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An intimate presentation of American playwright Tennessee Williams’ classic tale of family dynamics, “The Glass Menagerie”, is coming to the Tri-Valley next month.
The SPARC Theater company is first producing the emotional play in the Stage Door Lounge at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore from May 1-3, followed by a weekend run at the Front Row Theater in San Ramon from May 9-10.
“In a world where so much of our connection happens through devices, there’s something profoundly powerful about sharing space with a story like this,” Lisa Tromovitch, SPARC’s executive and artistic director, said in a press release. “This production invites audiences not just to watch, but to feel the play in a direct and immediate way.”
The production is directed by Gary Armagnac, and stars Emilie Talbot as the matriarch Amanda Wingfield, Eliot Hall as Tom Wingfield, Isadora Zucker as Laura Wingfield and James Crutcher as Jim, the gentleman caller.
“Set in 1930s St. Louis, ‘The Glass Menagerie’ follows Tom Wingfield as he reflects on his family’s fragile world — his overbearing mother, Amanda; his painfully shy sister, Laura; and the quiet heartbreak that defines their lives. Through memory and longing, the play explores timeless themes of hope, responsibility and escape,” SPARC reps recount.
The Stage Door setup at the Bankhead aims to create a uniquely personal atmosphere for the audience.
“Cafe tables with seating for two make up the front row. Floor and riser seating wrap around the family’s living room on three sides. A small bar is available adjacent to the seating area to complete the communal atmosphere,” said Ruth Egherman, director of marketing at the Bankhead.
Show times in Livermore are 7:30 p.m. May 1-3, along with 2 p.m. matinees May 2-3. “The Glass Menagerie” will then move to San Ramon for a 7:30 p.m. performance May 9 and a 2 p.m. matinee May 10.
The production arrives in the middle of SPARC’s 20th anniversary season, following the Science@Play program in March that included a script generated by artificial intelligence and before its Shakespeare in the Vineyard presentation of “Hamlet” in July.
The nonprofit theater company is also gearing up for its annual Shakespeare’s Birthday Bash fundraiser next Thursday (April 23) from 6-8:30 p.m. at 3 Steves Winery in Livermore.
The event is set to feature live music from East Bay Jazz, an improv demonstration led by Mark Duncanson, a “5-Minute Hamlet” presentation by Doyle Ott, the return of “Open Mic Sonnets” for community members, a silent auction, wine pull, dessert auction, “Raise the Paddle” donation effort and food purchase.
“Reaching 20 years is a meaningful milestone for SPARC,” Tromovitch said. “But it’s also a moment to look forward. If live, professional theater is going to thrive in communities like ours, it requires continued investment and engagement.”
To learn more about “The Glass Menagerie” or Shakespeare’s Birthday Bash, go to sparctheater.org.
