Monsters don’t die early Monsters don’t die early

Sweet Bird of Youth closes out an undeniably successful decade for Tennessee Williams, on stage and screen, and bisects his body of work, with his mature hits on one side and his experimental, often lambasted later plays on the other.

Somebody up there likes him Somebody up there likes him

The flawless, classical singing style of Perry Como. Perry Como?

Do that slow drag Do that slow drag

With the Fourth of July approaching, Trove Thursday turns to a quintessentially American opera with the broadcast of the world premiere—some 60 years after its composition—of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha with Alpha Floyd, Seth McCoy and Simon Estes conducted by Robert Shaw.

‘Cat’ people ‘Cat’ people

Gorgeousness is, of course, its own reward—and the movie of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof has many other pluses as well—but I do think Elizabeth Taylor‘s and Paul Newman‘s good looks pose an ongoing distraction.

A ‘Glass’ half empty A ‘Glass’ half empty

More than any actor I’ve seen on stage or screen, John Malkovich communicates the essential ambiguity of the character.

Cruel summer Cruel summer

It is interesting to consider how strongly Inge focuses on women (mostly single or widowed) and sex, particularly from his position as a (closeted) gay man.