The Chattanooga Theatre Centre will present "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," arguably Tennessee Williams' best known work, beginning tonight.
The play won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1955 and was made into a movie starring Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman and Burl Ives as Big Daddy.
It is the story of a Southern family dealing with a crisis. They gather for a party to celebrate Big Daddy's supposed clean bill of health, though he is dying of cancer. The family members know he is sick, and each has his own inner demons as well. They spend the evening dealing with each other's "mendacity," a word Brick uses to describe the complicated rules of Southern culture involving truths, half-truths and full-blown lies.
The play is directed by Bob Willie.
Starring are Kim Jackson as Maggie, Jonathan Harris as Brick, Lizzie Chazen as Mae, R. Clay Johnson as Gooper, Jim Hammons as Big Daddy, Coylee Bryan as Big Mama, Lamar Bankston as Dr. Baugh, Steven Berryman as Rev. Tooker and Jonah Davis, Emily Alcock and Joanna Brown as the No Neck Monsters, Sonny, Dixie and Trixie, respectively.
The CTC will have a few special events during the run. There is a special gala planned for tonight's opening that will include "Big Daddy's Birthday Party at 7 p.m. It will feature Southern hors d'oeuvres by Events With Taste and Planters' Punch. Nonalcoholic beverages will be served as well.
The April 14 show will feature real-time captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing guests. The April 15 show is a Girls Night Out sponsored by Brewer Media and will include complimentary Planters' Punch and snacks.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6354.