“Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” is a new production by Ruth Stage that will play at The Theater at St. Clement’s in New York this summer. Markos Papadatos has the scoop.
Previews begin on July 15, and opening night is set for July 24. The originally scheduled run of this production, which had been announced for January of 2022, was postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Directed by Joe Rosario, this is the first production of the Tennessee Williams play that his estate has allowed to be produced Off-Broadway.
“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is set in the Mississippi estate of Big Daddy Pollit, a domineering cotton tycoon and patriarch of a viperous family in turmoil, on the dual occasion of his 65th birthday and (alleged) clean bill of health. The play focuses on the tempestuous relationship between his grieving, alcoholic, former star athlete son, Brick, and Brick’s fiery, outspoken wife, Maggie, his scheming elder son Gooper and daughter-in-law Mae. As they come together, everyone knows about Big Daddy’s terminal cancer diagnosis except for him and Big Mama.
The show premiered on Broadway in 1955 (and winning the Pulitzer Prize). “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” has been revived five times on the main stem and was made into a film in 1958 starring Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie and Paul Newman as Brick.
The cast of “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” includes Sonoya Mizuno (HBO’s House of the Dragon; Crazy Rich Asians) as Maggie in her New York stage debut, Matt de Rogatis (Lone Star) as Brick, Christian Jules Le Blanc (3 Time Daytime Emmy Award Winner for The Young and the Restless) as Big Daddy, Alison Fraser (2 Time Tony Award nominee; The Secret Garden; Romance / Romance) as Big Mama, Spencer Scott (The Glass Menagerie) as Gooper, Tiffan Borelli (Million Dollar Quartet) as Mae, Jim Kempner (Red) as Doc Baugh, Milton Elliott (Biloxi Blues) as Rev. Tooker and Carly Gold (The Ferryman) as The No Neck Monsters. Austin Pendleton (A Beautiful Mind) will be joining the company as Doc Baugh on July 25th.
“Our goal in presenting Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is to illustrate this authentic American dynasty from a modern perspective while showing the timelessness of a dysfunctional family,” director Joe Rosario remarked.
“To be the first group to ever perform this show Off-Broadway, in the House that Tennessee Williams built, no less is a special privilege. We are so excited to bring audiences our bold new staging and unmatched interpretation of this timeless classic in the intimate setting of the Theater at St. Clement’s,” Rosario added.
The creative team includes scenic design by Matt Imhoff (Disney’s High School Musical), lighting design by Steve Wolf (The Glass Menagerie), sound design by Ben Levine (All Is Calm at the Sheen Center), and Jesse Meckl as the stage manager (Wars of the Roses).
The performance schedule is Monday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. There is no matinee on August 10.
“Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” with an official opening night set for Sunday, July 24, will play a limited five-week engagement through Sunday, August 14, 2022. All attendees will be required to wear a mask.
To learn more about “Cat On a Hot Tin Roof,” check out the Ruth Stage official website.
