L.A. Revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Begins Performances July 9

By Andrew Gans
09 Jul 2009

Kathleen Early and Aaron Blake in Cat
Kathleen Early and Aaron Blake in Cat
Photo by David Fairchild Studios

The Neighborhood Playhouse's production of the Tennessee Williams classic Cat on a Hot Tin Roof begins performances July 9.

Directed by Brady Schwind, the production will play the L.A. venue through July 26.

The cast features Kathleen Early as Maggie "the Cat," Aaron Blake as Brick Pollitt and Michael Prohaska as Big Daddy Pollitt with Nadya Starr (Big Mama), Mark A. Cross (Gooper), Jennifer L. Davis (Mae), Beverly Oliver (Sookey), E Fé (Lacey), Gordon Wells (Reverend Tooker), Chris O'Connor (Dr. Baugh), Hannah Kreiswirth (Dixie) and Abigail Kinnahan (u/s Maggie/Mae).

Cat, according to press notes, "tells the drama of seething passions that beset a wealthy Southern family whose lives are stripped of pretense in a shattering moment of revelation."

In a statement director Schwind said, "Tennessee Williams is perhaps the name most singularly associated with great American Theatre. It has been a goal from the very beginning of The Neighborhood Playhouse's formation to someday present one of his works, which are, quite rightfully, carefully guarded by Williams's estate.

"When the opportunity arose for us to present Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, we knew we had to jump on it. It's a brilliant, timeless, enormously popular piece that is all too rarely performed in Los Angeles and in particular, in the South Bay, where it hasn't been seen in twenty years. We are honored to be chosen to present this iconic classic, and know audiences will be shocked, moved and enticed by the story of Maggie, Brick, and Big Daddy all over again in this exciting new production, made all the more electric by the intimacy of the Neighborhood Playhouse‘s unique performance space."

The creative team includes Andrew Vonderschmitt (scenic design), Christopher Singleton (lighting design), Nancy Ling (costume design), Holly Baker-Kreiswirth (production manager), Michael Aldapa (hair/wig design) and Michael Juneau (technical direction).

Producers are Suzan Fairchild and Karin L. Frasier.

Performances are held at the historic Neighborhood Church, where the Neighborhood Playhouse is in residence: 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates, CA. Tickets, priced $22-28, are available by calling (800) 595-4849 or by visiting www.neighborhoodplayhouse.net.