Actors Collective Short Stories for the Stage at ABET

All Beaches Experimental Theatre, in partnership with the Actors Collective, is presenting a collection of short stories for the stage. The production opens June 28 for two weekends.

One by Tenn Plus Eight is nine theatrical pieces including Talk To Me Like The Rain and Let Me Listen by Tennessee Williams. It’s a rare opportunity to see Williams’ rarely performed classic along with new original pieces by regional playwrights.

Considered one of the greatest 20th century American playwrights, Williams’ body of work includes The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, Summer and Smoke, The Rose Tattoo, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Suddenly Last Summer, Sweet Bird of Youth, The Night of the Iguana, and many more.

Written in 1953, Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen is part of a series of one-acts Williams wrote for community theatre. Unlike the scenic demands of his larger works, these scripts featured small-scale, bare-room situations, and allowed the audience to take in the actors and script without other visual distractions.

Along with Williams’ play, the show will feature five brand new short stories by local playwrights Adam Nathaniel Davis, Cameron J. Pfahler, Jason Collins, Kelby Siddons, and Olivia Gowan, a set of solo pieces, created for this event by Karen Konzen, and two short plays by nationally produced playwrights Elaine Smith and Nathan Sanders (whose work includes The Sugar Bean Sisters which ABET produced several seasons ago). Caryl Butterley is directing.

Performers include Brooks Anne Meierdierks, Christopher Watson, Jason Collins, Kristen Walsh, Milan Alley and Rich Pintello.

Performances are offered June 28, 29 and 30, and July 5, 6, and 7. Curtain is at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets are $20 general admission and $15 for ABET’s season ticket holders. For tickets, visit www.abettheatre.com or call (904) 249-7177. ABET is located at 544 Atlantic Blvd. in Neptune Beach.

Photography by Caryl Butterley