The dance between word and image, art and criticism continues in the Williams Wing of The EBB Project. Barbara Neri's paper, "Loving Thee Better After Death: The long afterlife of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnets from the Portuguese in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire" was presented on April 3, 2005 at the Victorian Institute Conference, held at UNC, Greensboro.
In the process of researching this article an idea for a new theater piece emerged. During August 2008 research continued in the city of New Orleans and in the archives of The Historic New Orleans Collection. On one level, Neri's "Unlocking Desire" (a 2 Act, 9 Scene play) seems to imagine Tennessee Williams' tragic heroine Blanche Dubois after "A Streetcar Named Desire." But all is not as it seems! A scene from Neri's play was presented on Nov 8, 2008 at the 555 Gallery Studio Fundraiser event "555 Bailout." Contact Barbara Neri for further information or to see the DVD of this scene. Many thanks to the 555 Nonprofit Gallery / Studio located in Detroit MI (www.555arts.org).
UNLOCKING DESIRE - READINGS / DEVELOPMENT: A scene from Neri's play was presented on Nov 8, 2008 at a 555 Gallery Studio Fundraiser event "555 Bailout" www.555arts.org. Script development was engaged in at the LA Womens' Theater Project autumn 2009. Neri's play "Unlocking Desire" was read on March 16, 2010, at the Planet Ant Theater in Hamtramk, MI. "Unlocking Desire" was also read as part of the Renegad Theater Festival in Lansing MI, August 19 & 20. Details for the 2010 Renegade Festival can be found here: Renegade 2010. Scroll down here to Read Tom Helma's review."Unlocking Desire" was read January 31, 2011 by The New Theater Project at 'MIX' in Ypsilanti, MI. Thanks to all these fine organizations!
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: At first blush UNLOCKING DESIRE seems to imagine Tennessee Williams’ tragic heroine Blanche DuBois after A Streetcar Named Desire. The setting is the 'Louisiana Retreat' a New Orleans institution where she could have been taken. Blanche meets disparate inmates there that orbit around her evoking shadow characters in Williams’ play and people from his life, fleshing out the circumstances that began her downward spiral and that are still in play today. Secrets are unlocked, questions answered. But all is not as it seems!
2011 marks the 100th birthday of Tennessee Williams - our poet of the American Theater. And Neri's "Unlocking Desire," a 2 Act, 9 Scene play, is a fascinating homage to Williams. Come celebrate and see the world premiere of Unlocking Desire!
PERFORMANCES! Unlocking Desire will be produced in a multimedia, site specific, world premiere production in the heart of Detroit at the Marlene Boll Theater located in the downtown YMCA at 1401 Broadway. Produced by KHOROS Inc. a non-profit Michigan arts organization founded in 1982.
Featuring Detroit Metro’s finest actors – Linda Rabin Hammell, Kenny Kono, J Michael Morgan, Eric Niece, Sean Paraventi, Yolanda Perez, Madelyn Porter, Sean Rodriguez, Kristen Wagner and Krista Schafer.
Artistic Direction by Barbara Neri, Directed by John Jakary, Scenic Design by Elisa Limberg of Berlin, Germany, lighting Design by Dave Early, Costume Design Jomarie Soszynski and projections of original photography, video and New Orleans archival images edited by Alivia Zivich.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE
NINE PERFORMANCES:
Fri Sept 23 & Sat Sept 24 at 8PM and Sun Sep 25 at 3PM
Fri Sept 30 & Sat Oct 1 at 8PM and Sun Oct 2 at 3PM
Thurs & Fri & Sat, Oct 6, 7 & 8 at 8PM.
Tickets will be sold at the door: $10 for students with ID, $15 for senior citizens and $20 for Adults. Cash & Check only. Contact us to make a reservation if you prefer.
Appropriate for High School age & up.
PARKING: $5 parking across the street at Detroit Opera House Parking Center 1426 Broadway Street, Detroit, MI 48226. Metered parking on the street.
CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
PHOTO CAPTIONS
Image #1- New Orleans above ground cemetery St Louis # 1. Video and stills taken in New Orleans will be part of the multimedia Detroit prodution of Barbara Neri's "Unlocking Desire" Photo Ralph Neri
Image #2 - Postcard front for "Unlocking Desire" using New Orleans street sign with graffiti. Photo Ralph Neri, card design Alivia Zivich.
Image #3 - Elisa Limberg, scenic designer from Berlin Germany and resident artist at Detroit's 555 Gallery, created the site specific set design for Barbara Neri's "Unlocking Desire."
Image #4 - Sean Rodriguez as Hank and Linda Rabin Hammell as Blanche from Barbara Neri's play "Unlocking Desire" on Dubois St. in Detroit. See the entire slide show of images at unlockingdeisre.com
Image #5 - Cast for "Unlocking Desire" outside of Detroit's 555 Gallery where they are rehearsing. Back Row L to R – Sean Rodriguez, Kenny Kono, Madelyn Porter, Sean Paraventi, J. Michael Morgan and Krista Schafer. Front L to R: Linda Rabin Hammell, Eric Niece, Kristen Wagner and Yolanda Perez. Photo: Ralph Neri
Image #6 - Blanche (Linda Rabin Hammell) and Hank (Sean Rodriguez) from "Unlocking Desire" on Belle Isle. Neri's play evokes characters from Tennessee Williams' masterpiece "A Streetcar Named Desire." The play runs for nine performances at the Marlene Boll Theater September 23 through October 8. See the entire slide show of Detroit images at unlockingdesire.com Photo: Charles Toeppe.
Below is seen Neri's "Tennessee Mirror Image" (2006). Find the series of mirror images here.
