The new, multi-racial revival of A Streetcar Named Desire opened on Broadway tonight.  I was fortunate enough to see it last week during my Spring Break and I am pleased to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I keep thinking about Nicole Ari Parker’s performance and it was haunting for me.  She made a great Blanche. And let’s be clear - this production is all about Blanche.  This play, for me, has always been about Blanche. But in the original production and subsequently in the film version, it’s Marlon Brando’s Stanley that rises above, overshadowing the two female characters.  

Somehow, this production centers on Blanche and I very much enjoyed it.  The transitions between scenes were slightly hokey, but I also enjoyed their cleverness of showing time pass.  A note on the cat calls from the audience - my audience was rather subdued on that front, but a lively one on comedic moments.  I was stunned the entire time - as I was the first time I read it.  And the multi-racial cast was great, but with that being said, it doesn’t really make much of a difference if it is black or white characters - the play stands the test of time well either way.