Glass Menagerie on Display

Set in the early 1940’s in St. Louis, Missouri, “The Glass Menagerie” is a remarkable memory play written by Tennessee Williams. Performed by The Virginia Stage Company, this classic play follows the struggles of a broken family trying to survive in a world that is much more harsh than the delicate world of glass animals.

From the memory of Tom Wingfield, played by Michael A. Newcomer, the audience sees firsthand the hatred Tom has for the life that he has to lead. As a factory worker and the sole support for his mother and crippled sister, Tom dreams of becoming a writer and leaving the small, drab apartment that crushes his many dreams. He escapes the life he despises by frequenting the movies and through alcohol, creating tension between him and his mother. Newcomer, though sometimes wavering in and out of his Southern accent, does a fine job of making the frustrations of Tom believable. Although it is meant to be obvious that the relationship between Tom and his sister, L...