Seton Hall University - Galleon Yearbook (South Orange, NJ)

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GLASS MENAGERIE PRODUCTION STARS VREELAND AND ROSLER story by Marty Reznak photos by Ev Granger Seton Hall ' s Theatre-in-the- Round opened its 1972-73 season with an excellent production of Tennessee William ' s 1945 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama. The Glass Menagerie. The play tells the story of an aging Southern woman, Amanda Wingfield, and her two children, the poetic Tom, who feels stifled by his family and his job in a shoe factory, and the frail Laura, whose collection of glass animals symbolizes her attempt to escape from the real world. The intrusion of a gentleman caller upsets their small universe, but his presence serves to challenge their complacency and eventually goads Tom into leaving the family altogether. Gilbert L. Rathbun directed the production with his usual good taste. Larry Rosier, as Tom, gave a stellar performance, one of the best ever seen at Seton Hall. During his four years with the Theatre, Rosier has played nearly every sort of role, from Shakespeare to Shaw, black comedy to musical drama, but he outdid himself with this superb portrayal. Elaine Vreeland was spellbinding and enchanting as the pathetic Laura. She, too, has been active in Theatre productions and was here at her peak. Rounding out the small cast were Nedra Smith as Amanda and Robert Desiderio as the dashing gentleman caller. The Glass Menagerie was to emerge as the best Theatre offering of the entire year. The spotlight throughout, however, was on seniors Rosier and Vreeland, and Menagerie was an appropriate swan song to their distinguished careers at Seton Hall. Elaine Vreeland admires a figure from her glass menagerie. 8