"A Streetcar Named Desire" runs through May 3 at Sunset Playhouse.

When Mary C. DeBattista said she was "humbled, honored and beaming" to be playing the part of Blanche in "A Streetcar Named Desire" in Sunset Playhouse’s latest production, she certainly shares the sentiments of many a star who also relished the role: Jessica Tandy, Sigourney Weaver, Jessica Lange, Vivien Leigh, Blythe Danner and Rosemary Harris, to name a few.

"Streetcar," one of Tennessee Williams’ most daunting and celebrated dramas, made even more famous when Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh paired up in the film version, is a challenge to produce and, if well done, a searing experience to witness. Mark Salentine, who often makes courageous choices, has succeeded in giving the Sunset audience more than its money’s worth with this one. I last saw this drama 25 years ago at The Milwaukee Rep when it was still housed in what is now the First Stage Theatre, and this production rivals, if not exceeds, that professional showing. For 2 1/2 hours, it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.

Set in New Orleans in a seamy, steamy neighborhood, this drama sizzles. Blanche DuBois, a faded Southern aristocrat, arrives on her sister Stella’s doorstep, bereft of her heritage, her job and her spirit. She is appalled at the squalid conditions in which her sister and her husband Stanley live, but the irony is that she is probably unhappier than they are, for she lives in the world of illusion while they live in reality, a common theme in Williams’ writings.

The claustrophobic apartment, the booze, the violence, the heat, the clash of cultures - all combine to create a tension, a readiness to explode. The moment that Blanche arrives, looking like a disheveled queen, one senses that this visit is not going to work to anyone’s good. Upon meeting Stanley, the intense, macho, raw stud that he is, we are sure that we were right. Stella tries to negotiate between the two worlds that these characters represent, but the attempt is futile.

Blanche is all about appearance and propriety, both of which are pretty frayed when she arrives from Laurel, Miss., looking for a place to stay. Her sister, who left home early to marry a crude man with whom she feels a strong sexual bond, has left the past and all it represents behind. She believes that Stanley loves her, and she is willing to put up with his erratic behavior.

As we watch these characters operate, we are both intrigued and appalled. Greed and sexuality and the desire to be loved seem to be the primary motivations that drive them. The primal survival instinct is also always prominent in Williams’ writings. Williams’ own life, with its share of mental illness, dislocation, alcoholism and abandonment often comes through. And yet there is a poetic poignance in the worlds he creates as well. We understand and are moved and saddened by their plights.

The three main characters played by DeBattista, Andy North and Angela Beyer were all superb in their renditions. Rave, rave, rave! Standouts in the minor character roles include Jim Santelle as Mitch and Sam Mullooly as the young collector. Gene Schuldt did an outstanding job in fight choreography. and the set designed by J.Michael Desper was evocative and functional.

If you can appreciative excellent writing, electric acting, and exemplary directing, don’t miss this one. It runs through May 3. Call (262) 782-4430 for times and tickets.