Mr. Williams and Miss Wood

THE STORY: Seated at two simple desks at opposite sides of the stage the young Tennessee Williams and his agent-to-be speak of his early years as a writer and of his fateful meeting with the remarkable woman who was the first to recognize his potential as a playwright and who was to become his guiding genius as his career developed. Beginning with small fees for short plays and magazine pieces, the fledgling poet-playwright was obliged to work at a variety of drab jobs while he sought the breakthrough that would allow him to come to New York and devote himself exclusively to writing. But his first big break, when it came, proved to be a crushing disappointment-the disastrous Theatre Guild production of his first full length play, Battle of Angels (which later, substantially rewritten, found success as Orpheus Descending). Daunted, but still determined, the playwright continued to write, and the agent continued to promote her client's work with undiminished zeal, leading, in time, to The Glass Menagerie and sudden, international fame, plus, at last, financial security. After that came the amazing succession of plays which have made the name of Tennessee Williams the most celebrated in the modern theatre, but also the gradual and, to many, unaccountable rupture of the collaboration which underlay this accomplishment. But the fruit of their association, and the fascinating events which led to them, remain and are captured with rare eloquence and understanding in this moving tribute to two singular-and irreplaceable-individuals.Wilk, Max is the author of 'Mr. Williams and Miss Wood ', published 1990 under ISBN 9780822207832 and ISBN 0822207834.