THE GLASS MENAGERIE Hits the Stage at Maltz Jupiter Theatre Tonight

If a Tennessee Williams renaissance is on the horizon, you can be certain that a group of teens at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre will be leading the way.

Under the guidance of industry professionals at Florida's largest award-winning not-for-profit regional theatre, a team of 21 middle and high school students have spent their summer at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre participating in a free summer mentorship program to produce Williams' celebrated drama The Glass Menagerie, set to take place tonight, August 15, at 7:30 p.m.

Very few productions in the modern theatre world have so captured the imagination and heart of the American public as The Glass Menagerie. This beautiful family drama tells the story of the domineering matriarch Amanda Wingfield and her two children, fragile Laura and restless dreamer Tom, as well as a long hoped-for gentleman caller. A striking play filtered through Tom's memory, The Glass Menagerie examines family relationships, the pursuit of dreams and obligations to one another.

A four-character memory play, The Glass Menagerie premiered in 1944 and propelled Williams from obscurity to fame. The play is said to have strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on Williams himself, his authoritarian mother and fragile sister. In writing the play, Williams drew on an earlier short story and screenplay he had written titled The Gentleman Caller.

One of America's most highly-regarded playwrights, Williams' other renowned works include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire and The Rose Tattoo. He won multiple awards for his work, including the New York Drama Critics Circle Award in 1945 for The Glass Menagerie. Along with Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, Williams is considered among the three foremost playwrights in 20th century American drama.

"It's been such an honor to produce this incredible American classic," said the show's student director, Kara Grozan, a senior at Jupiter High School. "The Glass Menagerie is an unforgettable story with beautiful symbolism, and as young artists, we're all excited to showcase our hard work. I'd like to encourage everyone to come see this dynamic drama brought to life on the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's stage."

The students' production will feature full production values and theatrical elements such as projections, lighting and illusions, all designed to transport the audience to another reality.

The Maltz Jupiter Theatre Youth Artists' Chair project aligns high school students with individual Theatre staff members for one-on-one mentoring and guidance during the creation process of the show. Through the project, students have produced the dramas The Crucible, Hamlet, The Laramie Project and The Good Times are Killing Me since 2011.

Tickets are on sale now for The Glass Menagerie, with one performance slated for 7:30 p.m. tonight, August 15. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students. For information about the show and to purchase tickets, visit www.jupitertheatre.org or call (561) 575-2223.

The not-for-profit Maltz Jupiter Theatre has become one of Florida's preeminent professional theatres, committed to production and education through its collaborations with local and national artists. Currently the state's largest award-winning regional theatre, the Theatre draws nearly 100,000 people annually, serves a subscription base of more than 7,626 and has world-class classroom facilities in support of its Paul and Sandra Goldner Conservatory of Performing Arts, which serves hundreds of youth and adults. The Theatre is a member of the prestigious League of Resident Theatres and has earned numerous Carbonell Awards, South Florida's highest honor for artistic excellence, including the prestigious Bill Von Maurer Award for Theatrical Excellence.

Pictured: Laura Guley, 17, of Jupiter, will portray Laura in the Maltz Jupiter Theatre Youth Artists' Chair production of The Glass Menagerie. Photo by Janie Willison.

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