DEAR MR. THOMAS Starring Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell Now Available to Stream
The play, by Christopher Monger, centers on iconic Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and the back story of his masterpiece, Under Milk Wood.
Dear Mr. Thomas: A New Play for Voices starring Matthew Rhys, Keri Russell and Kate Burton, which was staged as a one-night-only dramatic reading at The 92nd Street Y in May, is now streaming on 92NY’s website.
The play, by Christopher Monger, centers on iconic Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and the back story of his masterpiece, Under Milk Wood, as well as Thomas’ time in New York, Wales and at The 92nd Street Y in the early 1950’s (92NY was Thomas’ home base for readings in the U.S. in that time period).
Starring Matthew Rhys as Dylan Thomas, the play is an intimate portrait of a famous poet struggling to remain dedicated to his craft and bring a masterpiece to life — and how that struggle impacted those around him, including his wife, Caitlin, and John Malcolm Brinnin, then-director of 92NY's Poetry Center Director, who brought Thomas to the U.S. for the poet's debut reading (in 1950), and served as his de facto agent.
Dear Mr. Thomas: A New Play for Voices was commissioned for 92NY’s 150th anniversary. The cast includes Lorna Bennett, Taylor Trensch, Gopal Divan, Betsy Zajko and Christopher Monger.
The play is an interpretation of events and not a definitive biography. It includes several important figures in Dylan Thomas’ life, readings of several iconic works by the great poet (all read by Matthew Rhys), and it highlights a seminal moment in literary history.
Under Milk Wood, which centers on a day in the life of a Welsh fishing village, premiered at The 92nd Street Y on May 14, 1953, with a cast that included Dylan Thomas himself. The play was popularized on BBC Radio by iconic Welsh actor Richard Burton (Kate Burton's father), who also starred in the 1972 film adaptation with Elizabeth Taylor.
Watch on their website.