Directed by Mark Rucker, the production will officially open Sept. 26 for a run through Oct. 12 at the University Theatre.
Manganiello ("True Blood") stars as Stanley Kowalski opposite Augesen (Spinning into Butter) as Blanche DuBois. The cast also features Sarah Sokolovic (Detroit, Relatively Speaking) as Stella Kowalski, Adam O'Byrne (The Winter's Tale, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) as Harold "Mitch" Mitchell, with Phillip Christian, Nick Erkelens, Mercedes Herrero, Marc Damon Johnson, April Matthis and Ken Ruta.
In a recent interview with Playbill.com, Manganiello spoke about playing Stanley in the shadow of Marlon Brando. "I'm not constricted by that anymore. I'm free to just play the play," he said. "I think the people who are familiar with his version have an opinion about it and I don't necessarily know that they've really ever heard the play. I look forward to those people coming to see the play because I think they will probably go, 'Wait a minute, is this the same thing I saw?' Because it is so different. There are so many more moments. I mean, Stanley can really be funny at times. He's funny and he's heartbreaking and he's vicious, and there are just so many layers to him. But I think really what Brando had to do at the time was just to tear it all down. But you know, it's mine now. I think the fact that over 16 years I just keep meeting up with this play. I mean at some point I will get too old to play the role, so I don't know if it's this last time I get to do it or not, but the fact is, it's mine."
"In the steamy French Quarter of New Orleans, an electrifying battle of wills ignites between Southern belle Blanche DuBois and her working class brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski," according to press notes. "Nerves fraying and beauty fading, Blanche is both repelled and intrigued by Stanley’s primal brutishness—even as he threatens to reveal her darkest secrets and destroy her illusions." The production has scenic design by Reid Thompson, costumes by Hunter Kaczorowski, lighting by Stephen Strawbridge, original music and sound by Steven Brush and dramaturgy by Helen C. Jaksch.
For ticket information visit yalerep.org or call (203) 432-1234 or go to the Yale Rep Box Office (1120 Chapel Street).
