With Valentine's Day approaching quickly, Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," directed by theater professor Don LaCasse, offers a play pertaining to issues of love, lies and deception.
"Williams is notorious for taking people on a rollercoaster ride, then taking you back to where you started," Ryan Woodle, senior theater major, said. He plays the role of "Big Daddy."
Set in a 1955 Mississippi delta plantation, this play is about a family's struggle with communication.
It's Big Daddy's, 65th birthday, and the entire family is gathering to celebrate. However, Big Daddy and his wife, Big Mama, played by Kathryn Gilbert, don't know is that Big Daddy is dying is of cancer.
His two sons, Brick and Gooper and their wives, Mae and Maggie, try to get Big Daddy to sign the plantation over to each family. The play is also about a struggle between Brick and Maggie. Years ago, Brick's best friend, Skipper committed suicide, and Brick blames Maggie for it.
Since that time, Brick has become an alcoholic and refuses to sleep with Maggie. Refusing to give up on her husband, Maggie tries desperately to seduce her husband, knowing that is the only way to get the plantation.
"It's a period piece, but I think that they can understand it. It has issues that carry through to today," Carrie Elizabeth Spangler, who plays Maggie, said.
Although this play may appear to be somewhat depressing, Woodle said that in the end the family is still able to pull through.
As seen on promotional flyers, this play is recommended for mature audience only, due to the strong language and controversial themes.
"This shows that things can change. Maggie shows so much strength and determination to make things work with Brick," said Natisha Anderson, who plays Mae.
According to Woodle, this is a play that both theater people and people who aren't as familiar with theater can appreciate.
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