Theater Barn Presents Night of Tennesee Williams

The Ridgefield Theater Barn presents an evening devoted to Tennessee Williams, the next installment in our series of Playwrights Discussion Groups devoted to exploring the life and contributions of the great playwrights. 

Our 90-minute program begins with a brief biography of Tennessee Williams with an emphasis on the life experiences that are reflected in his work. Key attributes of his plays will be considered, followed by actors reading a short play that exemplifies those attributes. Upon completion of the reading, a moderator will guide the attendees and actors in an open discussion in which they are encouraged to share their feelings about the philosophy and methodology of the playwright as expressed in the presented work.

Given the scope of Tennessee Williams's contribution to the theater, it has proved difficult to find a short play that is truly representative of the entirety of his philosophy and methodology. To enrich the discussion material for the Wednesday evening Barn program, we are encouraging participants to attend a screening of Williams's "The Eccentricities of a Nightingale," a filmed, full-length play, featuring Blythe Danner and Frank Langella , free of charge, on Sunday afternoon, January 3 at 2 p.m. in the Dayton Program room. One of Williams's lesser-known plays, Eccentricities is nonetheless a play approaching the caliber of his greatest works and we plan to include it, as well as the short play, in the interactive discussion on January 6.

Refreshments will be offered during the discussion and a bibliography will be provided for further reading. A donation of $5 per person is requested to cover materials and refreshments. Seating is limited. Please register by completing the online form or by phone at 203-431-9850.