The Glass Menagerie: memory and guilt - Game Script

Amanda Wingfield The mother of Tom and Loura

Amanda is the mother of Tom and Laura. She is a strong and dominant woman: life had taught her that only the strong survive.

Caught between the past and the present, she is well aware that her family’s situation is dire. She sees Tom as the primary breadwinner of the home. She and Laura need him in order to survive.

Since she was reliving her own life, she failed to understand the different personalities that her children possessed and ended up driving Tom away from home.

Your Task

Amanda, You are a stubborn and determined woman. Once you set yourself a goal You will fight tenaciously to achieve it. You will do anything: Prettify reality, coquette, push and work hard.

Your daughter Laura is a fragile girl. If you won't fight for her she will never get marry. You must convince Tom to stay with you and take care of Laura. Otherwise he will be the one to blame!

Resources

• The confrontation between Tom Amanda - youtube
• Amanda: "I went to the typing instructor..." - StageAgent

Tom Wingfield Amanda's son and the brother of Laura

Tom is a young man with a poetic soul,(He writes poetry secretly) who works in a  shoe warehouse in order to support his family. His father abandoned his family, leaving it without a breadwinner.

Amanda, his dominant mother expects him to take care of Laura, his fragile young sister and ensure proper marry to her. Only then Tom can leave home.

Tom's main conflict: Should he take care for Laura and his mother and thus give up his dreams, or should he leave but feel guilty?

Your Task

Tom,

You are a young man – a free spirit and a creative person - but you're trapped in your family duties. You love your sister and you want to protect her from the harsh world. But you must also think about yourself. You must follow your dreams! Don't blame yourself!

Resources

• The Glass Menagerie: the movie - youtube
• The confrontation between Tom Amanda - youtube
• Tom Wingfield: monologue - monologuedb
• Tom: " What do you think I’m at?" - AceYourAudition

Laura Wingfield Tom's sister

Laura is an extremely shy and sensitive persona wit a slight physical defect — a limp. Her disability made her frightened and nervous, living in her own world - a world of -little glass ornaments. She is completely dependent on her mother and brother.

She falls in love with Jim, and for a short time she seems to be like everybody else. When she finds out he's engaged to a woman he love -it breaks her heart.  

Your Task

Laura, like a Unicorn, you are gentle and fragile. You are affected by Tom's moods and his quarrels with Amanda – it undermines your world!

You want Tom to fulfill his dreams, and you are ready to sacrifice yourself for that. Tom has to go! He doesn't need to feel guilty…!

Resources

• The Glass Menagerie: the movie - youtube
• Amanda: "I went to the typing instructor..." - StageAgent

Jim O'Connor Tom's friend and Laura's "Gentleman caller"

Jim is an old friend of Tom and Laura. He was a popular athlete in high school and is now a shipping clerk at the shoe warehouse in which Tom works. He is ambitious and devoted to goals of professional achievement and ideals of personal success.

Your Task

Jim, you are very engrossed in yourself, you frequently analyze psychologically Laura and tell her how she need to behave. You think that's what a man should do! If her heart is broken, you are not to blame ... your intentions were good ...

You think Tom should leave home. A man must take care of himself. H doesn't need to feel guilty at all ...

Resources

• Tennessee Williams, The Glass of Menagerie. 1945 (Full text) - http://msbowman1290.com
• The Glass Menagerie: Summary and Analysis - youtube
• The Great Depression - The New York Times

Alex D. Rector A theater director

Alex is a young and a talented theater director who graduate theater studies. After a few years of amateur theater work, this is her first play up on the professional stage. "The Glass Menagerie" is her favorite play (She once played as Laura!).

Alex thinks that the director should work in collaboration with his actors and consider them a Thinking Group.

Your Task

Alex, You're not shure what to think: On one hand, If Tom will abandon Amanda and Laura it might break them down. On the other hand, If he will stay – he will be the one who breaks down… in any case, he might feel guilty…

You're asking the actors' team to help you decide!

Resources

• Tennessee Williams, The Glass of Menagerie. 1945 (Full text) - http://msbowman1290.com
• Tom: " What do you think I’m at?" - AceYourAudition
• The Great Depression - The New York Times