‘Glass Menagerie’ Enters Second Week at CenterStage

Community involvement was on display when CenterStage of Lake Forest’s production of “The Glass Menagerie” opened Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Gorton Center and the theme will continue the next two weekends.

The activity included help from a pair of Deer Path Middle School students—Luke Abbattista and Henry Hodge—and interaction with the audience after Sunday’s production.

Earlier: Glass Menagerie Opens Friday at Gorton

Performances continue at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday and 8 p.m. March 22 and 23. Director Edward Kuffert and some cast members will greet anyone in Sunday’s audience after the play to talk about it.

This was of particular significance to Oakton Community College English Instructor Joe Page, who brought students from one of his classes. He has also been involved with CenterStage in the past. He feels it is an essential part of education.

“Reading a play is like experiencing cooking from a cookbook,” Page said. “With a cookbook you need to cook a meal. With a play script you need to see a production.” This gave his students a much better understanding of what author Tennessee Williams was trying to convey.

Abbattista and Hodge were kept busy greeting patrons, ushering and working the concession stand as part of a volunteer service project at Deer Path.

The role of  Amanda Wingfield is being played by Barb Anderson, Sally Wippman is Laura Wingfield, Dan Haymes takes on the part of Tom Wingfield and John Ham is “gentleman caller” Jim O’Conner.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. They can be purchased online through the CenterStage website. The local company is now in its 42^nd season. 

For complete Lake Forest News, sign up for our free newsletter,"like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.