Sweet Bird of Youth

Norwalk Actor Gabe Morrow  to star in Town Players of New Canaan’s spring show, Sweet Bird of Youth as Chance Wayne, the role originated by Paul Newman on Broadway. Performances take place on Friday & Saturday, May 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 & 19 at 8PM and Sundays, May 6 & 13 at 2:30 PM at the Powerhouse Theatre, Waveny Park, New Canaan

 “And the whole meaning of all my work is that there is no such thing as complete right and complete wrong, complete black, complete white.  That we’re all in the same boat and really the boat is the world, you might even say it’s the universe.”

-- From a December 1961 WFMT radio interview with Studs Terkel—

        Rowayton resident Gabe Morrow, who is a theatre director and special education teacher at Darien High School, will star in the Town Players of New Canaan’s spring show, Tennessee Williams’ Sweet Bird of Youth, as Chance Wayne, in the role originated by Paul Newman in the 1959 Broadway production. TPNC’s director Gary Battaglia believes, “Williams is the quintessential American playwright. His play is about loss of youthful beauty and innocence and the effect this loss has on all the characters, ‘that bird that sails away with your youth.’  He treats our vulnerabilities in ways that are more identifiable and brings his plays closer to real people. His characters are representative of life, not larger than life as are those of Eugene O’Neill.  The audience will see themselves in Sweet Bird of Youth. I don’t see how anybody will not relate to the show.”

         Performances will take place the Powerhouse Theatre in Waveny Park, 677 South Avenue, New Canaan on Friday and Saturday, May 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 8PM with Sunday matinees on May 6 & 13 at 2:30 PM. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors (age 62). Call (203) 966-7371 for tickets.

       When the lights come up, Chance Wayne, an actor whose career has hit the skids, has become a beach boy and been picked up in Palm Beach by fading movie star Alexandra Del Lago, who is travelling incognita as Princess Kosmonopolis. Now her gigolo/caregiver, Chance takes Princess to St. Cloud, his home town, so that he can reunite with the love of his life Heavenly, daughter of Boss Finley, and also boast to all that Princess is sponsoring his movie comeback.

       Lynne Bolton of New Canaan in the role of Princess will join Mr. Morrow as his leading lady. Princess and Chance recognize in each other the tortured soul not respected and valued by society and are complex, fascinating characters.  From the first rehearsal, Lynne and Gabe had an immediate chemistry on stage and share a kinship. Each originally from Louisville, Gabe says, they understand “the Southern genteel way of being and speaking, and underneath is a disturbing pathology.”   Lynne adds, “You get the light, airy world of the South. They own their own oddities, quirks and circumstances and embrace themselves.  The fun is watching them come alive and taking the journey with them. I have known people like this and smile in knowing these people are archetypes.”

         Gabe loves the play, saying “TW writes in a dramatic way for the theatre and so many contemporary playwrights write as if writing for movies. Any play that engages an audience has to tell a story that the audience will buy in to. Chance is a tragic character: his speech at the end of the play, ‘recognize yourself in me,’ resonates.”  Gabe was an actor at the Barter Theatre (Abingdon, VA) and a former resident company member of Stage One: Louisville’s Professional Theater for Young Audiences. Recent local theatre credits include The Laramie Project with Bridgeport Theatre Company and Seascape with Sharks and Dancer at the Ridgefield Theatre Barn.  Mr. Morrow directed Darien High School’s fall production of Dracula.

         Kyle Runestad, also of Norwalk, will portray Scotty, a likable fellow unable to ward off Boss Finley’s menacing power.