Crow’s Theatre And Soulpepper Theatre Present Tennessee Williams’ SUMMER & SMOKE

Crow's Theatre and Soulpepper Theatre, in association with Birdland Theatre, will present a new Canadian production of SUMMER & SMOKE, one of Tennessee Williams’ most lyrical and searching plays. Directed by Paolo Santalucia, the production marks the fourth collaboration in Crow’s and Soulpepper’s Strategic Partnership this season and will be performed at the Guloien Theatre in the Streetcar Crowsnest.

Set in the fictional Mississippi town of Glorious Hill at the turn of the 20th century, SUMMER & SMOKE unfolds during a sweltering summer beneath the wings of a stone angel. The play centers on Alma Winemiller, a minister’s daughter governed by propriety and restraint, and John Buchanan Jr., the impulsive and charismatic doctor next door. As their attraction deepens, desire, duty, and social convention collide, revealing a world where longing deferred can become devastating. Long overshadowed by A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie, the play has undergone significant critical reappraisal in recent years and is increasingly recognized as a central work in Williams’ canon.

The production stars Bahia Watson as Alma Winemiller and Dan Mousseau as John Buchanan Jr. They are joined by an ensemble that includes Amy Rutherford, Kaleb Horn, Beau Dixon, Bella Reyes, and Stuart Hughes. Together, the cast brings renewed focus to the play’s examination of illusion, loneliness, and the fragile timing of love.

“SUMMER & SMOKE is Tennessee Williams at his most intimate,” said Santalucia, who is also Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre. “It is a story about the bruise of love and the roles we learn to play in order to be loved, and the cost of sustaining those performances when true connection is at stake.”

Crow’s Theatre Artistic Director Chris Abraham described the work as essential within Williams’ body of writing, noting that the play is no longer a lesser-known title but a missing chapter that reveals the playwright’s imagination with clarity and emotional force.

Originally premiering on Broadway in 1947, SUMMER & SMOKE has since been rediscovered through major revivals, including acclaimed productions at London’s Almeida Theatre and off-Broadway. The play has also been adapted into a feature film and an opera, further underscoring its lasting influence and resonance.

The creative team for the production includes set and lighting designer Lorenzo Savoini, sound designer Thomas Ryder Payne, and Costume Designer Ming Wong, with stage management by Sam Hale.