'Streetcar Named Desire' launches 2012-2013 Elizabethtown College Theatre season

ELIZABETHTOWN, PA (05/18/2012)(readMedia)-- The Pulitzer Prize-winning Tennessee Williams play "A Streetcar Named Desire," takes the stage in November as the first of four performances during the 2012-2013 season at Elizabethtown College. All performances take place in the College's Tempest Theatre.

This fall, the post-World War II drama, "A Streetcar Named Desire," tells the story of fragile Southern belle Blanche DuBois, who moves in with her sister Stella and brutish brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski after losing her family's plantation. In their dingy New Orleans French Quarter apartment, temperaments clash, fireworks fly and secrets are revealed. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, through Saturday, Nov. 3, and Thursday, Nov. 8, and Friday, Nov. 9. The show closes with a 2 p.m. performance Sunday, Nov. 11. Tickets for "Streetcar" are $6.

For its winter show, Elizabethtown College Theatre presents Lisa Loomer's provocative modern comedy "Distracted." Eight-year-old Jesse is having problems at school. In desperation, and seeking to place the blame on anything from Attention Deficit Disorder to allergies, his distraught mother turns to professionals, well-meaning neighbors and even the Internet for answers. "Distracted" is on stage at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, through Saturday, Feb. 16, and Thursday, Feb. 21, and Friday, Feb. 22. The show concludes at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24. Tickets are $6.

The spring performance features "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," with book by Rachel Sheinkin, music and lyrics by William Finn, and a Tony Award-winning creative team behind its conception. This musical, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, is an unlikely hit featuring 'unlikelier' protagonists. The cast of six charmingly quirky outsiders faces the angst of overachieving as they compete in the spelling championship of a lifetime-the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time. Some audience members might just get to show off their spelling skills, as well!

The musical starts at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 11, through Saturday, April 13, as well as Thursday, April 18, and Friday, April 19. "Spelling Bee" closes at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21. Tickets for this show are $7.

Elizabethtown College Theatre once again hosts its New Playwrights Fest at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 25, and Friday, April 26. Support the aspiring E-town students of the TH240 Playwriting class and, maybe someday, be able to say "I knew them when..." Tickets for these shows are $4.

Tickets can be ordered in advance via boxoffice@etown.edu or by calling 717-361-1170. For more information about the shows, contact Michael Swanson at swansonm@etown.edu.

Read about additional events at Elizabethtown College.

Elizabethtown College, in south-central Pennsylvania, is a private coed institution offering more than four dozen liberal arts, fine and performing arts, science and engineering, business, communications and education degrees. Through personal attention, creative inspiration and academic challenge, Elizabethtown College students are encouraged to expand their intellectual curiosity and are given the opportunity to become a bigger part of the world through experiential learning-research, internships and study abroad. Elizabethtown College's overall commitment to Educate for Service is fulfilled as students are taught intellectually, socially, aesthetically and ethically for lives of service and leadership.

Visit www.etown.edu for more information about Elizabethtown College.

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