Veteran actor Tandy Cronyn will star in the "The Tall Boy" March 14 at 8 p.m. at the Clarence Brown Theatre's Carousel Theatre at UTK. The productions are free and open to the public. A talkback will follow each of the performances.
In “The Tall Boy,” three young boys, a 15-year-old Czech, a 14-year-old Pole and a 12-year-old Italian are swept up by different American Army units in the final years of World War II and outfitted as GI mascots. They wear cut down U.S. Army fatigues, speak English in the accents of the GI's who “adopted” them and want to follow their units "home" to the U.S. But as the GIs are being shipped back stateside, the boys are dumped at a children's Displaced Persons Camp in Bavaria run by an American Relief Team.
The matron, played by Ms. Cronyn, of this temporary orphanage is bound by regulations to try to repatriate the children. The United States has yet to open its doors to more than a tiny trickle of refugees; but the boys have their hearts set on America.
Ms. Cronyn made her Broadway debut as Sally Bowles in the original production of “Cabaret.” She has toured nationally in A. R. Gurney’s “The Cocktail Hour,” Mary Chase’s “Harvey” and Stephen Sondheim’s award-winning musical, “Company.”
She has performed major classical and contemporary roles in theatres across North America, notably Hartford Stage, Barrington Stage Company, Yale Repertory Theatre, Cleveland Play House, San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre and many others.
For more information, visit www.clarencebrowntheatre.com.