University Players deliver with 'The Glass Menagerie'

Edinboro University Players opened Tennessee Williams’ tragic play, “The Glass Menagerie,” last Thursday, March 19.

“The Glass Menagerie” is the directorial debut for Marie Loose.

“This has been my favorite play for as long as I can remember,” Loose said. “I worked crew on a high school production of this show and the whole time I was running ideas through my head of how I would do it differently. This is my chance to finally do that.”

Although putting on a production can be a large time commitment, Loose also had to balance a class schedule on top of it.

“I just got my mid-terms in and yes, my grades are ‘good’ but they are by no means my normal standard,” Loose said. “Time management is key and it’s moments like this I’m incredibly jealous of that Hermione Granger girl... where’s MY time-turner?”

Actor Audrey Schweitzer, who plays the mother in the play, Amanda Wingfield, a faded southern belle who was abandoned by her husband, also had encouraging words to say of Loose’s first time directing.

“I think Marie found out how stressful directing is,” Schweitzer said. “She personally dealt with costumes, props, and music to bring together her vision of the play. She also gave the cast much freedom in characterization and movement.”

Schweitzer went on to say Edinboro put on a production of “The Glass Menagerie” and although she wasn’t in it, she remembers the director questioning Amanda’s memories of her past.

“I based my character on the possibility that Amanda was the one living in a dream world of the past,” Schweitzer said.

“The Glass Menagerie” also saw the acting debut on the Edinboro stage of Louise Wiest.

Wiest played the main focus of the play, Laura Wingfield, an extremely timid girl whose mother is desperately searching for a male caller for her to take care of her.

Set in the Wingfield apartment in 1930s St. Louis, “The Glass Menagerie” follows the story of narrator Tom Wingfield (played by Adam Leute) and his struggles at home between his overbearing mother, Amanda, and his extremely shy sister, Laura. Tom reluctantly agrees to bring a male caller (played by Dontae Davis) home for his sister.

“The Glass Menagerie” continues in the Diebold Performing Arts Center tonight, March 26 through March 28 at 7:30 p.m., a matinee on March 29 at 2:30 p.m. and a final show March 31 at 7:20 p.m.

Tickets are $3 for students and $5 for general admission.

Logan Lilly is the editor-in-chief for The Spectator. He can be reached at (814) 732-2266.

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