The presentation of the classic play A Streetcar Named Desire this weekend can help survivors of domestic abuse by spreading awareness to the topic and allowing donations.
Lost Flamingo Theatre Company is partnering with My Sister’s Place, an Athens abuse shelter and resource center, for their performance of A Streetcar Named Desire Friday and Saturday night. Streetcar deals with themes such as sexual assault through the relations between its characters. Play attendees will be able to contribute to abuse victims by leaving monetary and item donations after the show.
In the play, Blanche DuBois comes to New Orleans to live with her sister Stella after her late husband dies by suicide. She experiences a culture shock after going from living a luxurious lifestyle to sharing a living space with Stella and Stella’s low-class husband Stanley. Blanche is able to see through Stanley’s character and often confronts Stella about why she puts up with Stanley’s abuse. Throughout all of this, Blanche is dealing with some inner turmoil.
The several plays Lost Flamingo puts on each year are chosen based on multiple factors including diversity, talent, production value and themes. Subject matter was key in selecting Streetcar, Sara Defibaugh, the director of the play, said.
“Even though it was written in the 1940s, (the play) still has really relevant issues such as domestic violence and sexual assault,” Defibaugh, a junior studying strategic communication and creative writing, said.
Brandon Cole, a freshman studying integrated language arts education, is portraying Stanley Kowalski in the production.
“I enjoy (Streetcar) because it’s a college show ... you get to go so much further with the show and so much further with the acting,” he said. “I don’t think a high school would do this due to its violence and profanity.”
Allison Haghiri, a freshman studying pre-pharmacy, describes her character Stella Kowalski as very mild-mannered and timid. She said one challenge of her role is that “it’s hard to have a character talk down to my character and ... to just let that happen.”
Cole does not believe his character reflects his own behavior.
“(Stanley’s) an abuser,” Cole said. “He’s all sorts of scum of the earth stuff you would never wanna be in your entire life.”
The hurt escalates as the play continues. Stanley keeps mistreating Stella, despite Blanche telling Stella his behavior is not healthy.
“A lot of times (domestic abuse) is brushed under the rug. Sometimes people are in positions where they can’t escape,” Haghiri said. “But now I feel like there are more chances for people to get help.”
Kelly Cooke, the executive director of My Sister’s Place, said Lost Flamingo contacted their organization for the partnership since My Sister’s Place helps victims of domestic abuse and their children. At each Streetcar performance, donations will be collected, and a staff person will present general information about abuse when the show is over.
Cooke said domestic abuse is “a relationship where one partner is exerting power and control over the other.”
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women and one in four men will experience physical violence at the hands of their intimate partner during their lifetime. My Sister’s Place is a local resource for abuse survivors to receive shelter, outreach counseling, or court advocacy.
“It’s so surreal that we have the potential to put on something that can really impact people emotionally and make a difference,” Defibaugh said, “There’s an issue at hand that needs to be talked about.”
