Jamaica Moon Productions presents “Williams-Williams & Miller” (An Evening of One-Act Plays) – three short plays by two great 20th Century American playwrights running April 30-June 12.

“Williams-Williams & Miller” is a trio of short plays presents early career work by two masters of their form, Tennessee Williams and Jason Miller. They wrote about love and relationships, and those subjects are eternal.

“Moony’s Kid Don’t Cry” by Tennessee Williams (1946).

Moony and Jane met at The Paradise Dance Hall. She was wearing a red silk dress. Now she has his baby and he wants a different life.

“Twenty-Seven Wagons Full of Cotton” by Tennessee Williams (1946).

Jake burned down the cotton gin of the nearby Syndicate Plantation in order to boost his own business. Silva, the Syndicate supervisor, will get even with Jake. This involves Flora, Jake’s appealing wife. This is a wild comedy.

“Lou Gehrig Did Not Die of Cancer” by Jason Miller (1970).

Broken hearts and broken dreams. Victor and Barbara are combustible. Enter Mrs. Martin, who connects with Victor’s soul.

About the Playwrights

Tennessee Williams (1911-1983), a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, had 28 plays produced on Broadway, winning the Tony® Award for “The Rose Tattoo,” and Pulitzer Prizes for “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.” The legendary playwright is director Gloria Gifford’s favorite.

Jason Miller (1939-2001) wrote a dozen plays, only one of which was produced on Broadway. That play, “That Championship Season,” won the Tony® and the Pulitzer Prize. Highly regarded as a playwright, he achieved more fame as an actor, receiving an Oscar® nomination for his portrayal of Father Karras in “The Exorcist.”

About Gloria Gifford

Gloria Gifford (winner of NAACP Best Director Award for “Antony and Cleopatra” and “Much Ado About Nothing”) directs this trio of short plays.. The New York and Broadway- trained director/actress/teacher received an M.A. from the New School, where she studied Criminology after graduating with a degree in Political Science from SUNY New Paltz. She has directed over 75 stage productions, including “On Golden Pond” (with Salome Jens and Andrew Prine), “Our Lady of 121st St.” (L.A. Times Critic’s Choice), “The Tempest,” “Romantic Comedy,” “A Bed and a Bar,” “Summer and Smoke,” “Wait Until Dark,” “Love Allways,” and many more. A veteran actor with credits on Broadway, in hit films (opposite Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, John Candy and Tobey Maguire), and recurring roles on four TV series, she has also been known as an acting coach to emerging stars and as the producer of the Rebel Planet Short Film Festival in Hollywood. She taught at the prestigious AFI in the Masters Program for six years, and Patty Jenkins (director, “Wonder Woman”), Brian Dannelly (director, “Weeds” and “Saved”) and Gideon Raff (creator, “Homeland”) were some of her students. Gloria can presently be seen on “Abbott Elementary.”

The Cast

The double-cast ensemble of the current production includes Danielle Abraham, Billy Budinich, Haile D’Alan, Amber Dancy, Chad Doreck, Samantha Esteban, Evelyn Gonzalez, Keturah Hamilton, Chris Jones, Denisha Kain, Joey Marie Urbina, Jade Ramirez, Danny Siegel, Keith Walker, Teagan Wilson and Dazelle Yvette.