A Street Car Named Desire

By
Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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A NoHo Arts theatre review of Collaborative Arts Ensemble’s production of “A Street Car Named Desire” by Tennesee Williams, directed by Steve Jarrard at The Sherry Theater through October 1.
Mark V. Jones (l.), Meg Wallace, Jennifer Skiffington, Kevin Grant Spencer, Chuy Garcia. Photographer: Romeo Bravo.

[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of Collaborative Arts Ensemble’s production of “A Street Car Named Desire” by Tennesee Williams, directed by Steve Jarrard at The Sherry Theater through October 1. 

The Collaborative Arts Ensemble brings yet another classic American play to NoHo – Tennesee Williams’s Pultzer Prize-winning “A Street Car Named Desire.”

The story of the infamous Blanche du Bois and her rapid unraveling at her sister Stella and Stella’s husband Stanley Kowalski’s cramped apartment in New Orleans.

It’s iconic for a reason. The clashing of two powerful personalities, Blanche and Stanley, causing the tension to boil hotter and hotter. Both explosive. Both unpredictable. Both calculating their next move waiting for the other to weaken. It’s intense and, when done well, unmissable. 

A NoHo Arts theatre review of Collaborative Arts Ensemble’s production of “A Street Car Named Desire” by Tennesee Williams, directed by Steve Jarrard at The Sherry Theater through October 1.
Jennifer Skeiffington (l.), Meg Wallace, Kevin Grant Spencer. Photographer: Romeo Bravo.
A NoHo Arts theatre review of Collaborative Arts Ensemble’s production of “A Street Car Named Desire” by Tennesee Williams, directed by Steve Jarrard at The Sherry Theater through October 1.
Mark V. Jones, Kathy Bell Denton. Photographer: Romeo Bravo.

The Collaborative Arts Ensemble, under the very capable helmsmanship of Steve Jarrard, handles the beautifully written play with a fascinating lightness. Gone are the sometimes overly relied upon swaggering southern accents and Brandoesque whining. Blanche is played with a sweeter confusion than might be expected and Stanley is almost likable, although still brutish. He’s far smarter in this version. More calculated, less animalistic. It works perfectly against this softer less brash Blanche and makes the relationship with his wife Stella, who has a strength to her I’ve not seen in other versions, really believable. 

The cast really is very good overall. All playing to their strengths and really connecting to each other. There are some wonderful character parts in this brilliant play and they are played wonderfully. There’s a real sense of company on stage, the actors feed off each other really well. The Sherry Theater is small, but the apartment setting is excellent, The claustrophobic set works absolutely perfectly…all these huge personalities shut up together, something’s got to give eventually, and when it does it’s fantastic. Fireworks!

The Sherry Theater is one of the few remaining theatres in NoHo and The Collaborative Ensemble is its faithful contributor. Lend a hand and support our NoHo theatre!!!

A NoHo Arts theatre review of Collaborative Arts Ensemble’s production of “A Street Car Named Desire” by Tennesee Williams, directed by Steve Jarrard at The Sherry Theater through October 1.
RJ Cortana, Meg Wallace. Photographer: Romeo Bravo.
A NoHo Arts theatre review of Collaborative Arts Ensemble’s production of “A Street Car Named Desire” by Tennesee Williams, directed by Steve Jarrard at The Sherry Theater through October 1.
Wendy Garcia (l.), Kathy Bell Denton, Eve Richardson. Photographer: Romeo Bravo.

Any excuse to see such an extraordinary play done so well should not be missed!

It runs through October 1.

Tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-streetcar-named-desire-tickets-681862016647

When:

Through October 1
Friday and  Saturday at 8pm, Sunday @ 7pm

Where:

The Sherry Theatre 

11052 Magnolia Blvd, NoHo Arts District, CA 91406

The Cast:

Cast: German Flores Alcala, RJ Cortana, Kathy Bell Denton, Joshua Farrell, Chuy Garcia, Wendy Garcia, Mark V. Jones, Harish Mandyam, Eve Richards, Jason Sino, Jennifer Skiffington, Kevin Grant Spencer and Meg Wallace.