`Streetcar' woos Jason Southerland; Blanche and Stanley were once avant garde.

Byline: Richard Duckett

When Jason Southerland founded Boston Theatre Works, one of his bold intentions was to stage plays that otherwise probably would not find a local audience.

"I looked around and I knew there was a whole host of writers not being done in Boston," Southerland said. "This was 12 years ago. I decided I wanted to start my own company."

But Southerland is not strictly a man of the avant-garde. He likes musical theater as well. Last season he came over to Worcester Foothills Theatre Company to direct the musical "Buddy!" based on the life of Buddy Holly. The show was wildly popular.

Now he's back at Foothills to direct a work that was both avant-garde when written and has been staged many times over the years - but is still very much worth seeing.

The Foothills production of Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning "A Streetcar Named Desire" officially opens its run at 2 p.m. today. Williams created the forever-memorable character of Blanche Dubois - a woman whose life is undermined by her romantic illusions. In the same play Williams also gave us the equally stunning Stanley, Blanche's brutish brother-in-law, who sets out to destroy her fragile world when she visits her sister Stella in New Orleans.

"This is such an iconic play. It's such a big challenge. You really have your work cut out for you," Southerland said of taking on Williams' classic. But it does not appear that Southerland is approaching the work timidly. He has his own approach.

"A very internal perspective started from the conceit this is Blanche's dream/nightmare vision of what might happen," Southerland explained. "Blanche is heading to New Orleans on a train, falling asleep haunted by her demons and holding on to her dreams. What I'm trying to say is, this is what happens when we try to escape our past and reinvent ourselves. And yet we're held back by things in our past."

Southerland had never seen the movie version of "A Streetcar ..." starring Marlon Brando as Stanley until recently. "In the film there is one actor who is modern and transcends the play. The other three (main) actors are still stuck in traditional form."

At Foothills, "I'm enjoying having these contemporary actors," he said of his cast. As for the play's continued relevance, "It holds up very well," he said.

From "Buddy!" to "A Streetcar ... " is quite a leap, but shows versatility.

"I like to think so. I was raised on musicals," Southerland said.

Growing up in Los Angeles, he

appeared in commercials for various products. Although always interested in theater, he majored in political science at college, and then worked his way into theaters. He served as an assistant to Julianne Boyd on "A....My Name is Still Alice," to Jerry Zaks on the world premiere of "Assassins," and to Hal Prince on the revival of "Show Boat." He considers Broadway legend Prince his mentor.

Graduate studies at American Repertory Theatre brought him to Boston and Cambridge, where he decided to settle down with his partner.

New England premieres that Boston Theatre Works (where Southerland is artistic director) has produced include "I Am My Own Wife," "Pulp," "Not About Nightingales" (an Elliot Norton Award winner) and "The Laramie Project" (also an Elliot Norton Award winner). This season at the Boston Theatre Works Southerland directed critically-acclaimed revivals of "Angels in America: Part I and II." The season has gone "remarkably well ... That (`Angels in America') was a play that was meant for us."

Southerland acknowledged that other theaters in the Boston area, including the Lyric Stage, ART and the Huntington Theatre, all put on serious drama. So it is possible to stage modern serious work successfully?

"It is, although it's going to get tougher," Southerland cautioned. "The economy is toughening up. I read that Hollywood is slipping into a light entertainment phase." The effect that war and bad times can

have on audiences is that they want to be entertained by lighter, not more serious, fare.

"I call it the screwball comedy effect," Southerland said. "As we program next season it's a challenge. You just have to program smartly. There's still great plays to do."

His additional credits at other Boston-area theaters include "Guys on Ice" (Stoneham Theatre), "Proof" (Gloucester Stage Company) and "Anyone Can Whistle" (Boston Conservatory).

Southerland's involvement with Foothills came about after Russell Garrett became artistic director in 2005. Southerland heard that Garrett was looking for feedback and advice from other artistic directors, so he gave him a call. "We really hit it off." Garrett hired his new buddy Southerland to direct "Buddy!"

Southerland has been taking an interest in what is happening to Worcester and how it will affect Foothills, particularly the CitySquare project. "I pray that the city really does all the things they're talking about in that area," he said. Count Southerland as someone who is boldly rooting for Foothills.

"I love the people who work there, and I love their commitment," he said.

`A Streetcar Named Desire'

When: Now through May 4.

Where: Worcester Foothills Theatre Company, 100 Front St., Worcester.

How much: $30 to $35, depending on performance. Box office, [phone].

ARTp: PHOTOS

CUTLINE: (1) Jason Southerland oversees a rehearsal for ``A Streetcar Named Desire'' with actors Jessica Webb and Brian Nemiroff. (2) Jason Southerland, right, director of the upcoming Foothills Theatre production of "A Streetcar Named Desire," directs actress Jessica Webb during a break in rehearsals.

PHOTOG: T&G Photos/STEVE LANAVA