The Virginia Tech School of the Arts and Department of Theatre Arts present Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning play A Streetcar Named Desire in Squires Haymarket Theatre on the Virginia Tech campus. The show runs Feb. 25, 26, 28 and March 1 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.

A Streetcar Named Desire explores the illusion of beauty and self-value. Set in the French Quarter of Louisiana, the fragile and neurotic Blanche DuBois stirs up trouble for her sister, Stella, and brutish brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski, when she unexpectedly appears at their doorstep with plans to stay. The poetry, jazz, and rawness of this New Orleans tragedy have remained one of the greatest productions in modern theater. After a successful run on Broadway beginning in 1947, it was made into an award-winning film in 1951 and has become one of the better known and most frequently staged Williams' play.

Danica Riesburg, a senior marketing management major at Virginia Tech, portrays the troubled Blanche who visits her reserved sister, Stella, played by senior Virginia Tech theatre arts major Lanaya Burnette. Sophomore Virginia Tech theatre arts major J. Mason Walker steps up to the role of Stanley Kowalski, Stella's stern and dark husband.

Paul Antonie "Tony" Distler directs the production, also an Alumni Distinguished Professor Emeritus and former director of the School of the Arts at Virginia Tech. He is a noted teacher, performer, director, scholar, television host and producer and has performed with such actors as Roy Scheider, Betty White, Robert Culp and Nancy Walker, and his voice can be heard on radio and television in ads for Lewis Gale Hospital, John Norman Inc. and Westvaco.

Theatre Arts graduate student Cyril Suaris designed the set. He also designed [sic] (April 2004), Hamlet (October 2003) and With Love From Shakespeare (February 2003).

Theatre Arts faculty member John Ambrosone served as lighting designer. Amborsone has designed for numerous shows on and off Broadway, internationally, and for special events. He recently joined the Theatre Arts faculty in fall 2004.

A Streetcar Named Desire is being produced as part of the main stage season by Virginia Tech's Department of Theatre Arts. Tickets are $8 general and $6 student/senior citizen. Purchases may be made on line and at the Squires Ticket Office in the Squires Student Center on campus at (540) 231-5615. Ticket office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm. For further information, contact the School of the Arts at (540) 231-5200.

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