A Streetcar Named Desire

Grandel Theatre
May 10–19, 2018

“A Streetcar Named Desire,” one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved plays in the history of American theater, is the story of a troubled former schoolteacher, Blanche DuBois, after she leaves a small town in Mississippi and moves in with her sister (Stella) and her sister’s husband (Stanley) in New Orleans. With her flirtatious Southern-belle attitude, Blanche upends the precarious relationship between her sister and brother-in-law, leading to even greater conflict during her brief stay.

The Dark Room at the Grandel will feature late night jazz following each evening performance

Performance Schedule

Image Gallery

Cast

Sophia Brown
Blanche du Bois

Brown is a local actress and yoga instructor. She is thrilled to be joining the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis for a second year, and is so grateful to all those involved in the creation. She thanks the cast and crew, her dear friends and family, and especially Jon, for all the love and support.

Thomasina Clarke.jpg — **Thomasina Clarke**
Woman

Clarke is an actress, director, educator, musician and videographer/editor. As an actress, she has showcased her craft with the St Louis Black Repertory Theatre Company, Unity Theatre Ensemble, UpStream Theatre Company, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Gitana Productions and Hot City Theatre Company. She is the co-founder of two Improvisational Theatre Companies: Just-us Improvisational Theatre Company and The SpontaNubians; and has been nominated twice for a Kevin Kline Best Supporting Actress award. This recently retired middle-school drama instructor looks forward to refurbishing her dream home (currently under construction) and traveling.

Isaiah DiLorenzo.jpg — **Isaiah DiLorenzo**
Steve

DiLoreno is delighted to be playing among such a brilliant cast and creative team. It is his privilege to inhabit monumental text through rhythm, sound and movement, and explore human behavior in the warm company of this engaged audience.

Lana Dvorak.jpg — Lana Dvorak*
Stella Kowalski

A Texas native, Dvorak is currently a member of The Rep’s resident touring ensemble, Imaginary Theatre Company. A May 2017 graduate of Webster University’s Conservatory, she played the role of Belle in The Rep’s *A Christmas Carol.* More recently, Dvorak was one of four playwrights selected for the 2018 Aphra Behn Emerging Artists’ Showcase where her play, *The Accident of Sex,* was produced by SATE Ensemble Theatre.

TWF Holder.jpg — **Jacob Flekier**
Young Man

Flekier is beyond excited to return to Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis for his second production. Jacob is a student at Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts. His professional credits include: *Will Mr. Merriwether Return from Memphis?* (Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis), *9 to 5: The Musical*, and *Joseph...Dreamcoat* (STAGES St. Louis). He has also appeared in *[title of show]* and *The Drowsy Chaperone* at Webster Conservatory of Theatre Arts. He would like to thank all of his Webster professors and mentors for all their guidance and support, as well as his family for their endless love and encouragement.

Amy Loui.jpg — Amy Loui*
Eunice

Loui is happy to join the cast of *Streetcar,* marking her first appearance with the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis. Recent appearances in St. Louis include roles with New Jewish Theater *(The How and The Why),* Mustard Seed Theater *(As It Is In Heaven* and *Dancing At Lughnasa,* recognized for “Best Ensemble of 2017”) and The Repertory Theater of St. Louis *(To Kill A Mockingbird, A Christmas Carol).* Additionally she has enjoyed multiple roles with Upstream Theater, The Black Rep, Insight Theatre, and Imaginary Theatre Company, among others. Amy enjoys ongoing work in film and as a voice talent and is grateful for her life in the theater.

Jesse Munoz.jpg — **Jesse Munoz**
Pablo

Munoz is excited to join the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis for the first time. Previous credits include: *Romeo + Juliet* (Education Tour, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis), *Antony and Cleopatra* (Shakespeare Festival St. Louis), *Peter and the Starcatcher* (Repertory Theatre of Saint Louis), and *In the Heights* (RS-Theatrics).

Nick Narcisi
Stanley Kowalski

Narcisi is excited to make his St. Louis debut. He recently finished playing Miles in Tuck Everlasting at the Children’s Theatre of Madison. He has also worked with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Renaissance Theaterworks, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, the Great River Shakespeare Festival, Theater Red, Theatre Lila, Truepenny Theatre, and Riverside Theatre in the Park (Iowa City). For more information and some pictures of his dogs follow @NickNarcisi or visit www.NickNarcisi.com.

Isabel Pastrana 1 (1).jpg — **Isabel Pastrana**
Woman

Pastrana graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Theatre and Drama. She has appeared in performances with New Line Theatre, Upstream Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre. Most recently, she danced for Consuming Kinetics Dance Company.

Spencer Sickmann.jpg — **Spencer Sickmann**
Mitch

Sickmann marks his Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis debut as Mitch. He recently appeared in *Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates* (Metro Theatre Company), *The Feast* (STLAS), *Waiting for the Erie Lackawanna* and *How’s Bruno* (LaBute New Theater Festival). The native St. Louisan studied at Murray State University, University of Akron, and The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Hollywood with teachers Scott Reiniger, Judith Bohannon, Rob Adler, among others. Los Angeles theater roles include John Dodge *(Middletown),* Satan *(Last Days of Judas Iscariot)* at Lost Angels Productions, which he co-founded. 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.*

David Wassilak.jpg — **David Wassilak**
Doctor

Wassilak is proud to add the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis to the list of theaters he has acted with in the last 30-plus years, including, among others: St. Louis Actors' Studio, Metro Theater Company, Max & Louie Productions, Stray Dog Theatre, West End Players Guild, The Orange Girls, Muddy Waters Theatre, St. Louis Shakespeare, The Midnight Company, The New Theatre, Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Orthwein Theatre Company, New Flight (Chicago), Kamijo (Chicago), Westport Playhouse and Theatre Project Company. David teaches adult acting classes at COCA.

Maggie Wininger.jpg — **Maggie Wininger**
Matron

Wininger is delighted to return to the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis after participating in the *Rooming House Plays*. Recent credits include Macduff *(Macbeth),* Beatrice *(Much Ado About Nothing*), Lucrece *(The Liar),* and Rita *(Educating Rita* - 2017 St. Louis Theatre Circle Award Winner, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy). Many thanks to family, friends, and the hardworking people who make this possible.

* Member, Actors' Equity Association

Crew

Tim Ocel.jpg — **Tim Ocel**
Director

“Streetcar” is Ocel’s first production for the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis. His work includes productions at American Players Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, The New Jewish Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Theatre Emory, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, Sacramento Theater Company, Metro Theatre Company, Union Avenue Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Boston Lyric Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Tulsa Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Ocel is adjunct faculty for Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts, and resides in St. Louis with his husband, Peter Shank. Website: www.timocel.com.

Henry Palkes.jpg — **Henry Palkes**
Composer

Palkes, pianist/vocal coach, and composer, offers more than 30 years of professional experience as both soloist and collaborative pianist in classical, musical theater, opera, jazz, r&b, and gospel genres. A graduate of The Julliard School, Palkes is currently performing with the First National Tour of “An American In Paris,” and on leave from his position as lecturer for the Washington University Performing Arts Department. His solo and ensemble performances include concerts throughout the United States, most notably at Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center. He has been an affiliate keyboard artist for the St. Louis Symphony since1992. He has composed dramatic scores for “Stairs to the Roof,” “Elephant’s Graveyard,” “Macbeth,” and “Sublime Intimacy.”

Sean Savoie.jpg — **Sean Savoie**
Lighting

Savoie currently serves as resident Lighting Designer/Production Manager/Design Coordinator at Washington University in St. Louis. He received his MFA from the University of Cincinnati - College Conservatory of Music in Lighting Design and Technology, and his BFA from the University of Southern Mississippi. He has regional design credits and awards across the country. He served as the production manager for The Muny (2008-2011) and is currently the lighting designer for Stages St. Louis. Savoie is the proud recipient of the 2009 USITT Rising Star Award, 2010 CCM Distinguished Alumni Award, and proud member of the designer’s union USA829.

Justin Smith.jpg — **Justin Smith**
Board Operations

A native of St. Louis, Smith received his associate degree in Audio Engineering and Sound Design for Visual Media from the Institute of Production and Recording in Minneapolis, Minn., graduating valedictorian. Since then he's been working as the Lead Audio/Visual Technician for the Missouri History Museum providing media support for exhibits like "STL 250," "Panorama's," and numerous theatrical performances. He greatly enjoys working in media productions and has assisted theaters across the Midwest.

Christy Sust
Prop Manager

Sust is a recent graduate of Palm Beach Atlantic University in South Florida where she received her B.A. in Theatrical Arts. She aspires to continue contributing to the craft of theatre making by means of both performance and production. She is thrilled to be collaborating with the Tennessee Williams Festival for the first time.

TraceTurner(2of10).jpg — **Trace Turner**
Assistant Director

Turner is a current directing major at the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University. A native of Austin, Texas, Turner made his St. Louis debut last summer as the associate director and choreographer of Next To Normal at Insight Theatre. He has also assistant directed Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night and *The Humans* at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Turner is humbled to be able to share this story with a city that was so integral to Tennessee Williams.

Amanda Werre.jpg — **Amanda Werre**
Sound

Werre is thrilled to be a part of the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis. A St. Louis-based sound designer, has been heard locally at companies including The New Jewish Theatre, COCA, Max and Louie Productions, The St. Louis Zoo, Metro Theatre Company and The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Outside of the area, her work has been heard at Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Cider Mill Playhouse, Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Great Lakes Theatre. Werre has a BFA in Sound Design from the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University.

James Wold.jpg — **James Wolk**
Set Design

Wolk is a native of St. Louis graduate of Rosary High School and Saint Louis University. As a freelance set designer in New York City he has designed for Lincoln Center, Off-Broadway and Off-off Broadway, as well as regional theatres from Boston to Seattle. In St. Louis his designs have been seen at Opera Theatre, The MUNY, and The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis. Designs for the Rep include: Mothers and Sons, An Ideal Husband, The Heiress, Noises Off, Man and Superman, The Beauty Queen of Leenan. He is now the resident scenic designer for Stages St. Louis. Wolk has designed internationally for Theater Magdeburg Landeshauptstadt, Staatstheater am Gaertnerplatz (Munich), Stadtische Buehnen Augsburg, and the Vienna English Theater. He has directed Off-Broadway for the Abingdon Theatre Company. He has been nominated for the American Theatre Wing Design Award, Helen Hayes Award, Barrymore Award and the St. Louis Circle Award.