Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning play, A Streetcar Named Desire, is Tanghalang Pilipino's
third offering for its 23rd theater season that celebrates "Women of
Substance." It has been translated by Orlando Nadres into Filipino as Flores Para Los Muertos.
Perhaps his greatest masterpiece, the play is Williams'
classic piece on the relationships of people, life and death, the
dangerous conflict between reality and fantasy and the desire for human
contact. It paints the staunch character of
Blanche Dubois, whose complicated psychological makeup as she confronts
reality is a sure challenge to any substantial actress.
Blanche Dubois, the main
character says, "I don't want realism; I want magic." Blanche's
deception of others and herself is not from malicious intent, but
rather from a heart and spirit broken by adversity and forced to
retreat to a kinder, purer time that no longer exists.
TV, film and stage director Floy Quintos directs the cast
which includes Ana Abad Santos, Mailes Kanapi, Reuben Uy and Paolo
O'Hara in the English version and Eula Valdes, Meryll Soriano, Neil
Ryan Sese and Jonathan Tadioan in the Filipino version. Also included
in the cast of A Streetcar Named Desire / Flores Para Los Muertos
are Marjorie Lorico, Paolo Cabañero, Jerald Napoles, Tara Cabaero, Acey
Aguilar, Rocky Salumbides, William Manazano and Jo-Ann Requiestas.
Eula recalls the first time that she heard about doing this play.
"When Tata Nanding, vice-president of CCP's Tanghalang Pilipino, asked me to do A Streetcar Named Desire last April 27, I immediately said yes without knowing the weight of the role.
"Napanood ko na ‘yun, matagal na, pero iba kapag binasa mo na at ikaw na ang gagawa.
"Nakakaloka
siya! So far, ito ang pinakamahirap na role na gagawin ko. Kaya takot
akong tumanggap ng regular shows dahil baka makulangan ako ng strength
na magtrabaho, e maging half-baked ang performance ko sa show, if ever.
"At sa play, ang daming linya pati, kaloka! Basta sana magawa ko ng tama at maganda. Kapag nagawa ko, makakahinga na ako nang maluwag. Sana ay kayanin ng powers ko!"
The playdates of the Filipino version where Eula stars as Blanche Dubois will be on October 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25.
For
ticket inquiries and reservations, call Tanghalang Pilipino at
832-3661 and 832-1125 local 1620/1621. Look for Paolo or Lorelei.
Tickets are also available in any Ticketworld outlet (Tel. No. 891-9999) and at
the CCP Box Office (Tel. No. 832-3704).
Address: CCP Little Theater, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
