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The Bent Theatre Opens Fifth Season With a Fresh Take on ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’
The Bent Theatre Opens Fifth Season With a Fresh Take on ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’
The Bent Theatre is kicking off its fifth season with a new take on Tennessee Williams’ classic drama, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Director Terry Ray and actor Michael Pacas, who plays Big Daddy, joined Desert Living to talk about the production and what audiences can expect from the Bent Theatre’s interpretation of the iconic play.
Ray says the play was an important choice for the theater because of its place in LGBTQ history and its themes surrounding homosexuality, which he says were largely removed or downplayed in the famous film adaptation.
“Since we're the gay theater, we're going to really shine a spotlight on it in a unique way,” Ray said.
Ray says the production includes a surprise element designed to further highlight the LGBTQ themes present in Williams’ original work.
Pacas takes on the role of Big Daddy, a character he says he could see himself eventually playing as he got older.
“I sort of saw that role kind of eventually going to be coming towards me sometime in my life,” Pacas said.
He says the role arrived at the right time and has particular resonance for him.
Ray is especially enthusiastic about his cast. He says hundreds of actors auditioned for the production, including more than 400 submissions for the role of Maggie and more than 200 for Brick.
“This is my first main stage show at the Bent,” Ray said.
Ray has previously directed productions including Skippy and Bitsy, as well as shows at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Carpenter Center.
For Ray, one of the biggest challenges of directing Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was seeing whether his vision for the production would work once rehearsals began.
“Seeing that come to life was my biggest challenge, but also my biggest thrill about it,” he said.
The Bent Theatre is celebrating its fifth season at the Palm Springs Cultural Center in Theater 3. The theater has received numerous Desert Theatre League Star Awards and was named Best Play last season for its production of The Inheritance.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opens Friday, October 9, and runs for three weekends through October 24.
Tickets are available at thebent.org.
Pacas is also preparing for his own cabaret performance, Hell Bent for Leather, an autobiographical one-man show set primarily to music. The performance is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, November 22, as part of the Sunday Cabaret Series at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
By: NBC Palm Springs
October 6, 2026
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