DPH’s ‘Glass Menagerie’ brings Fragile Dreams to the stage.

In the day, when books were assigned, and great works were part of our literature, one story was read by thousands….. Tennessee Williams ‘The Glass Menagerie.’ The ‘memory play’ as it has been called, is a classic, and Dayton Playhouse is briunging it to the stage. I had the complete joy of talking with the show’s director Matt Meier, and one of its actors, Garrett Young. 

937:  Hi Garrett and Matt! Thanks for taking the time to highlight your upcoming production! Why did you choose ‘Glass Menagerie’

GY. I’ve loved the works of Tennessee Williams since I studied theatre in college. Opportunities to speak his beautiful prose don’t come along every day, so I jumped at the opportunity to audition and throw my hat in the ring.MM. I’ve also always loved Tennessee Williams, and when considering shows to possibly direct, Menagerie was my first instinct. The play has a beautiful simplicity on the surface and a rich undercurrent below.

937:  How will this production compare to book/others?

GY. Our production of “Menagerie” is, I think, a lot funnier than your run-of-the-mill production. We were very careful to find the levity in the beauty and heartbreak of this story that fans of Williams know so well. Matt also decided from the outset that we were going to play up a lot of the queer elements tucked away in some of the subtext, and I’m proud to say that we have a very gay Menagerie on our hands!

MM. It is very gay! During an interview later in life, Williams, who was gay, asked, “who will tell our stories?” I think he unknowingly did with his first major work. Menagerie is often seen as Laura’s story, and I wanted to see it from Tom’s perspective — what is the cost for a queer person to become themselves? The play itself is very expressionistic, giving each production its own unique dreamlike world with ample freedom to explore. It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, it’s quirky, and it’s so damn beautiful.

937:  A Gay Menagerie…LORD! Garrett, as an actor, what makes this role a challenge?

GY. I narrate a lot of the play, and that can feel kind of unnatural as an actor, so I’m definitely looking forward to having an audience to play off of!937:  And Matt….as a director, why would you say this show is challenging?

MM. It was intimidating diving into this play. It’s been produced thousands of times in its 80+ year history. Many people have read or seen it, so why should they revisit it? Why is it relevant today? The challenging (and fun!) part of the process has been trying to answer these questions as a team.

937: What do you hope the audience takes away from this production?

GY. I think we can all relate to having to make difficult choices that might be best for our own journey, even if those choices hurt the ones we love. We all do the best we can with the circumstances we’re given to survive life’s toughest moments, but at the end of the day, we survive, and our story continues.

MM. I hope audiences can see their own families and sacrifices in these characters — the good, the bad, and the ugly. And I hope they talk about the show in the car or over a drink.

937:  No doubt about that…this story definitely leads to discussion. Anything else you would like to add for our readers?

GY. This is going to be such a dreamy, unforgettable production with an incredible cast and creative team. I think we could all use a little escape right about now, and The Glass Menagerie is the perfect remedy!

MM. Agreed. I’m so grateful to be a part of creating this production alongside a team of insanely talented artists. We’ve got a special production on our hands. Come see it!

937: Love you both…break some legs. Here is the info….

• Dates: March 13–22, 2026.
• Special Event: A 30-minute talkback session with the production team is scheduled for Sunday, March 15, 2026.
• Partnership: The production features a partnership with the Greater Dayton LGBT Center.
• Tickets: https://daytonplayhouse.thundertix.com/events