Play Guide [1.2MB PDF] - Arizona Theatre Company

TERMS
Cotillion: A ball at which young ladies are presented to society.
When preparing for the Gentleman Caller, Amanda puts on
the dress she wore at a cotillion years ago. A cotillion can be
compared to a Quinceañera, as both are events in which a young
woman is “coming of age.”
Dandelion Wine: A fermented alcoholic beverage made from the
petals of dandelion blossoms, citrus peel and sugar. Typically a
light wine lacking body.
Debutante: A young woman from a wealthy and/or important
family who is making her offi cial entry into society. She is
considered eligible for courtship and marriage.
The Glass Menagerie
Cotillion dresses tend to be very
elaborately made
Light Fantastic: Taken from the phase “trip the light fantastic” meaning to dance. Tom
claims that his father skipped the light fantastic out of town, which is a light way of saying
that their father left them.
Jalopy: A car that is old and unreliable. Jim tells Amanda that he is going to pick up his
fi ancée Betty from the train station in his jalopy.
Jiggered: A British slang term for surprised. When Amanda informs Tom that Jim actually
has a girlfriend, Tom says “Well I’ll be jiggered. I didn’t know.”
Mastication: Chewing, grinding or crushing. Amanda lectures Tom on how to eat his
dinner by explaining that “animals have secretions in their stomachs which enable them to
digest their food without mastication, but human beings must chew their food before they
swallow it down, and chew, chew.”
Menagerie: A collection of wild and exotic animals encaged and on display. Laura’s most
prized possession is her glass menagerie.
Costume Design for Tom by
designer Emily Pepper
The Merchant Marine: The Merchant Marine is the fl eet of
ships which carries imports and exports during peacetime
and becomes a naval auxiliary during wartime to deliver
troops and war material.
Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 20