This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, April 1, 2011 - Tennessee Williams' local 100th birthday bash didn't depend on the kindness of strangers, which was the modus operandi of his famous Blanche DuBois. Instead, it came about because of a persistent St. Louisan who's quite familiar with the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright.
When producer/director Lana Pepper couldn't find any local events commemorating Williams, she created one -- or rather, three. Next weekend, a trio of dinner-and-drama happenings will present scenes from Williams' best-known plays performed by local actors and one Kansas City performer.
Each event, including Saturday night's "The State of Tennessee" benefitting the Beacon, is a fundraiser for a nonprofit organization. All take place at the Gaslight Theatre and include scenes from "The Glass Menagerie," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "A Streetcar Named Desire."
Southern favorites such as mint juleps will be served before or after each night's productions, and there's a good chance patrons may also enjoy some gumbo and sweet cornbread and perhaps a slice of pecan pie.
Pepper, who founded the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, told the Beacon that she was moved to create the Williams events because "it would be a crime" if our city failed to honor the renowned playwright who for many years called St. Louis home.
Why is it so important that St. Louis pay tribute to Williams on the occasion of his centennial birthday?
Pepper: He lived here during all his formative years. He went to high school here and graduated, he went to Washington University for a year; he was here for a long time. Other cities where he never even lived were doing celebrations, yet in St. Louis, nothing was happening.
What sort of event did you envision?
Pepper: I just started thinking about what I could do, and decided I needed to do something that could be a fundraiser for not-for-profit organizations. I thought about what would be fun to do. I thought, "I'll just pick out those really great scenes and get really good actors to do them" -- make it a little more than an hour. I called The St. Louis Actors' Studio, the Beacon and the Central West End Association, and that's how it came about. I called William Roth and asked if I could rent the Gaslight Theatre. And then I started casting.
What actors did you choose and what roles are they playing?
Pepper: We have three actors who are new to town, and we are so lucky to have them as part of the actors' pool in St. Louis. Shanara Gabrielle is a beautiful, talented Equity [actors' union] actor who moved here about three years ago. She's playing Blanche in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and Maggie in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." Michael James Reed -- he and wife moved here about a year ago -- is an Equity actor also. He just finished "Macbeth" and "In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play)" -- he was the husband of woman with hysteria. He'll also play Stanley and Brick from "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." There aren't a lot of "Stanleys" in St. Louis, and two people suggested him. I got frightened when I saw him in "In the Next Room"; they made him look fat and old, and I thought, "Oh my God," but when he came for rehearsal, he looked great. Then there's Mark Kelley -- I'm not sure when he moved here -- who's going to be the gentleman caller in "The Glass Menagerie."
Who else is in the productions?
Pepper: We're bringing in one actor from Kansas City because I wanted him for Big Daddy in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." His name is Bob Elliott. The rest are St. Louis favorites -- Colleen Backer, who's won two Kevin Kline Awards, is Stella and also Laura in "Glass Menagerie," and Kim Furlow will be Amanda.
What else can audiences expect in the tribute performances?
Pepper: I tried to showcase the actors' talent and keep a sense of the plays' plots in the scenes. There won't be any sets or costumes. I'm hoping that because there are no set or costumes that the focus will be on Tennessee Williams' words and the power of his words.
