Tag Archives: Tennessee Williams

“I doubt sometimes whether a quiet and unagitated life would have suited me–yet I sometimes long for it.” — Lord Byron

Posted on January 22, 2026 by sheila

— And who is the best poet, Heron? asked Boland. — Lord Tennyson, of course, answered Heron. — O, yes, Lord Tennyson, said Nash. We have all his poetry at home in a book. At this Stephen forgot the silent … Continue reading →

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Happy Birthday, Leadbelly

Posted on January 20, 2026 by sheila

From Tennessee Williams’ play Orpheus Descending: LADY: What’s all that writing on it? VAL: Autographs of musicians I run into here and there. LADY: Can I see it? VAL: Turn on that light above you. [She switches on green-shaded bulb … Continue reading →

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“The people must grant a hearing to the best poets they have, else they will never have better.” — Harriet Monroe

Posted on December 23, 2025 by sheila

“I started in early with Shakespeare, Byron, Shelley, with Dickens and Thackeray; and always the book-lined library gave me a friendly assurance of companionship with lively and interesting people, gave me friends of the spirit to ease my loneliness.” – … Continue reading →

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A Streetcar Named Desire: That’s What Williams Wrote. Deal With It.

Posted on December 3, 2025 by sheila

A re-post for the anniversary of Streetcar debuting on Broadway. I wrote this essay after seeing a 2011 production of Streetcar at Williamstown. Directed by David Cromer Starring Sam Rockwell as Stanley Kowalski, Jessica Hecht as Blanche DuBois, Ana Reeder … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, On This Day, Theatre | Tagged , , , | 55 Comments

“Poets, the best of them, are a very chameleonic race.” — Percy Bysshe Shelley

Posted on August 4, 2025 by sheila

Drive my dead thoughts over the universe Like wither’d leaves to quicken a new birth! And, by the incantation of this verse, Scatter, as from an unextinguish’d hearth Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind! Be through my lips to … Continue reading →

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“The rhythm is jazz.” — Hart Crane

Posted on July 21, 2025 by sheila

“What I want to get is … an ‘interior’ form, a form that is so thorough and intense as to dye the words themselves with a pecularity of meaning, slightly different maybe from the ordinary definition of them separate from … Continue reading →

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“Boredom is very important in life. It helps you feel when something is wrong.” — John Strasberg

Posted on May 20, 2025 by sheila

It’s John Strasberg’s birthday today. I told this story before on here years ago, when I used to write like this on here, on occasion. Figured I’d re-post it. He is very very important to me. Back in the late … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Directors, On This Day, Personal, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments

“Make voyages! — Attempt them! — there’s nothing else …” — Tennessee Williams

Posted on March 26, 2025 by sheila

Tennessee Williams (Thomas Lanier Williams) was born on this day in Columbus, Mississippi in 1911. Will you do a total stranger the kindness of reading his verse? Thank you! Thomas Lanier Williams — Tennessee Williams, letter to editor Harriet Monroe, … Continue reading →

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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in the Berkshires

Posted on March 24, 2025 by sheila

Re-posting my lengthy piece on the production I saw of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 2016, in honor of the anniversary of the play premiering on Broadway. On the evening of July 4th, I took the Mass Pike … Continue reading →

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January 2025 Viewing Diary

Posted on February 2, 2025 by sheila

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992; d. James Foley) I saw this one in the theatre back in the day. There’s a revival coming up on Broadway and Bill Burr is going to be in it. It’s kind of perfect! He’ll be … Continue reading →

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