SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER Reading Held at Phoenix Theatre Ensemble 9/29, 10/3, 10/4

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, an artist-directed theatre company now in its 6th Season, announces staged reading performances of Tennessee Williams' "Suddenly Last Summer" on Tuesday, September 29 at 7:30 and Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4 at 3:00 pm. The performances will be at The Wild Project at 195 East 3rd Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The 90 minute play concerns a young woman who has been institutionalized after witnessing a horrific murder. Her family seeks to silence Catharine's "mad ravings" which could reveal shocking family secrets. Through poetic and vivid language, Williams spins a tale of truth and madness. When it opened in 1959 Brooks Atkinson wrote in the New York Times that no other American playwright used "ordinary words with so much grace, allusiveness, sorcery and power ... Suddenly Last Summer is further evidence of Mr. Williams' genius." Walter Kerr followed in form, calling the play "a serious and accomplished work."

The Phoenix staged reading will feature Kelli Holsopple, as Catharine Holly, Elise Stone as Violet Venable, Brian Costello as Dr. Cukrowicz, Kathleen Ferman-Menino as Foxhill, Eileen Glenn as Mrs. Holly, Matt Stapleton as George Holly and Marlene May as Sister Felicity. The reading is being directed by Karen Lordi-Kirkham.

This is the first of a 3-play reading series of Tennessee Williams' works presented by Phoenix Theatre Ensemble this season. Following "Suddenly Last Summer" will be "A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur" in October and "In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel" in December.

Craig Smith, Phoenix Co-Artistic Director states "These three plays though very different in structure and format, each investigate the almost existential loneliness of the people of Williams' plays. Together they also offer an interesting look at the evolution of Williams' experiments with dramatic structure from Suddenly Last Summer (1958) a critical and popular success though a departure from his traditional dramatic structure to Bar (1969) strongly influenced by NOH theatre, and Lovely Sunday (1978) a combination of regional realism and 'comedy grotesque'."

Advance discount passes for the Williams reading series can be purchased by calling 212-352-3101 or visiting www.PhoenixTheatreEnsemble.org. A pay-what-you-can ticket policy will go into effect beginning on September 22nd .

When: Tuesday, September 29 at 7:30 pm; Saturday October 3 at 3:00 pm; and Sunday, October 4 at 3:00 pm.

Where: The Wild Project
195 East 3rd Street (between Avenues A & B)
Subway: F or V to 2nd Avenue or L to 14th Street.

Ticket orders: Tickets available by calling 212.352.3101 or visiting PhoenixTheatreEnsemble.org