Kicking off the spring season of the university's MainStage is one of Tennessee Williams' more respected but lesser-known works, Vieux Carré, written in his later years.

Director Sharon Andrews is excited about introducing Williams' often-neglected work to local theater aficionados. "This play is about the characters," she said. "(Tennessee Williams) shows human nature, our darker and needier sides."

The play is set in the French Quarter in New Orleans, at a boarding house where Williams resided for part of his life. In this respect, the play is semi-autobiographical.

"He writes about the people he encountered while he was there. The play is very episodic, scene-by-scene, portraits and pictures that show how they affect his life and what they want from him," Andrews said. "He has great affection for these people."

The plot follows the main character, The Writer, through his various interactions with the other residents in the boarding house. Williams brings to light an assortment of universal societal problems such as economic status, sexuality and age through these distinct scenes, linked together by The Writer.

Throughout the course of the play, the audience witnesses these characters influencing and changing the lead with their varying ideals. Vieux Carré stands as an examination of interaction and influence between colorful characters and how they shape both one another and The Writer based on Williams' personal experience.

Andrews, while very enthusiastic, finds the play demanding. "It doesn't shy away from anything," she said. "The central character is a man who is coming to terms with his sexuality."

But does she worry about presenting it to the university? With this cast, not at all. "We happen to have a lot of good actors right now who can handle this work," Andrews said. And the array of issues it deals with? "The actors handled it with incredible professionalism and maturity. They have absolute respect for the work. Playing the character they play called upon a real reserve of courage."

Senior Jonathan Horvath plays The Writer, the character somewhat modeled after Williams himself. "It's the most nuanced role I've ever had to play -- certainly a challenge," he said. He, like Andrews, found working with the other actors in such a multi-layered play very rewarding. "It's an issue of trust and knowing that we're all working together to a common goal." On a different note, his character is also "coming of age. I'm a senior, so I can relate to him a lot in that regard."

Also a senior, Andy Rigsby acts as 'Nightingale,' an openly homosexual character who helps bring to light The Writer's own questionable sexuality. However, Rigsby warns against focusing too much on this aspect of the play. "Don't be duped," he said. "You have to look deeper with these characters."

In the wake of last week's defacing of Huffman Residence Hall, director Andrews also hopes to call attention to certain issues disrupting the campus. "The environment for our gay community at Wake Forest is not as open or accepting as we want it to be; here, we can look at that world in our art forms and try to make it more open and accepting. Shying away from a play with a homosexual character would only perpetuate this."

This topic is not the primary focus of Vieux Carré, though, nor do the director and actors wish it to be. "Just about every issue of social privilege enters this play, and it explores these things going on in the same house at the same time," Rigsby said.

"You don't have the opportunity to look at these things happening in the same place at the same time like you can in the vivid way of theater."

Horvath agrees, "The audience could take it at face value, but that wouldn't be understanding the characters and the similarities between them and a predominately heterosexual audience."

Andrews hopes to have an impressive showing. "It will be really fun to see a Tennessee Williams you've never seen before," she said.

The show will be playing Feb. 19 through Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. Student tickets are and available at the Theatre Box Office in Scales Fine Arts Center.