Spirit Fire Theatre brings A Streetcar Named Desire to Calgary stage
By Aurora Anderson, November 1 2016 —
Spirit Fire Theatre will run their third production, A Streetcar Named Desire, from Nov. 17–26. The play is directed by Paul Welch.
Spirit Fire Theatre is a relatively new theatre company. They debuted with their production of Vincent in January 2015.
When asked why they chose to produce A Streetcar Named Desire, producer Chelsey Fawcett says the main focus of the company is to “make compelling stories come to life.”
“[Spirit Fire Theatre is] all about sharing moving stories. [A Streetcar Named Desire] fits our mandate in regards to it being a play that takes place in the ‘40s, but the ideas are still very current,” she says.
Written by Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire is set in New Orleans and deals with themes of madness as well as domestic and sexual abuse. It centres around Blanche, a faded southern belle who relies on the kindness of her younger sister Stella for a fresh start on life.
Fawcett says Spirit Fire Theatre works to produce powerful, emotionally engaging performances that grab audiences’ attention and sparks their interest. This production has been in the works for almost a year, with rehearsals beginning in September.
“[We want to] highlight issues around spousal abuse,” Fawcett says. “[And focus] very much on the relationships — healthy and unhealthy.”
A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to HomeFront Calgary, a non-profit organization that works together with the justice system, community partners and police to help families with domestic violence.
According to their website, HomeFront’s focus is to “ensure that victims are safe and offenders are being held accountable.”
Since the play portrays scenes of violent emotional and physical abuse, Spirit Fire Theatre will dedicate their shows to affected audience members.
“Each performance [is dedicated] to individuals and families who have sought assistance to recover from abuse and encourage others to get the help they need,” says Fawcett.
A Streetcar Named Desire will run Nov. 17–26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Pumphouse Theatre. Tickets are $25.
For more information, visit spiritfiretheatre.ca