If you haven’t solidified your plans for the holiday weekend and you’ll be in the NYC area, I recommend you take in a Broadway play. A Streetcar Named Desire is currently on Broadway with a stellar cast. Blair Underwood is the leading man, a refreshing spin on the character of Stanley. The cast also includes Nicole Ari Parker as Blanche, Daphne Rubin-Vega as Stella, and Wood Harris as friend and potential love interest, Mitch.
I loved every minute of this production. Underwood brings a smoldering intensity to Stanley. The surprise here is Nicole Ari Parker. I’ve enjoyed her work over the years, but she blends the perfect combination of wit, southern charm, desperation, and desire into Blanche DuBois. While the story is serious, there were so many times when you just can’t help but giggle.
Parker delivers some of the funniest lines with such a sly tone, that you can’t help but fall in love with Blanche. She dishes out insults and slights with so much honey that you almost think it’s a compliment. Her dramatic musings about dying from “eating an unwashed grape” are hilarious. But even an overly dramatic, destitute, southern belle knows when to tell a man to get out. I thoroughly enjoyed this play. The sultry score, the lighting, and costumes were perfect. The run date has been extended to August 19. Put this on your must-see list this summer.
Nicole Ari Parker and other cast members were gracious enough to sign autographs after the play.
Unlike Blanche DuBois, Nicole Ari Parker is married to actor Boris Kodjoe and they recently celebrated their seventh anniversary. Check out the love poem he wrote for their anniversary, here. The couple also believes in living a healthy lifestyle. To see more on how Parker stays in shape and balanced click here.
Source: Broadway.com, Bloomspot
