Dungarvan Town Hall Theatre: Casting Call for A Streetcar Named Desire – May 17th 20.00
Curtain Call Productions Dungarvan is delighted to announce that our next production is the iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire,” to be directed by Mary Kelly.
After the loss of her family home, Belle Reve, to creditors, fading southern belle Blanche DuBois travels to the New Orleans French Quarter to visit (indefinitely) her younger, married sister, Stella, and brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski. Blanche is in her thirties, and with no money, she has nowhere else to go. She is horrified by the shabbiness of her sister’s two-room flat in a crowded, boisterous corner of New Orleans. She finds Stanley loud, rough, crude and brutish, referring to him as common and an ape. Stanley, a factory parts salesman, does not care for Blanche’s manners and delusions of grandeur.
Eventually, their violent collision course threatens to destroy Blanche’s already fragile sanity. Stanley finds out that Blanche was essentially run out of her hometown of Laurel, Mississippi to quell gossip about her many affairs. And he uses this information to destroy Blanche’s one chance of happiness.
Originally staged on Broadway in 1947 starring Marlon Brando and Jessica Tandy, Streetcar then moved to the silver screen, with Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter. Brando and Vivien Leigh taking the title roles of Stanley Kowalski and Blanche DuBois. The movie won four Academy Awards, including three acting awards (Leigh for Best Actress, Karl Malden for Best Supporting Actor and Kim Hunter for Best Supporting Actress), the first time a film won three out of four acting awards (Brando was nominated for Best Actor but lost).
Considered to be Tennessee Williams’ greatest play, this steamy and shocking landmark drama is regarded as one of the finest plays of the 20th century.
Curtain Call Productions Dungarvan says its’ delighted and honoured to be bringing this play to Dungarvan Town Hall Theatre in September. It will be the group’s fourth production in Dungarvan Town Hall Theatre when it was launched just two short years ago in April 2014. The first production was One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Oct 2014), followed by Steel Magnolias (March 2015). And then the Irish premier of The Graduate (Sept/Oct 2015 & Jan 2016), which started in the Town Hall before moving to Garter Lane in Waterford and then on to numerous theatres across Ireland as part of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland’s 2016 Three-Act Drama Festival.
The group has had a very busy and productive couple of years, blessed with numerous awards, testament to all the hard work by the various CCPD team members and the dedicated casts and crews of the three productions and festival team.
A Streetcar Named Desire is another large-cast play, with a good mix of 6 male and 6 female parts. The larger roles are those of Blanche DuBois, Stanley Kowalski, Stella Kowalski and Harold “Mitch” Mitchell. Steve Hubbell, Pablo Gonzales and Eunice Hubbell are also great roles, and there is a number of smaller roles which would be ideal for those wanting to get involved and perhaps try their hand at acting for the first time.
Casting will take place in Dungarvan Town Hall Theatre on Tuesday, May 17th @ 8 pm. Anyone interested in reading for a part is welcome to come along. As a community-based drama group, we are always looking for new talent and ensure a warm, friendly welcome for anyone who wants to get involved, be that on stage, back stage or front of house. Please note that due to the gritty nature of this play and the adult themes involved, casting is restricted to over-18s only.
There’s no need to prepare anything in advance of the readings, just go along on the evening. The reading nights are great fun, with everyone getting a chance to read for any part they wish. If you’d like a copy of the script of A Streetcar Named Desire to read in advance, or if you just want to find out more about CCPD or the play, just send an email to ccpdungarvan@hotmail.com, call 087-6125090 or send us a message via our Facebook page.