TENNESSEE RISING: The Dawn of Tennessee Williams

Written and Performed by JACOB STORMS
Directed by ALAN CUMMING

AMT Theater
354 West 45th Street (between Eighth and Ninth Avenues)
Sundays at 5 PM, February 26 – March 26
www.SpinCycleNYC.com

Whenever anyone plays the “what-if” game by asking what no-longer-living person you would like to have dinner with, my answer is always “Tennessee Williams.” Long have I been fascinated with his portrayal of the South and its delightful women, both strong willed and oh-so-fragile – sometimes simultaneously. And of course, there is the bold depiction of the complexity of humankind and its resilience.

Well, thank you, Jacob Storms, for granting my wish! In TENNESSEE RISING: The Dawn of Tennessee Williams, the 75-minute solo play written and performed by Storms, we are given a glimpse of the six-year period (1938-1945) where Williams paved the way for his role of the notorious playwright who pushed boundaries and shaped the history of theatre. The fascinating combination of anecdotes, name dropping, historical events, and behind the scenes gossip creates a mesmerizing story, and Storms is magnificent in his presentation of the legend. Alan Cumming directs with an overview that allows for droll humor peppered with just the right amount of pathos that shaped the icon. You leave satiated, almost as if you shared a meal with Mr. Williams after all.

- Laurie Lawson -