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Associate Professor L. Zane Jones Launches New Theatre Company

Submitted by Sam Read on December 16, 2014 - 4:27pm

L. Zane Jones, Associate Professor at UW School of Drama, recently launched Civic Rep, a newly-formed creative collective committed to producing modern classics and new work for the stage.

The company's inaugural production will be Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, presented at New City Theater in Seattle.

"I am interested in exploring and understanding this play through a couple of lenses that are not traditionally, applied," states Jones, who is also directing the play. "One is the lens of feminism, not that this is a feminist play, but I do believe that Blanche and the interpretations of Blanche (and Stella) over the years have been heavily influenced by a misogynist view. Our view of Stanley has been strongly influenced by this same patriarchal perspective and certainly by Marlon Brando's groundbreaking performance. The second lens is an understanding of the disease of alcoholism. So much of the dramatic action of this play and the inherent tragedy of Blanche's destruction, is as a result of this disease and the abuse of alcohol."

Jones also chose to stage the production in a 40 seat storefront venue, with the intention of "creating a theatrical world that includes the audience, where they feel intimately involved, as if they have come into this apartment, this theatrical space, and have stumbled upon this scene, this story - a raw and naked story of desire, unmet and unmatched."

A Streetcar Named Desire runs January 2 - 25, 2015 at New City Theatre located at 1404 18th Ave in Seattle.

More information and tickets at: civicrep.brownpapertickets.com/

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