary presentation with French country flair. Writers' Theatre patrons receive 10% off their guest check when they present their ticket stub when ordering. Just 10 minutes from the theater at 64 Green Bay Road, Restaurant Michael is the perfect fit for any dining occasion. Call 847-441-3100 to make your reservation.
For more information about Writers' 2009/10 Restaurant Partners and offer restrictions visit writerstheatre.org/visitus.
ABOUT WRITERS' THEATRE

Writers' Theatre is a professional company focusing on the Word and the Artist. Remaining true to the intention of the playwright and nurturing the artist stand at the center of the mission. Now in its 18th season, the company both revives classic scripts and cultivates new works and adaptations while invigorating them with fresh energy in the intimacy of its venues. Founded in 1992, Writers' Theatre performed exclusively at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Avenue for the first 12 years. In the fall of 2003, the organization opened a new 108 seat performance venue at 325 Tudor Court. Today, Writers' Theatre continues to produce in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences. Since 2000, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 to more than 5,200 today. With an operating budget of $3.3 million, Writers' Theatre is supported by a staff of 18 full-time employees and a 31-member Board of Trustees.
You can find Writers' Theatre on Facebook or follow Writers' Theatre on Twitter at Twitter.com/WritersTheatre. For more information, visit www.writerstheatre.org.