Expert to talk about Tennessee Williams

September 14, 2009

Expert to talk about Tennessee Williams

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Tom Adler, a noted authority on the work of playwright Tennessee Williams, will give a talk at 6:30 p.m. Oct.1 in the Carole and Gordon Mallett Theatre in Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts.

The event is free and open to the public, and is in conjunction with Purdue Theatre's production of "A Streetcar Named Desire," which runs from Sept. 25-30 and Oct.1-4 in the Nancy T. Hansen Theatre.

"We are extremely fortunate to have Professor Emeritus Tom Adler in our midst," said Rich Rand, Theatre Department chair. "Tom is one of the foremost scholars on one of our country's greatest playwrights -- Tennessee Williams. In addition, Tom has been a great friend and supporter of Purdue Theatre, and we are thrilled and honored to have him speak to our audience about Tennessee Williams and 'A Streetcar Named Desire.'"

Adler came to Purdue in 1970, having received undergraduate and master's degrees from Boston College and his doctorate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

He retired as Emeritus Professor of English in Spring 2009 after 44 years of teaching undergraduate courses in writing, literature, and film and graduate courses in dramatic literature. While at Purdue, he also did considerable administrative work as associate dean of the Graduate School; associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts, overseeing core curriculum reform; as head of English; and twice as interim dean of Liberal Arts. He has published extensively on a large number of modern dramatists such as Harold Pinter, Edward Albee, and David Mamet, with a particular emphasis on Tennessee Williams. His commentaries on "A Streetcar Named Desire" appear, among elsewhere, in two of his books: "The Moth and the Lantern" (1990) and "American Drama, 1940-1960: A Critical History" (1994; paperback 1997). Currently, he is writing a book assessing the academic criticism of "Streetcar" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

For more information on the event call (765) 494-3074. Tickets for Purdue Theatre's "A Streetcar Named Desire" are available at campus box offices, or by calling (800) 914-SHOW or (765) 494-3933.

Source: Rich Rand, 765-494-3081, richrand@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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