Steel Beam's 'Glass Menagerie' lacks memorable moments

Posted February 24, 2012 5:00 am

Dean Gallagher plays gentleman caller Jim, “the long-delayed, but always expected something” whom Laura Wingfield (Colleen Dilts) has long-awaited, in Steel Beam Theatre's production of Tennessee Williams' “The Glass Menagerie.”

Having begun 2012 with a little-known thriller, Steel Beam Theatre returns to more familiar dramatic territory with its revival of “The Glass Menagerie,” Tennessee Williams' semi-autobiographical play about a family whose quietly desperate lives are rooted in unrealized dreams.

Premiering in Chicago in December 1944, “The Glass Menagerie” marked Williams' first great success. Unfortunately, successful doesn't describe director Terence Domschke's lackluster, miscast revival.

While Steel Beam's production has some touching moments, mostly by way of the monologues, overall, it failed to engage on an emotional level. In short, this “Menagerie” needs polishing.

One of the show's problems is an unconvincing performance of one of the play's pivotal roles. Another has to do with the lack of urgency and the sense of detachment that characterizes this production. We're never made to feel how high the stakes are for these characters. That blunts the impact of the final scenes. As a result, moments that should break our hearts barely arouse our interest.

The story centers on the Wingfields: Amanda, Tom and Laura. They find relief from the disappointment that characterizes their lives through memories, the movies and a menagerie of glass animals. Matriarch Amanda (a thoughtful, restrained Donna Steele), a fading Southern belle and overbearing mother abandoned by her husband, finds refuge reminiscing about her youthful romantic triumphs. Her son Tom (a nicely defensive Dennis Edwards), an aspiring poet desperate for adventure but bound by family obligations and a dead-end job, finds solace in celluloid and spirits, while his fragile, self-conscious sister Laura (the miscast Colleen Dilts) occupies herself with her tiny figurines.

The arrival of Dean Gallagher's Jim — the co-worker Amanda cajoles Tom into inviting for dinner in the hope that he will make a suitable beau for Laura — holds promise as that “long-delayed but always expected something” for which the family so desperately yearns. Of course, that promise goes unfulfilled.

Fortunately, Gallagher's appearance in the second act gives the production the shot of adrenaline it needs. The actor brings an easy charm and genuine self-awareness to this former high school hero turned Average Joe whose disappointments have not yet discouraged him. His courtship scene with Dilts makes for some very sweet moments.

Unfortunately, one can't say the same about the interplay between Dilts and Edwards, whose early interactions resemble exchanges between impertinent siblings on a TV sitcom. The newcomer Dilts appears out of her depth. Her performance lacks subtlety and her range of expression — which mostly alternates between furrowed brow with a pout and furrowed brow with pleading eyes — is limited.

There are other problems having to do with clumsy application of scene music, which plays an integral part in this most lyrical play. Williams' production notes call for music that “weaves in and out of your preoccupied consciousness” — a tune that “dips in and out of the play as if it were carried on a wind that changes.” The music should echo faintly as if in a dream. Instead Domschke gives us synthesized musical snippets that disrupt and distract.

That said, Steel Beam's revival has its moments. Amanda using Laura as a shield during an argument with Tom emerges as a telling bit of stage business for which Domschke deserves credit. And the final image of Laura and Amanda bathed in candlelight is quite poignant. If only this “Menagerie” had more moments like that.

Steel Beam Theatre artistic director Donna Steele stars as Amanda Wingfield in the companys revival of Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie, which features Colleen Dilts as the fragile Laura and Dennis Edwards as the restless Tom.

Newcomer Colleen Dilts plays Laura Wingfield in Steel Beam Theatre's revival of "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams.

&#8220;The Glass Menagerie&#8221;

★ ½

Location: Steel Beam Theatre, 111 W. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 587-8521 or <a href="http://www.steelbeamtheatre.com" target="_blank">steelbeamtheatre.com</a>

Showtimes: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays through March 11

Running time: About 2 hours 30 minutes with intermission

Tickets: $25, $23 for students and seniors

Parking: Free parking garage adjacent to the theater

Rating: For teens and older. Note: Diane McFarlin takes over the role of Amanda Wingfield on March 2

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