McDaniel College to Present Legendary Drama A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

McDaniel College theatre arts students perform in "A Streetcar Named Desire," the legendary Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by Tennessee Williams.

Performances are Wednesday, Oct. 4-Saturday, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m., in WMC Alumni Hall at McDaniel College, 2 College Hill, Westminster, Md. (Note: the play contains adult content, including domestic abuse and assault).

Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students, seniors (over 60), active military members and veterans, as well as those with a McDaniel College ID. For ticket information, call 410-857-2448.

"A Streetcar Named Desire" looks at a clash of cultures. Troubled former schoolteacher Blanche du Bois, a fading Southern Belle, moves in with her sister Stella and Stella's husband Stanley, who is part of the working class, in the French Quarter of New Orleans following World War II. Blanche's life has been undermined by her romantic illusions, which has led her to reject the realities of life. This causes problems for Stella and Stanley, who already have a volatile relationship, leading to even greater conflict in the household.

This legendary play "has become an icon of American culture," according to the Library of Congress, and is on its list of "88 Books that Shaped America."

The McDaniel production is directed by theatre arts lecturer Gené Fouché, who notes, "Tennessee Williams was a genius and 'A Streetcar Named Desire' is a masterpiece. It is so exciting to dig into the text and explore these characters with our students. This play was actually chosen by theatre department students and it was a smart choice."

McDaniel senior Megan Smith of Federalsburg, Md., plays Blanche DuBois, and senior Bryan Bowen of North Beach, Md., plays Stanley Kowalski. Alex Tolle, a senior from Woodstock, Md., plays Stella Kowalski, while junior Ben Michaels of Lakeville, Minn., plays Harold "Mitch" Mitchell.

The cast also includes seniors Torreke Evans of Atlanta, Andrew Frascella of Olney, Md., Jonathan Halberstam of Manchester, Md., Valerie Lamb of Miami Gardens, Fla., Mandy Quarantillo of Montgomery Village, Md., and BranDon Richards of Huntingtown, Md., as well as junior Kiah Hyman of Columbia, Md., and sophomore Patsy Zetkulic of Arlington, Va.

Visit www.mcdaniel.edu/theatre for more information about McDaniel College and the theatre arts department.

McDaniel College, founded in 1867 and nationally recognized as one of 40 "Colleges That Change Lives," is a four-year, independent college of the liberal arts and sciences offering more than 70 undergraduate programs of study, including dual and student-designed majors, plus 25 highly regarded graduate programs. Its personalized, interdisciplinary, global curriculum and student-faculty collaboration develop the unique potential in every student. A diverse, student-centered community of 1,600 undergraduates and 1,400 graduate students, McDaniel offers access to the resources of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and is the only American college with a European campus in Budapest, Hungary. Go to www.mcdaniel.edu for more information.

Pictured: Bryan Bowen, senior from North Beach, Md., as Stanley Kowalski; Ben Michaels, junior from Lakeville, Minn., as Harold "Mitch" Mitchell; Megan Smith, senior from Federalsburg, Md., as Blanche DuBois; and Alex Tolle, senior from Woodstock, Md., as Stella Kowalski.

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