Carissa Dixon
Eric Parks and Cristina Panfilio as Stanley and Stella Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire.
If you know A Streetcar Named Desire from the 1951 film version, American Players Theatre’s production of Tennessee Williams’ classic play will reveal a few surprises.
Streetcar was first performed in 1947, but APT’s interpretation is set in the summer of 1963. With this fast-forward comes a whole new set of cultural relevancies. As director William Brown points out in the program notes, the early ’60s were “a time of epic struggles and fierce hope.” It’s that hope — in complicated variations — that drives Streetcar.
Kevin Depinet’s gorgeous set captures Streetcar’s setting — summer in New Orleans — perfectly. Shades of green dominate. Tropical plants and ferns fill the stage and colored lights hang from a balcony, transporting the audience from APT’s On the Hill amphitheater to the French Quarter.
As the lights come up, life is good. Stella, played by Cristina Panfilio, is ebullient. She bursts onto the stage, physically conveying the optimism and lustfulness of her character.
As Stella’s sister, Blanche, in town for an unexpected visit, Tracy Michelle Arnold brings out the melodrama of the role, but also allows Blanche’s brokenness to come through. This results in a character who’s complicated and manipulative, but who still garners genuine sympathy.
Rachel Anne Healy’s costumes don’t just complement the characters; they communicate something about who they are. Blanche first appears in a suit worthy of Jackie Kennedy, looking prim and proper. This is in stark contrast to Stella, who sports lime green short-shorts and a floral crop top.
Stanley, Stella’s husband, appears shirtless most of the play, with a pair of pants slung salaciously low. Eric Parks’ portrayal emphasizes Stanley’s animalistic and passionate nature. He and Stella are madly in love. Their onstage chemistry is great, which should be no surprise as, off stage, Parks and Panfilio are married to each other.
Streetcar is a challenging play — to produce, to watch and to process after the curtain falls. It tackles a wide swath of troubling topics: rape, domestic abuse and mental illness, to name a few. Yet Williams’ genius and poetry shine intensely, and there’s a resilience that runs through every moment, resulting in a play that’s tremendously satisfying.
Even without the marginally happier ending most people know from the film, APT’s Streetcar captures the hope that propels each character. The result is a triumph.
