Photos: Tennessee Williams' TIGER TAIL From Shakespeare Downtown

Shakespeare Downtown opened its summer production of Tiger Tail last night at Castle Clinton National Monument, drawing a full crowd to the historic open-air venue in Lower Manhattan. The rarely performed Tennessee Williams drama, based on the screenplay for Elia Kazan’s film Baby Doll, runs through June 22 and is presented free to the public. See photos from the show.

Directed by Geoffrey Horne, the play brings Southern heat and psychological tension to the Battery, as audiences watch the story of a down-on-his-luck Mississippi cotton gin owner, his young bride, and the rival who seeks revenge by seducing her. The cast features Billie Andersson as Baby Doll, Steven J. Cambria as Archie Lee, and Juan Pablo Toro as Silva Vacarro.

The production makes full use of its surroundings, with the stone walls of Castle Clinton adding to the atmospheric design by Amy Goossens, lighting by G. Scott Designs, and sound by Carlos Ponce. With no intermission and a sharp focus on character and mood, the opening night performance held the audience rapt for two full hours as dusk settled over the harbor.

Performances continue nightly at 6:30 p.m. through Sunday. Free tickets are distributed at the door beginning at 5:45 p.m. Photos from the June 19 opening night performance can be seen below. For more information, visit www.shakespearedowntown.org.

Photo Credit: Amy Goossens

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