Review: 'This Property is Condemned' by CRT

STORRS, CT - Opening Night of Connecticut Repertory Theatre's (CRT) live-streamed virtual production of THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED was presented on Friday evening. The one act written by Tennessee Williams was directed by Dexter Singleton, the Founding Executive Artistic Director of Collective Consciousness Theatre and Director of New Play Development at TheatreSquared. Artistic Ensemble Member at Long Wharf Theatre, and Visiting Professor of Performance at UConn.

The one-act, which runs about 25 minutes, features Willie, a 13-year old girl from Mississippi, who is world-weary before her time. The young woman dropped out of school years ago, her family has died, and now she lives alone in their condemned boarding house. She dreams of becoming a whore. One day as she walks on the railroad tracks, she meets 16-year-old Tom. So typical Tennessee Williams, right?

The two UConn students that tackle this piece are of Asian descent, bringing another layer to the strength of the work. At the beginning of the stream, a slide indicates that the performance is dedicated to all of the victims of the recent Atlanta mass shooting. This was a very important addition to the production.

In my short tenure as Interim Artistic Director, we plan to continue with open eyes to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We hope to address and confront racism within the theatrical community. We are fortunate to have a voice that can go beyond the footlights to educate, motivate, and inspire others to change our world. - Edward Weingart, an Associate Professor of Technical Direction at the University of Connecticut who serves as the Interim Department Head for the Department of Dramatic Arts.

There was some vintage-looking video at the beginning of the show, and I think there was some unintended audio along with it. The scenic design advisor Alexander Woodward kept it simple. Erik Lawson was the sound advisor; on my desktop, the sound was ahead of the visuals and my computer was the only device using the wi-fi. Thankfully, the disconnect did not interfere with understanding the Southern-tinged accents.

Following the opening night performance, attendees were invited to stay online for a talk back with the actors and production team. It ended with a heartfelt toast from the interim department head: “May the best of this year be the worst of next year.”

Andre Chan plays the teenaged Tom. Mr. Chan is a current graduate student in UConn's MFA Acting Class of 2023. With roots in the East Bay Area, California, he portrayed the role well from his home state. The actor hopes to empower historically under- and mis-represented communities through stage and screen and hopes to expand our collective imagination until justice is a dream realized.

Katelyn Trieu also had to play younger in the role of Willie in her CRT debut and did so in a wonderful costume designed by Sierra Adamo, who is currently working towards an MFA in costume design at UConn and is excited to be designing her first production for CRT. The actres was performing from her home in Canada. Ms. Trieu, an actor, writer, and director from Edmonton, AB, Canada is currently a first year MFA Acting candidate. In her bio she indicates that she is passionate about creating and telling stories that promote social justice and bridge the gap between communities and generations.

The busy Production Stage Manager Caroline Saltz is a junior working toward her BA in Theatre Studies focusing on Stage Management and Arts Administration. She is from Auburn, Massachusetts. Production Stage Management credits include: Men on Boats, Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen (CRT), Four Weddings and an Elvis (Stageloft Rep).

Kudos to the CRT staff on another fine production. THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED, by Tennessee Williams runs March 18-21. Ticket price: $5 per device. RUNNING TIME: 20 minutes. There will be a talkback following each performance.

There is helpful pre-show information included in the email sent from CRT with the Zoom link. Running Time: 25 minutes. There will be a talkback following the performance, where you can submit questions to the cast using the Zoom chat feature! Please make sure that your Zoom login name matches the name used to reserve your ticket or send a chat with the transaction name when you join the event, so that we can check you off our list. A high-quality internet connection will create the best virtual theatre experience. Turn the volume up on your device. You will be muted with your video off the entire time. You can chat with the panelists if you have any questions. We recommend logging into the event at least 15 minutes early in case you experience any technical difficulties. Trouble with Zoom during the performance? Use the chat feature on Zoom to send a question to Alana Conti, Company/House Manager.

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews in a more typical year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.