10 Blocks on the Camino Real
September 8–10, 2017
Written by Tennessee Williams in 1947, 10 Blocks on the Camino Real is a one-act play that relates in songs, dialogue and dance how the American hero Kilroy maintains his open heart in a grasping world, even after death. Performed in English, this 75-minute production retains Williams' text, yet is specific to Ghanaian culture, incorporating West African music, dress and sensibility. Under the direction of David Kaplan, Curator of the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, the show was performed outdoors at marketplaces in Ghana in 2016 and continues to tour there in addition to embarking on its first U.S. tour this fall.
The National Theatre of Ghana has taken Williams’ allegorical masterpiece and created a performance that is open and inviting – especially for inexperienced theatre patrons. The inclusive nature of the production elicits curiosity about how its theme is relevant to today’s contentious social, racial and cultural climates, encouraging community conversation long after the performance has ended. To that end, each performance will be followed by an open audience discussion with the 12-member cast about the sparks of insight produced by this artistic and cultural collision.
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Sponsored by PNC Arts Alive
The Festival is one of nine local arts organizations supported by the PNC Foundation through the PNC Arts Alive initiative, which helped fund the presentation.
“The Greater St. Louis arts community is very active with a wide selection of theater, dance and concerts,” said Michael Scully, PNC regional president for St. Louis. “Through PNC Arts Alive, we can contribute to the region’s outstanding cultural arts and support new and imaginative arts programs that help enrich our community and strengthen our local economy.”
PNC Arts Alive is a multi-year initiative of the PNC Foundation dedicated to supporting visual and performing arts groups with the goal of increasing arts access and engagement in new and innovative ways.
