Blanchett, Variety reports, will play Blanche DuBois in an August 2009 production at the Sydney Theatre Company. Blanchett and husband Andrew Upton became the new artistic directors of the company at the end of 2007.
Two-time Oscar nominee Liv Ullmann will direct the Williams classic. No other productions have been announced for the 2009 season.
A Streetcar Named Desire premiered on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in Dec. 1947, playing 855 performances before closing in Dec. 1949. Directed by Elia Kazan, the original company boasted Jessica Tandy as Blanche, Marlon Brando as Stanley and Kim Hunter as Stella. The most recent Broadway revival — in 2005 at Studio 54 — starred John C. Reilly, Natasha Richardson and Amy Ryan.
Cate Blanchett won the Academy Award for her performance in "The Aviator"; she was also Oscar-nominated for her work in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," "I'm Not There," "Notes on a Scandal" and "Elizabeth." The actress starred in Hedda Gabler at New York's Brooklyn Academy of Music, and her acting credits at the Syndey Theatre Company include productions of Caryl Churchill's Top Girls, Timothy Daly's Kafka Dances and David Mamet's Oleanna. Blanchett also appeared on the London stage in David Hare's Plenty.
As previously announced, the 2008 season at the Sydney Theatre Company follows:
Julian Meyrick directs Victoria Longley and Pip Miller.
Simon Phillips directs Genevieve Picot and William Zappa.
Pamela Rabe and Tim Maddock directs the STC Actors Company.
Peter Evans directs Ben Guerens, Robin McLeavy and Toby Schmitz.
Jamieson directs the STC Actors Company and third year acting students of NIDA.
Ian Lawson directs Jonathan Brand, Sandro Colarelli, Judy Hainsworth, Andrea Moor and James Stewart.
(adapted from the Euripides play)
Kosky directs Melita Jurisic and Robyn Nevin.
(adapted from John Gay's The Beggar's Opera)
Max Stafford-Clark directs Noni Hazlehurst. Felix Cross composes.
Max Cullen appears.
Brendan Cowell directs Toby Schmitz. Available as an add-on for the season are:
(Adapted by Tom Wright and Benedict Andrews)
Andrews directs the STC Actors Company and Cate Blanchett. For more information visit sydneytheatre.com.au.