Five by Tenn, which runs through May 9, features five one-acts by the late playwright. The cast includes Kathleen Chalfant, who received a Tony nomination for her performance in Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Thomas Jay Ryan and former "Knots Landing" star Joan Van Ark. Michael Kahn, of the Shakespeare Theatre, directs.

The one-acts that comprise Five by Tenn include "I Can't Imagine Tomorrow," "These Are Stairs You Got to Watch," "And Tell Sad Stories of the Death of Queens. . .," "The Municipal Abattoir" and "Escape."

Kathleen Chalfant recently did double duty Off-Broadway, performing in both Savannah Bay and Talking Heads. The actress was a Tony Award nominee for her turn in Angels in America: Millennium Approaches. Other credits include her lauded performance in Wit, as well as roles in Racing Demon and M. Butterfly. Though superseded by film actress Meryl Streep in the screen adaptation of Angels in America, Chalfant appeared in the HBO Films version of The Laramie Project.

Tennessee Williams Explored continues with A Streetcar Named Desire, May 8-30; A Distant Country Called Youth, June 11-13; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, June 12-July 4; and The Glass Menagerie, July 17-Aug. 8.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is located at 2700 F. Street, NW in Washington, D.C. Tickets for "Tennessee Williams Explored" are available by visiting www.kennedy-center.org.