Stage and screen star Cherry Jones “meeted-and-greeted” guests as guest of honor at the May 30 Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival‘s annual gala. After a sumptuous meal followed by a lively art auction of works donated by Provincetown artists to benefit the festival, celebrating its 10th year in 2015, Jones regaled gala-goers with backstage tales in an interview with David Kaplan, the festival’s curator.
In 2014, Jones was nominated for a Tony Award and won the Outer Critic’s Circle award for her performance as Amanda Wingfield in the critically acclaimed Broadway production of Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie. The production co-starred her fellow LGBT actor, Zachary Quinto, and opened at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge.
Before the first course was served Kaplan revealed the theme and line-up for the upcoming long weekend of all-things Tennessee, this year hitting town Sept. 24-27.
The theme, “A Decade of Tennessee Williams in Provincetown,” features selected favorites from years past as well as a few new treats for thespian tastes:
“The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore,” the award-winning production from Meyer Abrahamse Productions of South Africa.
“The Remarkable Rooming House of Madame LeMonde,” an antic physical comedy from the Beau Jest Moving Theatre of Boston.
“Tennessee Williams: Words and Music,” songs from Williams’ plays, featuring Broadway singer and actor Alison Fraser.
“The Parade,” a restaging of the world premiere that started the festival in 2006, performed in 2015 on the beach.
“The Day on Which a Man Dies,” a powerful play inspired by the death of Jackson Pollock and the work of Yukio Mishima.
“The Road to Paradise,” a dance piece incorporating Williams’ love letters first seen in 2006.
“Aimez-Vous Ionesco?,” a world premiere of a Williams one-act.
“Suddenly Last Summer,” a new production of the classic from Mississippi.
“The Liberation of Colette Simple,” a musical from London, based on the Williams one-act “The Case of the Crushed Petunias.”
“More Stars Than There Are in Heaven,” a staged reading of a new play by John Guare, based on a Williams short story.
“Tenn at Town Hall,” an anthology of 10 years of world premieres of plays by Williams and other writers.
For tickets and details on the full line-up of parties, talks, special events and, of course, the shows, go to go to twptown.org.
