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Has anyone hear ever read “Orpheus Descending,” by Tennessee Williams? I just heard a promo for a D.C. production of the play – on the commercial-free Christian radio station! I was shocked because this station bills itself as “family-friendly” and runs incessant, and to my mind, way off-the-mark promos that associate “safe” art with Christian living. I never thought I’d hear a Tennessee Williams play promoted on the station, but I admit I’ve never read the play, or seen it performed. Is it overtly Christian in its themes?
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'Orpheus Descending'?
MultiQuote
#2
Posted 01 June 2004 - 04:26 PM
I've never read Orpheus Descending and know very little about it. Williams wrestled with and rewrote the play for years, and it's now considered by most of his critics to be another of his many interesting failures. I can't imagine any of his plays would be particularly "edifying," though. I like him best when he transforms repressed, base desire into beautiful language. 
This isn't part of the Kennedy Center's Williams retrospective, is it? I'm intrigued by the mixed reviews that their Streetcar (with Patricia Clarkson) has been getting.
This isn't part of the Kennedy Center's Williams retrospective, is it? I'm intrigued by the mixed reviews that their Streetcar (with Patricia Clarkson) has been getting.
#3
Posted 02 June 2004 - 09:43 AM
No, the play is being staged at Arena Stage in Southwest DC.
Here's an update. I posted my question about the Tennessee Williams play on a local radio message board, because I know that the GM of the station that aired the PSA reads and posts to the same board. He saw my query and responded. See below.
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To John Konrad at WGTS: Did my ears deceive me, or, during my lunchbreak today, did I hear a promo on WGTS for Tennessee Williams' "Orpheus Descending" at Arena Stage? The deejay said something like, "Are your kids going to be bored this summer? Pack 'em into the car and head for Arena Stage's production of Tennessee Williams' 'Orpheus Descending.'" Hmmm... I always thought Williams' plays were notorious for their depiction of passion and longing, and while I don't have much of a problem with that as a Christian, I DO wonder what a station that promotes itself as the "family-friendly" station that's "safe for the whole family" (and by the way, that promo you have, where you say words to that effect FOUR times in about 20 seconds, is beyond annoying; sorry, but that's my honest reaction) would promote such a play. I'm curious about whether this play, with which, I admit, I'm completely unfamiliar, might have some redemptive themes to it, I checked the Arena Web site. Sure enough, the promo copy uses words like "spirit" and "rebirth," but it does so alongside a note from the director of the play, who writes: "I've wanted to direct this great Tennessee Williams play for 25 years. I'm drawn to the sexuality and passion in Lady and Val's torrid relationship. Their attraction seems to be illogical—but then, don't we all fall in love for irrational reasons? This is love at its most raw, most human, and most sincere" -- again, all of which is OK by me, but I think it might raise a few eyebrows among your target audience. Sorry if I misidentified your station, but I do have 91.9 programmed, and although I usually turn it on and turn it off again in about 2 seconds, I've listened enough to recognize the deejay's voice, and I'm almost certain it was your station that did the promo. If you're out there reading this and would like to respond, thanks in advance. Christian (6/1/04)
Christian: Your ears did not deceive you, though my PD and I thought our ears had deceived us
. Mistakes do happen and this was one of them. It is one of the joys of live radio and having an intern enter in PSA's from a huge backlog of PSA's that weren't totally "vetted" by the PSA director. That situation is being corrected as I type this. By the way WGTS 91.9 is very easy to contact about such concerns at www.wgts.org which would insure a direct response. To be honest if it weren't for a friend calling me on the way home I wouldn't have known about your post here. I appreciate you pointing it out for us. God Bless, John Konrad, General Manager, WGTS 91.9, Washington DC (6/1/04)
Here's an update. I posted my question about the Tennessee Williams play on a local radio message board, because I know that the GM of the station that aired the PSA reads and posts to the same board. He saw my query and responded. See below.
--------------------------------------------------------------
To John Konrad at WGTS: Did my ears deceive me, or, during my lunchbreak today, did I hear a promo on WGTS for Tennessee Williams' "Orpheus Descending" at Arena Stage? The deejay said something like, "Are your kids going to be bored this summer? Pack 'em into the car and head for Arena Stage's production of Tennessee Williams' 'Orpheus Descending.'" Hmmm... I always thought Williams' plays were notorious for their depiction of passion and longing, and while I don't have much of a problem with that as a Christian, I DO wonder what a station that promotes itself as the "family-friendly" station that's "safe for the whole family" (and by the way, that promo you have, where you say words to that effect FOUR times in about 20 seconds, is beyond annoying; sorry, but that's my honest reaction) would promote such a play. I'm curious about whether this play, with which, I admit, I'm completely unfamiliar, might have some redemptive themes to it, I checked the Arena Web site. Sure enough, the promo copy uses words like "spirit" and "rebirth," but it does so alongside a note from the director of the play, who writes: "I've wanted to direct this great Tennessee Williams play for 25 years. I'm drawn to the sexuality and passion in Lady and Val's torrid relationship. Their attraction seems to be illogical—but then, don't we all fall in love for irrational reasons? This is love at its most raw, most human, and most sincere" -- again, all of which is OK by me, but I think it might raise a few eyebrows among your target audience. Sorry if I misidentified your station, but I do have 91.9 programmed, and although I usually turn it on and turn it off again in about 2 seconds, I've listened enough to recognize the deejay's voice, and I'm almost certain it was your station that did the promo. If you're out there reading this and would like to respond, thanks in advance. Christian (6/1/04)
Christian: Your ears did not deceive you, though my PD and I thought our ears had deceived us
. Mistakes do happen and this was one of them. It is one of the joys of live radio and having an intern enter in PSA's from a huge backlog of PSA's that weren't totally "vetted" by the PSA director. That situation is being corrected as I type this. By the way WGTS 91.9 is very easy to contact about such concerns at www.wgts.org which would insure a direct response. To be honest if it weren't for a friend calling me on the way home I wouldn't have known about your post here. I appreciate you pointing it out for us. God Bless, John Konrad, General Manager, WGTS 91.9, Washington DC (6/1/04)
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