The Glass Menagerie @ The Booth Theatre

Tennessee Williams’s ‘The Glass Menagerie’ returns to Broadway under the direction of John Tiffany. Amanda Wingfield (two-time Tony® Award winner Cherry Jones) is a Southern belle past her prime, living with two grown children in a small apartment in St. Louis. Amanda dreams of a better life for her shy and crippled daughter Laura (two-time Tony Award nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger), so she pushes her son Tom (Zachary Quinto, Angels in America), to find a “gentleman caller” for the girl. However, the arrival of the gentleman caller (Brian J. Smith, The Columnist) sends shockwaves through the family and causes cracks to form in the delicate fantasies that have kept them going.

This brave new interpretation of this Tennessee William's classic is being portrayed by a truly, beautiful, thoughtful and inspiring cast. Cherry Jones(Amanda) plays the very protective, stubborn mother. Both overbearing and warm, Jones’ talent is indescribable and a must-see. Celia Keenan-Bolger(Laura) is the crippled daughter tackling the burden of being a completely able bodied actress playing a physically challenged role. If I hadn’t known she wasn’t disabled, I would never have known so great is her immersion into the role.  She was full of grace and confidence which really made her shine through. Zachary Quinto(Tom) is making his Broadway debut and delivers the performance of a lifetime, leaving the audience speechless. Lastly, Brian J. Smith(Gentleman Caller) is all the things a good romancer is supposed to be, charming, alluring, and charismatic.

The technical aspects of this show only enhance the performances. Bob Crowley designs both the set and the costumes. The set is three platforms, displaying a minimalistic apartment surrounded by a dark abyss, perfect to keep the audience engaged in the action on stage, without being distracted by pointless decoration. Natasha Katz has once again delivers a beautiful elegant mood that’s perfect for this show.

The Glass Menagerie opened September 26, 2013 at Broadway's Booth Theater (45th Street) and runs a strictly limited run through Jan 05, 2014, so get your tickets soon! 

Review By: James Russo & Lisa Kosak