B'way Revival of The Glass Menagerie to Close on July 3

The Broadway revival of The Glass Menagerie, which was originally expected to end its limited engagement at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on July 17, will shutter early. The production, starring two-time Oscar winner Jessica Lange as Amanda Wingfield, is now set to close on July 3.

Set in St. Louis in the 1930s, The Glass Menagerie tells the story of the Wingfield family--Tom Christian Slater, who is torn between his obligation to his family and his desire to break away, his overbearing mother Amanda Lange, and his frail sister Laura Sarah Paulson, whose memory he cannot escape.

This production, directed by David Leveaux, opened on Broadway on March 22 to mixed to negative reviews from local critics. In his Broadway.com Review of the staging, Eric Grode wrote: "Slater's vocal inflections and body language are rudimentary at best. He always seems more comfortable when he has something to do... Williams' gossamer prose hits the listener's ear with a thud, and entire speeches are performed at one incessant pitch. This lack of insight proves infectious: Lange, who has spent her entire career as an exemplar of how to blend glamour with emotional honesty, has her moments in some of the play's more heated confrontations, but she also takes the easy way in any number of scenes."

The Glass Menagerie has not had the smoothest time on the Great White Way. The show has already had two cast changes--one before previews even began. During rehearsals, Dallas Roberts was replaced by Christian Slater. Recently Josh Lucas, who played The Gentleman Caller, left the show early in order to film a movie. Understudy Joey Collins has been going on in the role and, while a permanent replacement was promised, none has been announced.

The Glass Menagerie has also consistently struggled at the box office. Last week it made $179,093 and filled the Barrymore to 43.58% capacity on average.