Temple Theaters presents a new comedic and media-oriented version of Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie.” Opening tonight at 7 p.m., the show will run for nine days.
Graduate student Sally Story first pitched the idea after her success at directing the show during her undergraduate years.
“I directed it as a undergraduate at James Madison University,” she said.
Story approached Temple Theaters with her project idea. She was nervous about the small cast size, limited to only four characters. However, the department heads approved her proposal because Temple had not produced this particular play in nearly 30 years.
As a graduate directing student in Temple’s School of Communications and Theater, Story planned to reenact the play from a different angle than her previous show.
“I don’t think I saw it as clearly as I do now,” she explained, attributing her growth to an old mentor. “Jan Silverman told me ‘you’re a different director now.'”
Temple Theaters will use the script from Williams’ original published version of the contemporary classic.
Story feels the acting version of the story is “too verbose” for stage.
“I am excited,” she said. “He’s one of the greatest contemporary writers of our time. I usually don’t like wordy plays.”
Story believes the audience will find new twists in all aspects of the production.
Many students like Story are rushing to pitch ideas, sign contracts and begin productions with the Theater department. Professor David Ingram said “Theater production is integral to all aspects of the department. Every theater major is required to participate in department production activities each semester.”
Szoke Schaeffer, an undergraduate Theater major with an acting emphasis, enjoys working in the department. Szoke says she “likes the unity of the department. I now appreciate other aspects of theater due to contracts, but I still want to work outside of the department as an actor.”
Recently, the lines concerning what constitutes a contract have become blurred. Temple students are looking for acting work off campus because the Theater department only has so much time, space and funding for a limited number of Temple Theaters productions.
Nonetheless, Temple University continues to have a very active theater scene. Staff, undergraduates and graduates are looking forward to tonight’s production.
Kiana HarrisJosephine Munis can be reached at kiana111@temple.edu
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