Al Pacino Brings Tennessee Williams to Life in ‘God Looked Away’

Playwright Tennessee Williams transformed the theater world of the 20th century with groundbreaking dramatic works including “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “The Glass Menagerie,” “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof,” and “Sweet Bird Of Youth.” After a successful run in the ‘40s and ‘50s, his later work struggled to connect with audiences.

God Looked Away,” opening at the Pasadena Playhouse, places audiences in the 1982 hotel room occupied by Williams (portrayed by Al Pacino) the night before his final play opens in Chicago. Struggling with his own relevance and fighting addiction after the death of his lover Frank Merlo, Williams fights with the possible idea that his career is over.

In addition to Al Pacino as Williams, “God Looked Away” adds additional star power in the form of Judith Light (“Transparent”) as Williams’ long-time friend, Estelle.  The entire production is the result of Pasadena Playhouse’s new PlayWorks program, which developed out of their Hothouse program. PlayWorks is a new part of the Playhouse’s dedication to nurturing young voices in theater by using stage readings, workshops and development productions. While “God Looked Away” is closed to press for review, it will consider feedback from the audience. This feedback will be used to alter and change the play for the better, making it truly a living document.

It’s a rare enough opportunity to see a star of Pacino’s talent on the stage, but to see his performance first hand in a play that is still in development shows the importance of the PlayWorks program. This is not just an ordinary workshop with students. Legendary Hollywood stars like Pacino willing give their free time to help launch the careers of artists of the future, which in this case, is ironic considering that “God Looked Away” is about a legend looking back and wondering if it’s the end of his own career. Hopefully, this is only the beginning of a successful and lucrative endeavor for the Pasadena Playhouse and its PlayWorks program.

God Looked Away” runs Feb. 8 – March 19 at the Pasadena Playhouse.