EUGENE–Tennessee Williams’ American theater classic, "A Streetcar Named Desire," will open at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, in the Robinson Theatre at Villard Hall, 1109 Old Campus Lane on the University of Oregon campus.

The second production in University Theatre’s Tribute to Horace Robinson Season, "Streetcar" will continue Jan. 30 and Feb. 4—6 and 11—12. All performances begin at 8 p.m., and free parking is available nearby in the lot at East 11th Avenue and Kincaid Street.

A special benefit performance, with proceeds going to the Crystal Hauser Foundation, is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7. Tickets are $10 for the general public and $5 for UO students. Hauser is a Eugene high school student currently first on the waiting list for a heart-lung transplant.

"Streetcar" holds its place as one of the greatest of the American classics, rich in theatricality and vivid imagery. Director Kirk Boyd says that rich complexity was one thing that drew him to this play, because "Streetcar" is "a play that will challenge the actors at this level of their training" and is also "a play that deals with inherently theatrical values."

According to Boyd, Williams is a master of language, weaving vivid evocative imagery and compelling dialogue.

The University Theatre production team has dramatically emphasized many of the visual elements to enhance the poetic nature of Williams’ work, Boyd says. "His language is so musical and his images not really based in reality–we wanted to highlight those ideas."

"A Streetcar Named Desire" tells the story of Blanche Dubois, a woman whose life has been undermined by her romantic illusions. These lead her to reject the realities of life with which she is faced and which she consistently ignores.

The pressure brought to bear upon Blanche by her sister is intensified by Blanche’s confused relationship with her earthy and extremely "normal" brother-in-law. She begins to walk the path to revelation of her tragic self-delusion… and her madness.

"A Streetcar Named Desire" met with incredible success on Broadway and went on to become a major motion picture. It is one of the most famous American play in history–just mention the title and Marlon Brando’s portrayal of the brutish Stanley Kowalski jumps to mind.

"People remember Brando–everyone has yelled ‘Stelllaaa" at least once in their lives," Boyd says, noting that this focus on Stanley is based on "the sheer force of Brando’s performance in the original," not on the play itself.

The University Theatre production will tell the story from Blanche’s perspective, because "it is Blanche’s story," Boyd says. "Stanley is just a player in the story like Stella and Mitch. It is a desperate and tragic story of a woman fighting to hold on to her sanity… it is Blanche’s journey Williams is writing about. I think women especially would like this play–but I think its appeal is universal."

The artistic staff includes Boyd, a professional director most recently from Ashland; set designer Chris Wooten, a second-year Master of Fine Arts student from Columbia, Mo.; costume designer Heather Brooks, a second-year Master of Fine Arts student from Ontario; lighting designer Gregory Hoffart, a third-year Master of Fine Arts candidate from Canby; sound designer Jonathan Christianson from Cave Junction; technical director Janet Rose from Eugene; fight choregraphers Jonathan Cole, a second-year Master of Arts candidate from Thompson Falls, Mont., and Daniele Oaks, a junior theater arts major from Ashland; assistant director Delphine de Stoutz, a first-year Master of Arts student from Thonon-les-Bains, France; and stage manager Kate Slepicka, a junior theater arts major from Hillsboro, Ill.

The cast features Sarah Kilkenny, a senior theater arts and English major from Myrtle Creek, as Stella; Matt Berliner, a senior theater arts major from Las Vegas, Nev., as Stanley; Ursula Aller, a UO alumna from Roseburg, as Blanche; Cameo Morningstar, a senior theater arts major from Grants Pass, as Eunice; Mocean Melvin, a senior theater arts major from Santa Barbara, Calif., as Steve; Daegan Palermo, a senior theater arts major from Eugene, as Mitch; and Dan Dismuke, a junior theater arts major from Ashland, as Pablo.

Featured actors include Kate Reding, a senior theater arts major from Portland; Greg Thorsen, a sophomore theater arts major from Medford; Joe von Appen, a sophomore theater arts major from Eugene; Colleen Regalbuto, a junior Romance languages major from Hood River; Luke Hamilton, a junior theater arts major from Eugene; Bekki Barnhart, a junior theater arts major from Tigard; Curtis Williams, a sophomore theater arts major from Gresham; and Quinn Mattfeld, a freshman theater arts major from Camas, Wash.

Regular performance ticket prices for "Streetcar" are $10 for the general public; $8 for UO faculty and staff, senior citizens, and non-UO students; and $4.50 for UO students.

For tickets and more information, visit the University Theatre Box Office in the lobby of Robinson Theatre, or call (541) 346-4191. Box office hours are noon—6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon—8:15 p.m. on performance days.

Tickets also are available at the ticket office at the Erb Memorial Union, 1222 E. 13th Ave., or call 346-4363.

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