Fourth Annual Festival Presented By

May 9–19, 2019

PERFORMANCES

Nisi Stugis and Harry Weber. Photo by ProPhotoSTL

Cast

James Andrew Butz* as Rev. Lawrence Shannon

Jim is thrilled to join TWSTL for the first time. Recent credits include New Jerusalem (Valkenburg) and Intimate Apparel (Mr. Marks), New Jewish Theatre; Uncle Vanya (Astrov), Rebel and Misfits; Dancing at Lughnasa (Michael), Mustard Seed Theatre. Other favorites include Henry IV and Henry V (Prince Hal & Henry V), Hamlet (Hamlet), and Julius Caesar (Mark Antony), Shakespeare Festival St. Louis; Lobby Hero (Jeff), A Number (Michael), and Freud’s Last Session (C.S. Lewis), Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; Measure for Measure (Angelo), Mustard Seed Theatre; Biloxi Blues (James Hennesey) and A Christmas Carol (Young Ebenezer Scrooge/Topper), The Geva Theatre Center; Amadeus (Mozart), Georgia Shakespeare Festival; Romeo and Juliet (Romeo), Shakespeare Santa Fe; and The Odyssey (Telemachus), Willow Cabin Theatre Co. Much love to Amy and my two treasures!

Nisi Sturgis* as Hannah Jelkes

NEW YORK: The 39 Steps, The Pretty Trap, Intimate Apparel, Dysphoria, The Less We Talk. REGIONAL: Disgraced (Goodman Theatre, Berkeley Rep, Seattle Rep); Into the Breeches (Chautauqua Theatre Company); In The Next Room (Cleveland Play House); A Doll’s House, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Life of Riley (The Old Globe); Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Pride and Prejudice, Doubt (Denver Center Theatre Company); A Streetcar Named Desire, Arms and the Man, Our Town (Shakespeare Theatre NJ); Hamlet, Emma (Pioneer Theatre Company); Game On (San Jose Rep); Cymbeline, Failure: A Love Story, Macbeth (Illinois Shakespeare Festival); Winter’s Tale, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Real Inspector Hound (Theatre At Monmouth); Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, Twelfth Night (Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre).

Lavonne Byers as Maxine Faulk

Lavonne Byers is pleased to be a part of the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis and excited to work with this fabulous company. Previous roles in Williams' plays include Blanche in Streetcar, Princess in Sweet Bird of Youth, and Goldie in Hello From Bertha. She is the recipient of two St. Louis Theatre Circle Awards, for Golda's Balcony at New Jewish Theatre and Cabaret at Stray Dog, as well as two Kevin Kline Awards for her performances in Polish Joke and A Delicate Balance. Lavonne is a legal administrator by day. She loves her cats more than anything.

Harry Weber as Nonno

Harry is a professional sculptor and sometime actor who is proud to be associated with the Festival and this very talented cast. His theater credits include work with several companies including Theater Intime and the McCarter Repertory Company in Princeton NJ. Most recently, in St. Louis, he has played the roles of Ty Cobb in “Cobb,” Orson in “Some Americans Abroad,” and Saunders in “Lend me a Tenor”. The opportunity to participate in the Tennessee Williams Festival is particularly delightful as he was privileged to sculpt the bust of Mr. Williams at Writer’s Corner in the Central West End.

Teresa Doggett as Frau Fahrenkopf

Teresa is the resident Costume Designer at Union Avenue Opera and has worked with many companies in St. Louis including Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, St. Louis Actors’ Studio, New Jewish Theater, Metro Theater Company, and Upstream Theater. She is the recipient of the St. Louis Critics Circle Award for Costume Design for Souvenir. Design credits include: Off Broadway - Day of the Dog. TV - “Ghost Adventures: Lemp Mansion.” Regional - Lost in the Stars, Dead Man Walking (UAO), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (STLAS), Souvenir (Max & Louie). Upcoming projects: Indecent (Max & Louie), Candide, La Boheme, and Glory Denied (UAO).

Greg Johnston as Jake Latta

Greg is happy to make his first appearance with the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis. He is pleased to be working with some old friends and looking forward to making some new ones. Greg has worked with many companies in our town; last year he was in two shows at the New Jewish Theatre: New Jerusalem (where enjoyed working with Tim Ocel) and Life Sucks, and in the production of Tribes at St. Louis Actors’ Studio. He has worked with Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Mustard Seed Theatre, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The New Theatre, and HotCity to name a few. Greg has also worked across the state with the Kansas City Rep and others in KC, the Kentucky Rep, and various companies in Los Angeles. He produces and directs with RiverCity Theatre and others. Thanks for choosing to Go See A Play!

Summer Baer as Charlotte Goodall

Summer is a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville with her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance, and is very excited to be working with the Tennessee Williams Festival for the first time. While at SIUE, Summer was proud to direct Almost, Maine, and start the annual One and Done Play Festival. She was most recently seen in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Hermia and in Poor Monsters’ production of Or What You Will the Third. You may have also seen her in shows such as; Gruesome Playground Injuries (Kayleen), Quills (Madeleine), A Good Woman (Mrs. Shin), Working, and The Addams Family. Summer would like to thank the cast and crew for their amazing work, and, as always, her family and friends for their constant love and support.

Spencer Sickmann as Hank

Spencer is thrilled to be working with Tennessee Williams Festival again. You may have seen him as Mitch in Tennessee Williams Festival’s 2018 Streetcar Named Desire, as Macduff in Rebel and Misfits’ production of Macbeth, in Metro Theatre Company’s Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates or at St. Louis Actors’ Studio in Farragut North, The Feast and The LaBute New Theater Festival. Some of Spencer's favorite roles include Frank Elgin in The Country Girl, Sweeney in Sweeney Todd and Fonzie in the Ohio regional premiere of Happy Days, the Musical. He is grateful to be back with the Tennessee Williams Festival and for this opportunity. He is excited to be working with this incredible group of artists.

Luis Aguilar as Pancho

Luis is a graduating senior Theater Performance Major at SIUE. This is his first performance with Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis. His recent credits include Farragut North (St. Louis Actors’ Studio), Trojan Women, Almost Maine, and Gruesome Playground Injuries (SIUE). He also participated in Stray Dog Theatre’s New Works Lab. He would like to thank the director and the creative team for this opportunity. He is super excited to work with these wonderful artists. He would also like to thank his castmates, friends, family, and his wonderful girlfriend for being super supportive during this production.

Victor Mendez as Pedro

Victor is honored to be a part of the Tennessee Williams Festival and to work with such an impeccable cast and director. He will graduate in May with a BA in Drama and a BS in Neuroscience from Washington University. Past roles include Ludovico in Othello (STL Shakespeare), various characters with Jest Murder Mystery (Lemp Mansion), Father/Jasper/Freddie in Aunt Dan and Lemon, Old Man Strong in Urinetown, and Seyton/Murderer #3 in Macbeth (Washington University Performing Arts Department). Victor would like to thank his family and friends for their constant support, trust, and love.

Chaunery Kingsford Tanguay as Wolfgang

Chaunery is delighted to be joining the fantastic cast, crew, and company of the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis. His professional credits include Hamlet and Oslo with the Repertory Theatre of St.Louis, Don’t Stop Believin’ with Cedar Fair Entertainment, as well as All Shook Up, Hairspray, and Annie Get Your Gun with Thunderbay Theatre. He currently studies an Acting BFA from Webster Conservatory, where he’s been seen in Love’s Labour’s Lost (The Musical),Three Sisters, Brigadoon, and She Kills Monsters. He would like to extend his sincerest gratitude to friends, family, and the students and faculty at Webster Conservatory.

Hannah Lee Eisenbath as Hilda

Hannah has just completed her freshman year at Missouri State University. She is currently studying business and is a part of the BFA Acting program. You may have seen her in productions at Westminster Christian Academy, COCA, or on the Talent Plus website. She is very grateful for this opportunity as a young performer and would like to thank her friends and family for supporting her.

*Denotes a member of Actors' Equity Association

A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur

The Grand Hall at The Grandel, May 11–19

Four eccentric and unforgettable women fry chicken, plan a picnic to Creve Coeur Lake, and cope with loneliness and lost dreams in an efficiency apartment on Enright Avenue in the Central West End circa the mid-1930s. Williams gives us more laughs than usual, but no less poetry or poignancy. LEARN MORE→

Dear Mr. Williams

The Curtain Call Lounge, May 10–11

The tumultuous -- and sometimes treacherous -- journey from adolescence to adulthood is one we all must take, but it's oh so much more fascinating and fun with Tennessee Williams as your guide. LEARN MORE→

Tennessee Williams Tribute

The Dark Room, May 12

Scenes, songs, and poetry as interpreted by special guests. LEARN MORE→

Discussion Panels: Conversations with Tennessee

The Dark Room; May 11

Curated by Thomas Mitchell. Three panels address aspects of the author’s life and work. Each will begin with a brief performance of material from Tennessee Williams’s letters, journals, or other writing, followed by a discussion between artists and scholars. LEARN MORE →

9:00AM - Progressive Politics in Tennessee Williams’ St. Louis – Gregory S. Carr, Melissa Wolfe

10:00AM - Tennessee in Mexico: The Playwright as Tourist – David Kaplan, Tim Ocel, Nisi Sturgis, Michael Wilson

11:00AM - Why Tennessee? Why Now – Sophia Brown, David Kaplan, Joan Lipkin, Michael Wilson

3:00PM - An Open Discussion on Respect and Representation - Gregory S. Carr, Rayme Cornell, Jesse Munoz, Carl Overly, Jennifer Wintzer

Tennessee Williams Bus Tour

Departing from The Grandel, May 19

Guided by Brian Welch & Dan McGuire.

LEARN MORE →

Jazz Brunch at The Dark Room

May 12 & 19

Join us for two festive jazz brunches during the Festival featuring live music from Janet Evra and the Tommy Halloran Band. LEARN MORE →

Fourth Annual Festival Presented By

May 9–19, 2019

PERFORMANCES

The Night of the Iguana

The Grandel Theater, May 9–19

Cast