THE GLASS MENAGERIE

The Glass Menagerie tells the story of a St. Louis family struggling to cope with the harsh realities of the Great Depression and the bitter memories that haunt them. Revealed in flashback, the play follows the lives of factory worker Tom Wingfield, torn between his role as the family breadwinner and the desire to lead a life of his own, his abrasive mother Amanda, once a grand Southern socialite, now trying to maintain her dignity amidst the gloom of the tenement, and Tom's frail sister, Laura, who has retreated to an imaginary world caring for her collection of glass animals. As tensions mount and tempers flare, the prospect of a husband for Laura becomes their final chance for stability and escape. But the arrival of this gentleman caller could also deal a powerful blow that shatters their tenuous dreams.