Blanche & Stella: A Sequela by A.A. Brenner

A modernized queer, Disabled adaptation of Tennessee Williams' A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE with no cis white men and one Gentleman Caller who is not a gentleman, BLANCHE & STELLA tackles the central complex female relationships at the heart of Williams' play and canon.

In this retelling, Blanche DuBois and Stella Kowalski are two only-children and childhood best friends ("sisters...
A modernized queer, Disabled adaptation of Tennessee Williams' A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE with no cis white men and one Gentleman Caller who is not a gentleman, BLANCHE & STELLA tackles the central complex female relationships at the heart of Williams' play and canon.

In this retelling, Blanche DuBois and Stella Kowalski are two only-children and childhood best friends ("sisters") who end up living together after Blanche goes through a cataclysmic breakup and shows up unannounced on Stella's doorstep in Washington, D.C. Now adults, the pair must navigate mismatched expectations and their own maladaptive coping mechanisms as they question what to do when the people they love aren't quite who they appeared to be.
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Blanche & Stella: A Sequela

Recommended by

  • Shaun Leisher:
    28 May. 2021
    “ By exploring the relationship of Stella Kowalski and Blanche DuBois through a modern, queer and disabled lens, Brenner has crafted a piece of theatre that deserves to be studied and produced alongside Streetcar. This play is a cry in support of a theatre that investigates the "classics" and not just keep them protected in wax museum productions. By centering BIPOC, queer and disabled actors, this play makes a case for not just inclusive casting of these older plays but re-writing them entirely. ”

Character Information

- Every character in this play is Disabled, and each character is a member of a different part of the Disability community. Please cast Disabled actors in these roles. They need not have the same Disability as the ones implied in the script (or written into the Afterword: On Sequelae and Disability), but they must all identify as Disabled. - Please cast a transmasculine / nonbinary masculine-of-center person as The Gentleman Caller. This Gentleman Caller will be referred to in the script with he/him pronouns, but could easily use they/them. Please accommodate as necessary to the pronouns of the actor playing the role. - The role of The Gentleman Caller can be double cast with Male Officer, and the role of Arman can be double cast with Female Officer.

  • Blanche DuBois
    Late 20s,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    Cis female
    Unnervingly charming and curated. A trust-fund baby who lost it all. Desperate for love. Mother died when she was very young and was raised by an absent, yet rich, father. Uses her vanity and charm to mask the deep chasm of emptiness in her heart.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Stella Kowalski
    Late 20s,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    Cis female
    Blanche's childhood best friend. A deeply closeted Military brat "married" to her job. Hardworking, sweet, empathetic, and repressed. Believes her goal in life is to make others happy—even at the expense of her own health and wellbeing. Secretly loves poetry and dance.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Arman Sultan
    Late 20s/Early 30s,
    Pakistani-American
    ,
    Cis male
    Student at Georgetown Law. Cerebral, sensitive, but also a bro; very much identifies as a "Nice Guy." From Maryland; parents are from Pakistan.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • The Gentleman Caller
    Late 20s/Early 30s,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    transmasculine, Nonbinary
    Moderately successful novelist and minor celebrity. Cocky, confident, charming, but deeply sensitive underneath. Surrounds himself with beautiful women in order to mask his own internal insecurity.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Male Officer
    Any Age,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • Female Officer
    Any Age,
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    ,
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    The Lark
    ,
    2021