The Stonger and Suddenly Last Summer (Excerpt)
CREATIVE
Director: Makaylee Secrest
Lighting Designer: Kevin Gartley
Sound Designer: Steve Beckel
Photographer: Sarah Haley
CAST
Suddenly Last Summer by Tennessee Williams
Catherine: Katie Dietrich
Mrs. Holly: Evelyn Wherry
George: Kristian Perez
Sister: Raya Smith
The Stronger by August Strindberg
Mrs. X: Juliette Trumbull
Miss Y: Meredith Bishop
Director's Note
Suddenly Last Summer and The Stronger both deal with the lengths to whichwe will go in order to suppress uncomfortable truths. These stories explore the way jealousy, insecurity, greed, and fear delude our perceptions of reality and prevent us from connecting with those we love. After learning of Strindberg’s infamous misogyny, The Stronger became an exciting challenge in navigating and reapproaching the outdated biases common in classical work. Our approach has centered on dismissing the challenge of choosing a “stronger” woman and instead emphasizing these women’s struggle to be stronger than a patriarchial structure that pits them against each other. I believe Suddenly Last Summer is incredibly immediate and significant once we begin to consider how greed and fear prevent us from confronting major truths today.