"The Glass Menagerie"
March 2004
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Minstrel Players Announce Spring 2004 Production
The Minstrel Players Theater Company of Northport, Long Island's most exciting theatrical group, prepares for their spring production at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Main Street in scenic Northport Village. They will be staging Tennessee Williams' classic drama "The Glass Menagerie". Performances will take place Saturdays, May 8th, 15th and 22nd at 8 P.M. and Sundays, May 9th, 16th and 23rd at 3 P.M. The show on Saturday, May 15th is a special Dinner Theater performance with dinner starting at 6:30 P.M.
"The Glass Menagerie" is directed by Minstrel founding member, Ray Palen, and features an intimate cast of four actors: Aimee Hiltz, John Lucas, Karen Ottomano and Ray Palen. The story involves Amanda Wingfield (Karen Ottomano), a faded and tragic remnant of Southern gentility, who lives in poverty in a dingy St. Louis apartment with her son, Tom (John Lucas), and her daughter, Laura (Aimee Hiltz). Amanda strives to give meaning and direction to her life and the lives of her children, though her methods are ineffective and irritating. Tom is driven nearly to distraction by his mother's nagging and seeks escape in alcohol and the unrealistic world of the movies. Laura also lives in her own illusions. She is crippled, and this defect, intensified by her mother's anxiety to see her married, has driven her more and more into herself. The crux of the action comes when Tom invites a young man of his acquaintance to take dinner with the family. Jim (Ray Palen), the caller, is a nice ordinary fellow who is at once pounced upon by Amanda as a possible husband for Laura. In spite of her crude and obvious efforts to entrap the young man, he and Laura manage to get along very nicely, and momentarily Laura is lifted out of herself into a new world. But this crashes when, toward the end, Jim explains that he is already engaged. The world of illusion that Amanda and Laura have striven to create in order to make life bearable collapses about them. Tom, too, at the end of his tether, at last leaves home.
The Minstrel Players are committed to bringing high quality, affordable theater to the Long Island Region. Tickets are $14.00 each and $12.00 for Seniors. The Dinner Theater performance on Saturday, May 15th is priced at $30. Opening Night special features all seats at $10 each. For more information please call (800)260-2390 or visit the Minstrel Player's official website at www.minstrelplayers.org . Hope to see you at the show!
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May 2004
Posted on Deb's
Web
ONE PERSON'S (RE)VIEW
Roseann Baldanza at The Minstrel Players
Tennessee Williams is just as HOT now as he was 50 years ago.
Spring Storm is scheduled for Broadway and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
just ended its Broadway run. If you can't get to the Kennedy
Center in Washington D.C. to see Sally Field as Amanda Wingfield
in The Glass Menagerie, come see the Minstrel Players exceptional
production. Karen Ottomano in the lead role as Amanda has captured
the essence of this character in a superior performance. John
Lucas is superb as Tom Wingfield. Aimee Hiltz does an excellent
job in portraying Laura's loneliness and sadness. Ray Palen, who
also directed this impressive production, is extraordinary as the
Gentleman Caller. Ray's vision and direction creates realism from
each of the actors. The theme of this play is about escape--Amanda
escapes into her past; Laura into the fragility of her glass
menagerie; and Tom goes to the "movies." The play is a "memory" and
the performances will linger in your memory days later.
So rise and shine, if you will, escape from your chores, and catch
a performance of The Glass Menagerie from this professional and
committed theatre group who brings quality entertainment at an
affordable price. The Minstrels Players are located at the Trinity
Episcopal Church, 130 Main Street, Northport, NY. Call 1 800-260-2390
for tickets. Performance dates May 22 at 8 P.M. and May 16 and 23 at
3 P.M. On May 15, there is a dinner theatre show at 6:30 P.M.
