2004 NATIONAL TOUR:
A Streetcar Named Desire


"My own creed as a playwright is fairly close to that expressed by the painter in Shaw's play, The Doctor's Dilemma: 'I believe in Michelangelo, Velasquez and Rembrandt; in the might of design, the mastery of color, the redemption of all things by beauty everlasting and the message of art that has made these hands blessed. Amen.'" —Tennessee Williams

This one sentence sums up Williams' approach to his art and the reason for his universal and timeless appeal. Few other playwrights sought the articulation of beauty with such intensity, clarity, passion, and empathy for the human experience. His insights into human behavior are nothing short of miraculous and his craft is unparalleled. He recognized early on that we are part angel and part beast and it is this conflict within each of us that plays out in the time of our lives. He saw we were capable of great heights of generosity and love and the depths of cruelty and anger.

Of all Williams' masterpieces, none better articulated this paradox than the exquisite Streetcar Named Desire. The battle between Stanley and Blanche has been going on for some time; it lives within us. We must honor Tennessee Williams, this master playwright, for bringing this struggle to light in the hope that we might somehow progress to the light of love and beauty, and be, as Williams pleaded, "like violets in the mountains breaking the rocks."

Join the Montana Rep as we continue to explore the depths of the American character and the mysteries of the human heart through this great American masterpiece.

Download the Rep's itinerary for A Streetcar Named Desire. (PDF fomat)