YEAR OF THE IGUANA Profiles Tennessee & Rose Williams at Studio Theatre Long Island Tonight

Tennessee Williams is among the nation's greatest and best known playwrights thanks to work such as "The Glass Menagerie," "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

But few people know anything about the woman who inspired many of his best known characters, even though Williams weaves her life through his work.

"Year of the Iguana," a new play written by Claude Solnik, brings Thomas Lanier AKA "Tennessee" Williams and his sister Rose to life in a staged reading at the Studio Theatre Long Island tonight, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. for a one-night presentation and discussion of Williams and his work.

Daniel Higgins directs the staged reading presented by the Textile Co, telling the story of Williams and his sister Rose, the model for Laura Wingfield in "The Glass Menagerie" and many of Williams' women.

The play debuts almost 19 years to the day (nearly 20 years) since Rose died Sept. 6, 1996, after becoming a key figure in literature without writing a word.

Annalise Abar plays Rose as a girl, Karin Weibert plays her as a woman, Paul Wallace plays Tennessee as a boy, Michael Carlin plays Tennessee as an older man, Lisa Meckes plays Tennessee's and Rose's mother Edwina and Jim Bradley plays their father Cornelius.

"Tennessee Williams' language can be very lyrical, but his characters and situations often feel particularly real," Solnik said. "Many of his most memorable women are based on his sister Rose."

Although Thomas Lanier Williams became known as Tennessee, he relied heavily on his family to provide fodder for his plays. Williams portrayed Rose as fragile and flawed -- the inspiration for the unicorn as well as Laura in "The Glass Menagerie."

"We see Tennessee as a poet of theater, a master of literature. We teach him in schools, we perform and revive his work time and time again, but what does the average person know about his past? What inspired so many works of art? What is at the heart of his troubled soul?" Higgins asked. "In 'The Year of the Iguana,' we explore this. We attempt to bring a famous character to your doorstep and show him as he was, a person no different than the rest of us."

The show also presents the real Rose, who pervades so many of Williams characters, including Blanche DuBois in "A Streetcar Named Desire," that some credit her for inspiring roles that became favorites for many actresses.

"Literature and theater are full of fascinating relationships," Solnik said. "The relationship between Tennessee Williams and his sister is dramatic, interesting and, I think, too often overlooked. His plays mirror reality. But it's also worth telling the true story."

This staged reading is the latest presentation of the Textile Co., which with Theater for the New City Executive Director Crystal Field presented "The Caretaker of Corofin," "Butterfly Hour," The Falls" and "The Lady From Limerick" at Theater for the New City in Manhattan.

"I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be!" Tom, Williams' alter ego, says in "The Glass Menagerie," about his sister.

"Tennessee Williams kept writing about her, wishing that he could bring her back after Rose experienced her own tragedy," Solnik said. "It was as if he used words to try to return her to what she had once been. In some ways, Rose helped turn her brother into a playwright."

The two in many ways were kindred spirits, almost spiritual twins, even though their lives took dramatically different turnss. When Williams died in 1983, he left much of his estate in trust to take care of Rose.

"He never forgot her or forgave himself for not saving her," Solnik said." I think it's worthwhile to look at who she was and the story that helped give us some of the best known plays in the English language."

Year of the Iguana, staged reading, tonight, Aug. 29 8 p.m., Studio Theatre Long Island 141 South Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst. Tickets are $15 at yearoftheiguana.brownpapertickets.com. For info., call (631)-913-4244/ (516) 404-2960.

The Textile Co. is a Long Island-based theater group that partners to present work in New York City at Theater for the New City and on Long Island. Daniel Higgins, Deborah Rupy and Claude Solnik founded the group, which along with Theater for the New City Executive Director Crystal Field has presented plays by Solnik including "The Lady From Limerick," "The Falls," "Butterfly Hour" and "The Caretaker of Corofin" at Theater for the New City.

Studio Theatre Long Island is a 139-seat venue in Lindenhurst led by artistic director David Dubin, presenting a wide range of work. The theater has presented Anne Meara's "AfterPlay," Agatha Christie's "Spider's Web," Matt Crowley's "The Boys in the Band" and is currently presenting Neil Simon's "48 Seconds To Broadway."

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