The Tennessee Project – Tennessee Williams One-Act Festival in Toronto

The Tennessee Project brings new meaning to community theatre. Seven nights, seven venues around Toronto – St. Clair West, The Annex, Leslieville, Cabbagetown, North York, The Danforth, Roncesvalles – Nine theatre companies and 11 short plays by Tennessee Williams.

Tonight was the first night of the festival, seven openings across the city. For the next six nights the plays will rotate each night so that each production will be seen in each different venue. The work and coordination involved in a co-production of this size is impressive, so is the commitment.

It’s a brilliant idea.

My friend Pat and I went to The Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club in Cabbagetown tonight and saw This Property is Condemned and Talk To Me Like The Rain  produced by Theatre Caravel. These are short plays, probably about 20 minutes each – espresso shots of theatre. Both are stories about sharing your life. This Property is Condemned is about a young couple meeting for the first time and Talk To Me Like the Rain is about a married couple at the end of their life together.

Steve Boleantu and Elizabeth Logerlof played the man and the woman in both pieces. They were both excellent, completely believable as the young couple in the first play and as the old couple in the second. Pat and I were both very impressed.

The set was minimal but effective. It’s the first time that I’ve seen a set change get applause but the wallpaper deserved it. Kudos to Hanna Puley.

Kyle Purcell designed the sound. It worked really well, especially the rain. I liked the rain a lot.

It was a very enjoyable hour.

This is an opportunity to get out and enjoy something new in your neighbourhood. Do it. You won’t be disappointed.

The plays are:

• The Unsatisfactory Supper
• Something Unspoken
• Mister Paradise
• 27 Wagons Full of Cotton
• And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens
• Talk To Me Like the Rain
• This Property is Condemned
• The Big Game
• Suddenly, Last Summer
• I Never Get Dressed Till After Dark on Sundays
• The Pink Bedroom

The companies involved are:

• Afterglow Theatre
• Another Theatre Company
• Theatre Brouhaha
• Birdtown and Swanville
• Black Tea Productions
• Written on Water Theatre
• The Red Light District
• Red One Theatre Collective
• Theatre Caravel

Details:

– The Tennessee Project runs until May 7th at seven venues across the city.
– Performances are at 8pm except in The Annex where they begin at 7:30
– Tickets are $18.00 and are available online or at the door.