2023 TWFest Schedule
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS & NEW ORLEANS LITERARY FESTIVAL
MARCH 19 – 26, 2023
Sunday, March 19
1 – 2:30 PM—Literary Discussion
IT’S A NEW ORLEANS THING: YOUNG AUTHORS AS CULTURE BEARERS
During the spring of 2022 while moving in and out of quarantine, 30 juniors at Living School worked with 826 New Orleans and local culture bearers Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and Cherice “Queen Reesie” Harrison-Nelson to write a book exploring artifacts of New Orleans culture. Their book, It’s a New Orleans Thing, was published in Fall 2022. On this panel, young New Orleans authors who served on the student editorial board will discuss the process of writing, editing, and publishing their book and what It’s a New Orleans Thing means to them.
Baldwin & Co. Coffee & Bookstore, 1030 Elysian Fields Avenue, free and open to the public.
Sunday, March 19
4:15 – 5:30 PM
STELLA SHOUTING CONTEST
Join us for something NEW this year: Our beloved Stella Shouting Contest KICKS OFF our Festival! Join us in Jackson Square for the annual competition to see who can best impress our judges with their rendition of Stanley Kowalski’s iconic line. Contestant signup begins at 3:45 and we take the first 25. We’re excited to have Beth Bartley and Todd d’Amour as our Stella and Stanley. PLUS, this year we’re making the Shouting Contest an awareness-raising and fundraising campaign for the New Orleans Family Justice Center, a partnership of agencies dedicated to ending domestic violence. The NOFJC provides access to free crisis services and shelter, legal aid, advocacy and case management, trauma counseling, and prevention education. This fundraiser received a generous gift from The Goldring Family Foundation to begin the donations. DONATE HERE
Jackson Square, free and open to the public.
Tuesday, March 21
6:30 – 7:30 PM
MESSIN’ AROUND THE N.O. JAZZ MUSEUM
with Little Freddie King
In a town filled with funk, R&B and jazz, Little Freddie King is a living link to the rough Delta style that is rare in the Crescent City. He has performed with legendary musicians like Polka Dot Slim, Boogie Bill Webb, Jimmy Reed, Slim Harpo, Harmonica Williams. He was invited to perform at the first New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1970 and has been back every year since. TWFest is proud to present Little Freddie King in concert at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.
This project was made possible with funding provided by the Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative, a program administered by the National Park Service and Jefferson National Parks Association.
New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Avenue, Free and open to the public.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22
7:30 PM – 9 PM—Theatre
Opening Night Event: Pity for the Wild
Pity for the Wild will be an evening celebrating Tennessee by performing works that will celebrate a significant anniversary this year. Scenes from notable works such as Summer and Smoke, celebrating its 75th Anniversary, and The Two-Character Play, celebrating 50 years, will be performed by some of New Orleans’ most exciting actors. Additionally, the evening will feature Bryan Batt performing portions of his play, Dear Mr. Williams. The talent of Tennessee and some of the best performers the city has to offer will be quite a treat to kick off our 37th Annual Festival.
This event is sponsored by Peggy and Timber Floyd.
Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré, 616 St. Peter Street, $20 – $40 or VIP Pass.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
9 AM—Special Event
THE NEW ORLEANS WRITING MARATHON
Jumpstart your writing with the New Orleans Writing Marathon! Hosted by founder Richard Louth, participants write their way across the French Quarter in cafes, pubs, bookstores anywhere a small group of writers can sit, write, and share their work. It’s all about writing in the moment, writing for the joy of it, and finding inspiration in one’s place. We start at the Hotel Monteleone before going out to explore the French Quarter as writers. For more information, visit www.writingmarathon.com and for questions, contact Richard Louth at rlouth@selu.edu.
Writing Marathons begin at 9 AM on Thursday and Sunday. You can end your writing marathon at whatever time best fits your schedule.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Parlor, free and open to the public but please register at HERE.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
10 – 11:15 AM—Writer’s Craft Session
MAURICE CARLOS RUFFIN – HOW TO WRITE A NEW ORLEANS BOOK
In this session, we will discuss techniques useful for writing novels, short story collections, memoirs, and poetry books. Specifically, we will consider New Orleans’ unique historical and cultural aspects, as well as how those aspects influence our writing. Some time will be devoted to writing exercises and open conversation.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
10 AM – 12 noon—Tour
HISTORIC STORYVILLE WALKING TOUR
Join Dianne “Gumbo Marie” Honoré on this unique, intriguing walk through parts of what was once the most notorious red-light district in the country, Storyville. Hear stories of cribs, chippies, the Tango Belt, and the last madam, along with the mayhem each night brought forth. Louis Armstrong referred to his childhood neighborhood of Black Storyville as the “worst” area in the city during Jim Crow-era New Orleans. It was also home to the beginnings of jazz, popular music joints, second lines, the birth of the baby dolls Mardi Gras tradition, and Jelly Roll Morton’s other profession. We stop along the way for a refreshing cocktail! Cocktail cost not included.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Parlor, $30 or VIP Pass.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
11 AM – 12:30 PM—Tour
Friday, March 24, 3:30 – 5 PM—Tour
Sunday, March 26, 1 – 2:30 PM—Tour
LGBTQ+ FRENCH QUARTER TOUR
This leisurely stroll through the French Quarter focuses on New Orleans’ enchanting past with an emphasis on the neighborhood’s queer history and its rich literary heritage. See where writers lived and wrote, and learn about the incredible contributions lesbians and gay men have made to the city over its 300-year old history. Other highlights include Jackson Square, Free People of Color, the French Market, the birth of jazz, Voodoo, and a wide diversity of architecture. The tour is guided by long-time French Quarter resident Frank Perez, a local historian and professional tour guide who has written four books about French Quarter history.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Parlor, $30 or VIP Pass.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
11:30 AM – 12:45 PM—Writer’s Craft Session
JENNY KEEGAN – A WRITER’S GUIDE TO WORKING WITH YOUR EDITOR
How does an idea become a book? LSU Press acquisitions editor Jenny Keegan will shed light on the book publishing process from concept to proposal to publication, sharing tips and examples on how to craft proposals and manuscripts, how to find the right publisher for your work, and what to expect when working with your editor and other publishing staff. This talk will primarily focus on the types of book LSU Press publishes—nonfiction for general audiences—and will include ample time for a Q & A.
This event is underwritten by the Women’s National Book Association, New Orleans Chapter.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
1 – 3 PM—Tour
HISTORY OF QUEER NIGHTLIFE IN NEW ORLEANS TOUR
From drag queens to Storyville madams to the burlesque dancer, Quinn LaRoux teaches the fascinating history of the rebellious and dangerous women and queer people who built New Orleans! The tours are hilarious, entertaining, and deeply committed to historical accuracy and social responsibility. Tours emphasize the contributions and stories of the women and queer people most on the margins of society, and attendees can expect to learn much about the history of trans people, the sex industry, and famous LGBTQ+ figures. Total tour walking distance is just under two miles.
Crossing, 439 Dauphine Street, $30 or VIP Pass.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
1:30 – 2:45 PM—Writer’s Craft Session
TOM PIAZZA – THAT WAS NOW; THIS IS THEN: THE UNEASY MARRIAGE OF HISTORY AND FICTION
“History” and “fiction” appear on different shelves in libraries and bookstores, but they meet in the swampy ground of “Historical Fiction.” The term itself seems to contradict itself—we think, “Either it happened or it didn’t happen.” Yet, both history and fiction require the writer to take raw facts and impose an interpretation on them. In this craft talk, Tom Piazza will explore the tricky territory between factual accuracy and imaginative license. Is there even such a thing as “historical fiction?” Where does research stop and creative imagination take over? And how long ago do events need to have happened for us to call them “historical?”
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
3 – 4:15 PM—Writer’s Craft Session
CHELSEY K. SHANNON AND ABRAM SHALOM HIMELSTEIN – SELF-PUBLISHING AND ZINES
This workshop will cover the joys, pitfalls, and potentials of self-publishing. Both Himelstein and Shannon got their starts in the world of self-publishing and have remained practitioners even as they guide University of New Orleans Press in their day jobs. Shannon recently published Trace-Chasing: Race, Place, Time & Emmett Till, her most comprehensive zine to date, while Himelstein has just published Let Us Die in New Ways: The Gospel according to Moses.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
3 – 4 PM—Special Event
INTERVIEW AND BOOK SIGNING WITH NEAL BODENHEIMER, SPONSORED BY SAZERAC CO.
Peychaud’s invites you to an interview and a cocktail with Neal Bodenheimer, managing partner of James Beard Award-winning bar Cure, and author of Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em. Peychaud’s is at the Hotel Maison de Ville, a favorite haunt of Tennessee Williams, where Neal will discuss his book and the history of New Orleans cocktail culture. The talk will be followed by a book signing. Tickets include a book and one complimentary cocktail.
Peychaud’s, 727 Toulouse Street, $30, Tickets available HERE.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
4 – 5 PM—Special Event
HAPPY HOUR AT PEYCHAUD’S
Join us for a special Tennessee Williams happy hour at Peychaud’s bar! Following Neal Bodenheimer’s interview and book signing, Peychaud’s will host a happy hour to benefit the Tennessee Williams Festival. Once you’ve arrived, you can donate $10 to the Fest and receive one cocktail made by the talented bartenders at Peychaud’s.
Peychaud’s, 727 Toulouse Street, $10 donation per cocktail.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
6:30 – 9 PM—Special Event
TRIBUTE READING: YOU ARE NOT THE PLAYWRIGHT I WAS EXPECTING: TENNESSEE WILLIAMS’ TREASURES AND SURPRISES
Outside of his most famous plays, some of Tennessee’s most beautiful writing is found in his lesser-known works. Now, in an evening that’s not-to-be-missed, luminaries of the page and stage gather to share some of the playwright’s unsung treasures. Reading gems culled from full-length plays, one-acts, letters, and essays, our performers will take a closer look at the Williams canon and bring his words to life with an evening of readings from lesser-known plays. Works to be included are A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur and Camino Real, as well as remarkable monologues and scenes from plays you might not be as familiar with such as Kirche, Küche, Kinder; The Notebook of Trigorin; A Recluse and His Guest; The Gnädiges Fräulein; and Now the Cats with Jeweled Claws. This theatrical treasure hunt offers an entertaining and surprising look at Williams’ legacy. This event is curated by Festival Director Paul J. Willis and Williams editor Thomas Keith, who will also host. Our readers include a mix of actors and authors including: Bryan Batt, Brenda Currin, John Goodman, Jewelle Gomez, Andrew Holleran, David Kaplan, Lee Osorio, and Mona Lisa Saloy.
Sponsored by a generous grant from the New Orleans Theatre Association.
Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar at 6:30 PM; Performance at 7:30 PM.
New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Avenue, $40 or VIP Pass.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
6 PM – 12 midnight—Theatre
LAST BOHEMIA FRINGE FESTIVAL
CLICK HERE full description and ticket links.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
7:30 PM—Theatre
The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans presents Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams
Directed by Augustin J Correro. This season of The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company is supported by a grant from the New Orleans Theatre Association.
TWTC kicks off its 2023 season with a fresh, present day take on this Tennessee Williams classic! Welcome to the edge of the continent, where Shannon has placed his back against the ocean in a last ditch effort to overcome his own nature. Will his blue devil or his better angels prevail? And will the creature survive? Vices: Pride, Sloth, Gluttony, Lechery.
This production is also made possible with the generous support from The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and The Threadhead Cultural Foundation!
Performance Schedule: Thursday – Sunday, March 23 – 26, 2023. All shows at 7:30 PM, except a 2 PM matinee on Sunday, March 26.
The Lower Depths Theatre on the campus of Loyola University New Orleans, 6363 St. Charles Avenue. Tickets at www.twtheatrenola.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
7:30 PM—Theatre
Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré presents
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF BY TENNESSEE WILLIAMS
Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré brings the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to the stage March 9 – 26, 2023, with Williams’ original third act. Set on the Pollitts’ plantation home in the Mississippi Delta, this iconic story is told in three acts with no lapse in time between them. Maggie (Mona Nasrawi), a young ambitious in-law, is determined to solidify her role in the family, but her husband Brick (Jonathan Mares) is preoccupied with past longing. Director Salvatore Mannino says, “This production reanalyzes the impact of Williams’ text that helped shape the appearance of the American South … and reveals the truth behind the characters’ desires. Using the youngest generation of the Pollitt family as our conduit for the story, we witness the effect these characters have on their family for generations to come. Our team is excited to share this new perspective on the play with our community, and engage in the discourse it prompts.”
Performance Schedule: Thursday and Friday, March 23 – 24 at 7:30 PM; Saturday, March 25 at 3 PM and 7:30 PM; Sunday, March 26 at 3:00 PM.
Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré, 616 St. Peter Street, tickets: www.lepetittheatre.com
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
9 AM – 5:15 PM
2023 Tennessee Williams Scholars Conference
See below for full schedule
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
10 – 11:15 AM—Writer’s Craft Session
CHARLES BAXTER – TIME (SHORT AND LONG) IN THE SHORT STORY
Often a great puzzle in writing a short story has to do with determining how much of the characters’ histories—their pasts—has to be included. The traditional method for doing so employs flashbacks, often at the start of the story. We’ll talk about long time and short time in short stories, using examples from writers like Alice Munro and Evan Connell, and we’ll have a Q&A at the end to talk about other specific examples, including your own.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
10 – 11:15 AM—Literary Discussion
TENNESSEE 101 with AUGUSTIN J CORRERO
Tennessee 101 is a fast-paced, fun, and informative introduction to Tennessee Williams! It’s focused on Williams’ unique relationship to New Orleans, as well as the various bits of trivia and lore relating to the theatre offerings at the Festival this year. Whether you’re new to the world of Williams or a long-time fan, come prepared to learn something. Presented by Augustin J Correro, Co-Artistic Director of The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans. There’s a Q&A session at the end, and be sure to get your copy of Tennessee Williams 101 for a brief signing to follow.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
10 AM – 12 noon—Tour
HISTORIC STORYVILLE WALKING TOUR
See above for full description.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
10 AM – 12 noon—Tour
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS LITERARY WALKING TOUR
New Orleans, and especially the French Quarter, played a vital role in shaping Tennessee Williams. When he came here for the first time, he was Tom Williams. When he left here a couple of months later, he was known as Tennessee, having undergone a tremendous change in his personal life and his creativity. A man perpetually on the move, Tennessee considered this city his “spiritual home” and had at least eight residences in its famous neighborhoods. Visit the homes and hangouts where he lived, worked, and returned to throughout his adult life, beloved spots that helped to make Tennessee America’s greatest playwright. Led by Heritage Tour Guides Philip Centanni, Jr. and Karen Fernandez, who have led the Festival tours for nearly a decade as guides selected by the late Dr. Kenneth Holditch, founder of the French Quarter’s first literary walking tour, a co-founder of this and other Tennessee Williams festivals, as well as Tennessee’s friend. Mr. Centanni, who was a student and friend of Dr. Holditch for nearly 50 years, and a one time waiter and casual friend of Tennessee in New Orleans and New York, has a few personal stories to tell. Ms. Fernandez was also a longtime friend of Dr. Holditch and is a tour guide and longtime resident in the French Quarter with many fascinating tales to tell about its history and present day residents.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Parlor, $30 or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
11:30 AM – 12:45 PM—Writer’s Craft Session
TIMOTHY SCHAFFERT – CREATING AMBIENCE
In this session, we’ll explore telling stories through the senses, through atmosphere, through objects: with the New Orleans-set novel The Awakening as our centerpiece, we’ll consider Kate Chopin’s approach to mood, tone, and setting. Shadow play and ambience can do more than just set the scene, but also contribute to the narrative, to character development, and poetically communicate what’s at the heart of your work.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
11:30 – 12:45 PM—Literary Discussion
CITYSCAPES: HOW TO READ A CITY
“You can read a city the way you read a book,” geographer Richard Campanella once said, and he has shown us the layers of meaning in the New Orleans landscape. In this panel, Campanella joins C.W. Cannon, who writes about the social and political landscape; T.R. Johnson, who maps the literary landscape in A Writer’s City; and Peter M. Wolf, whose Sugar King gives us a history of New Orleans’ Jewish community through the life of a single individual, his great-great grandfather Leon Godchaux. These talented and very different writers explore the various lenses through which they view our complicated and beautiful urban territory. Moderated by David Johnson.
Underwritten by The Ethel and Herman L. Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
1 – 2:15 PM—Literary Discussion
PASSION PROJECTS: WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU LOVE
In this discussion, writers in fields from sports to collecting explore the joys and pitfalls of choosing to write about what they do for pleasure. Does it turn something you do for relaxation into work? Does it add a performative aspect to what was pure experience? How do you add to a field that may already have been explored? In short, does it make it more—or less—fun? And in all these fields, there are certain questions to be explored: the choice of amateur or professional status, the frustration of learning, the demands of practice, the thrill of the hunt, the sense of satisfaction or mastery. Whether you’re a fly-fisher or a book collector, these writers will talk about the emotional intensity that illuminates this sort of writing. Panelists include Tyler Bridges, Jacinta R. Saffold, and Christopher Schaberg, with Miles Harvey as moderator.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
1 – 3 PM—Tour
HISTORY OF QUEER NIGHTLIFE IN NEW ORLEANS TOUR
See above for full description
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
1:30 – 2:45 PM—Writer’s Craft Session
OLIVIA CLARE FRIEDMAN – PROSE STYLE
In this session, we’ll take a closer look at the elements of prose style. We’ll examine a few prose examples, paying special attention to the sentence and the paragraph. We’ll also discuss word choice, sentence length, paragraph length, syntax, compression, and expansion. Last, we’ll delve into the ways poetry might help us gain a deeper understanding of stylistic choices in prose.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
2 – 4 PM—Tour
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS LITERARY WALKING TOUR
See above for full description
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
2:30 – 3:45 PM—Literary Discussion
BEADS AND THROWS AND COSTUMES—AND BOOKS?
Yes, indeed. Every Mardi Gras brings a new crop of volumes exploring various aspects of the holiday. Whether it’s Matt Haines taking on the heroic task of sampling king cakes, Echo Olander meeting walking krewes, Arthur Hardy chronicling Mardi Gras history and changes, or Dixie Poché guiding us to Cajun Country’s unique Mardi Gras customs, there’s always something to learn. Moderated by Carnival maven Peggy Scott Laborde.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
3– 4:15 PM—Writer’s Craft Session
MARK BOLOGNA – SHOULD I START A PODCAST?
Mark Bologna, host of the Beyond Bourbon Street podcast, presents a beginner’s guide to this popular medium, discussing reasons to consider podcasting (pros and cons) and managing your expectations. He’ll discuss how to start, the equipment you’ll need, and how to publish and market, as well as podcasting pitfalls. Bring your questions!
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
3 – 4:15 PM—Writer’s Craft Session
FELICE PICANO – INTRODUCTION TO SCREENWRITING: DEVELOPING YOUR STORY FOR STAGE OR SCREEN
Writing for feature films and television shows takes a great story and proper presentation to get the right attention. Author Felice Picano will go over all the elements to make your script the best it can be, with many visual examples and anecdotes from his experiences.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal D, $25 or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
3 – 4 PM—Music
MARC STONE AND BRUCE “SUNPIE” BARNES TALK (AND SING) THE BLUES
The blues is a much more complex term than most music lovers could imagine. Join these two acclaimed New Orleans musicians for a musical tour through the origins and history of the blues through performance and conversation.
This project was made possible with funding provided by the Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative, a program administered by the National Park Service and Jefferson National Parks Association.
New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Avenue, Free and open to the public.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
3 – 5 PM—Tour
LGBTQ+ FRENCH QUARTER TOUR
See above for full description.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
4 – 5 PM—Music Interview
CHRIS THOMAS KING: THE TRUTH ABOUT THE BLUES
The blues is such a popular mode of music that everyone thinks they invented it. Contrary to popular myth, the blues did not begin on Mississippi Delta plantations. The original American art form began in Louisiana in the 1890s. Join Chris Thomas King, acclaimed musician and author of The Blues: The Authentic Narrative of My Music and Culture as he shares what his research has proven about the origins of the blues and New Orleans’ place in that story.
This project was made possible with funding provided by the Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative, a program administered by the National Park Service and Jefferson National Parks Association.
New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Avenue, Free and open to the public
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
4 – 5:15 PM—Literary Discussion
DON’T BAN OUR BOOKS: WRITING IN THE AGE OF CENSORSHIP
As book banning efforts grow and spread, with moves to suppress AP courses in African American history and decrease access to LGBTQ+ materials, writers must champion their own work more than ever. How do we support libraries and bookstores that are right on the front lines of these efforts? This panel surveys the scene from a variety of perspectives. Kerri Westenberg has covered book banning for 64 Parishes magazine. Gregg Shapiro is an entertainment journalist and author, and Sonnet Ireland has served as president of the Louisiana Library Association. William Christy Smith, director of adult programming at the Jefferson Parish Library, will moderate.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
6 PM – 12 midnight—Theatre
LAST BOHEMIA FRINGE FESTIVAL
CLICK HERE for full description and ticket links.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
7:30 PM—Theatre
The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans presents Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams
See above for full description.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
7:30 PM—Theatre
Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré presents
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF BY TENNESSEE WILLIAMS
See above for full description
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
8:30 – 9:45 AM—Special Event
BOOKS AND BEIGNETS WITH GARY RICHARDS
This year’s focus shifts to one of the most important 19th-century U.S. writers, Kate Chopin. Born in St. Louis in 1850, her marriage took her to the New Orleans streets, and the bayous and prairies of Louisiana, locales that immeasurably enriched her subsequent literary career. Best known for her novel The Awakening (1899), she was nevertheless a talented short story writer among the most preeminent of her era. The book club discussion will focus on six of these stories: “Beyond the Bayou,” “At the ‘Cadian Ball,” “La Belle Zoraïde,” “Athénaïse,” “A Matter of Prejudice,” and “Nég Créol.” They are available in Penguin’s Bayou Folk and A Night in Acadie (ISBN: 978-0140436815) but can also be easily found on the Internet.
3rd Block Depot Kitchen + Bar, 316 Chartres Street, $25 or VIP Pass.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
10 – 11:15 AM—Literary Discussion
THE LIFETIME WORKSHOP: BUILDING MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER WRITERS
In 1989, the members of this panel met each other at the University of Michigan, where four of them were pursuing their MFAs and one of them was teaching. During the subsequent three decades, they’ve kept in close touch: reading each other’s work, supporting each other’s careers, celebrating each other’s successes, and offering consolation and guidance in the face of each other’s inevitable setbacks. This panel sets out to answer the question of how writers can build and maintain a permanent cohort of like-minded colleagues.
This group of longtime writing friends includes Charles Baxter, William Lychack, Michael Paterniti, and Cammie McGovern, with Miles Harvey, moderator.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
10 – 11:15 AM—Featured Interview
AN INTERVIEW WITH DOUGLAS BRINKLEY
Historian Douglas Brinkley, the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and professor of history at Rice University, discusses the lifetime of research and scholarship that has led to his most recent book, Silent Spring Revolution: John F. Kennedy, Rachel Carson, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and the Great Environmental Awakening. Brinkley’s book continues his exploration of the legacies of Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. It is a stirring portrait of The Long Sixties (1960-1973) and the writers, such as Rachel Carson, and activists who opened doors of environmental awareness—how their work informs and illuminates the great climate change questions of our time. Veteran journalist Errol Laborde conducts the interview.
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres Street, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
10 AM – 12 noon—Tour
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS LITERARY WALKING TOUR
See above for full description
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
11 AM – 12:15 PM—Special Event
A DRAG BRUNCH NAMED DESIRE
Poppy Tooker returns with Drag Queen Brunch! We are thrilled to welcome New Orleans’ most desirable drag queens to entertain you while you nosh on a three-course brunch from Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House! And bottomless mimosas of course! Every delectable dish comes from the Poppy Tooker’s Drag Queen Brunch cookbook, which can be signed onsite by this beloved New Orleanian cheerleader.
Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House, 144 Bourbon Street, $100, tickets HERE.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
11:30 – 12:45 PM—Literary Discussion
OBSESSIONS AND IMMERSION: WRITERS AND HISTORICAL FICTION
The lure of writing historical fiction is great—the pleasures of diligent research and discovery, the joy of escape to another time, perhaps another place. These four writers describe what drew them to the varied historical periods into which they immersed themselves and what it was like to live in them for a while. Whether it’s Vietnam or ancient Rome, you’ll find yourself transported. Panelists include Katy Simpson Smith, Elisa M. Speranza, E.M. Tran, and Kitty Zeldis, with C. Morgan Babst, moderating.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
11:30 – 12:45 PM—Literary Discussion
INFLUENCES ON TENNESSEE WILLIAMS: THE SENSE OF PLACE
One of Tennessee Williams’ characters in Vieux Carré tells the audience, “Writers are shameless spies.” Not only was Williams a sponge when it came to people, but he also soaked up the atmosphere, history, speech, weather, politics, and cultural memory of the places he lived and wrote. The choice of where he set his plays and stories was never random, and it always served as a foundation for his characters and stories. On this panel, Margit Longbrake will talk about the distinct and unmistakable influence of New Orleans on Williams; Tom Mitchell will discuss the 20 years he lived in St. Louis and the often overlooked impact that Missouri and the Midwest had on Williams’ writing; Karen Kohlhaas will share her unique perspective about the power of Williams’ early upbringing in the Mississippi Delta; and David Kaplan will examine Williams’ deep artistic and personal connection to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Thomas Keith will moderate.
Sponsored by George and Helen Ingram.
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres Street, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
1 – 2:15 PM—Literary Discussion
WHERE DO IDEAS COME FROM? AND OTHER QUESTIONS OF INSPIRATION
Go to any writers’ conference and during the usual Q&A session, someone will ask the inevitable question: “Where do you get your ideas?” Writers have so many variations on the answer to this question. Some writers can’t imagine running out of ideas, worried they don’t have time to write the books they already have in mind. Others describe the need to be in a state akin to grace, where ideas flow through you to fruition. It’s a different process for everyone. These writers—all working in various forms—describe how they cultivate inner readiness for the creative moment and the rich inner lives necessary for the imaginative resources of their work. Panelists include S.A. Cosby, Caroline Frost, Cheryl A. Head, and Timothy Schaffert, with Olivia Clare Friedman moderating.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
1 – 2:15 PM—Featured Interview
TOM PIAZZA’S THE AUBURN CONFERENCE
Join us as Tom Piazza sits down with Nathaniel Rich for a freewheeling conversation about Piazza’s newest novel, The Auburn Conference, which historian Douglas Brinkley has called “an epic novel by one of America’s greatest writers.” Set in 1883 at a fictional writers’ conference in upstate New York, the novel gathers together Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Walt Whitman, Herman Melville, and a cast of dozens for an onstage discussion about the future of America. Mary Gaitskill calls it “an unexpected combination of wit, passion, and intellect that lands with tremendous relevance,” and Roy Blount, Jr. calls it “the mother of all writers’ conferences.” It is sure to be one of the year’s most talked about books!
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres Street, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
2:30 – 3:45—Literary Discussion
THE CROSSROADS OF POETRY: WHERE POET MEETS PLACE
In her poem “Crossroads,” Sunni Patterson writes, “there is a place / where head meets heart / meets world.” This place is New Orleans; this place is poetry. How do unlikely pairings find each other in poetry? Where does the self meet its surroundings? When does folklore cross self-mythology cross meaning-making? Three Louisiana poets—Sunni Patterson, Karisma Price, and Mona Lisa Saloy—will read from their expansive bodies of work and discuss the intersections of self, place, and history in their verse, with poet Stacey Balkun moderating.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
2:30 – 3:45—Literary Discussion
ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING: THE COMPLEX LOUISIANA LANDSCAPE
Louisiana’s environmental problems are so numerous that they’ve inspired writers to address such issues as climate change, the management of rivers and water resources, and the hope for survival in the frequent storms. All of these complicated interactions between humans and landscape make for writing that is as compelling as a novel—and as terrifying as a horror novel. This panel includes some of the best practitioners of the craft to discuss topics as varied as the fate of a single bird, the shrimping industry, climate-resilient policies, or a much loved and well-observed bayou landscape: Rien Fertel, emma x lirette, and Rob Verchick, with moderator Oliver A. Houck.
Underwritten by The Ruth U. Fertel Foundation
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres Street, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
3 – 5 PM—Tour
HISTORIC STORYVILLE WALKING TOUR
See above for full description.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
3 PM—Theatre
Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré presents Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams
See above for full description.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
4 – 5:15 PM—Literary Discussion
CAN JOURNALISTS BE ACTIVISTS? SHOULD THEY BE? A LOOK AT AN INCREASINGLY BLURRY LINE
As politics become more polarized, will journalism follow suit? With the rise of cable news and online sources that didn’t exist a few years ago, where people get their news matters more than ever. And traditional news organizations often find themselves in the trenches with advocacy journalism, whether in coverage of politics, civil rights, or the environment. Veteran political columnist Stephanie Grace moderates a panel of journalists who have written for a number of platforms, including Jarvis DeBerry, Quin Hillyer, Pam Radtke, and Katy Reckdahl.
Underwritten by The Division of Global Engagement at Xavier University of Louisiana.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
4 PM—CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF DR. HOLDITCH
William Kenneth Holditch (September 18, 1933 – December 7, 2022) was a Professor Emeritus of English at the University of New Orleans. He was one of the preeminent scholars of the American playwright Tennessee Williams. Notably, he was instrumental in founding the Tennessee Williams Literary Festivals in New Orleans; Columbus, Mississippi; and Clarksdale, Mississippi, and he served on the advisory board of the festival in Provincetown, Massachusetts. His published works include Tennessee Williams and the South and The World of Tennessee Williams with Richard Freeman Leavitt, as well as co-editor with Mel Gussow for the Library of America’s Tennessee Williams Plays 1937-1955.
Hotel Monteleone, Vieux Carré Room, free and open to the public.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
6 PM – 12 midnight—Theatre
LAST BOHEMIA FRINGE FESTIVAL
CLICK HERE for full description and ticket links.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
7:30 PM—Theatre
The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans presents Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams
See above for full description.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
7:30 PM—Theatre
Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré presents Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams
See above for full description.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
9 AM—Special Event
THE NEW ORLEANS WRITING MARATHON
Jumpstart your writing with the New Orleans Writing Marathon! Hosted by founder Richard Louth, participants write their way across the French Quarter in cafes, pubs, and bookstores—anywhere a small group of writers can sit, write, and share their work. It’s all about writing in the moment, writing for the joy of it, and finding inspiration in one’s place. We start at the Hotel Monteleone before going out to explore the French Quarter as writers. For more information, visit www.writingmarathon.com and for questions, contact Richard Louth at rlouth@selu.edu.
Writing marathons begin at 9 AM. You can end your writing marathon at whatever time best fits your schedule.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Parlor, Free and open to the public but please register HERE.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
10 – 11:15 AM—Literary Discussion
MEMOIR: CONNECTING TO THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE
The powerful experience of reading a memoir is often finding meaning in lives not our own, and making powerful connections with people so different from ourselves. This panel includes four memoirists: David Armand recalls his tumultuous and violent family life; Chris Belcher chronicles her life as a sex worker in Los Angeles; Grammy-nominated Scott Billington revisits a long and distinguished career in music; and Mark Chesnut pursues his career as a travel writer as he struggles to care for his ailing, aging mother. Moderator David Swatling draws these writers out on the human conditions that inspired their work.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom. $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
10 AM – 12 noon—Tour
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS LITERARY WALKING TOUR
See above for full description
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
11 AM – 12:15 PM—Theatre
THE NOLA PROJECT PRESENTS TENNESSEE X THREE
Tennessee Williams fell in love with Hart Crane’s poetry at an early age. Crane’s life, death by jumping off a ship into the Gulf of Mexico, and poetry inspired and fascinated Williams. In the last years of his life, Williams wrote a play that featured Crane and his fraught relationship with his mother. Williams’ short play, Steps Must Be Gentle, one of his last, takes its title from one of Crane’s poems. In Steps Must Be Gentle, Williams imagines Crane at peace on the bottom of the sea … until his mother dies and tracks him down to straighten him out.
The Case of the Crushed Petunias, written in 1941, tells the story of Dorothy Simple, a woman trapped in her job at a prim and proper shop in Massachusetts. She has barricaded her house and heart behind a double row of petunias—until the day she wakes up to find every single petunia crushed by the footprints of a size-eleven-D shoe. Afterward, a young man arrives to confess his crime but is also on a mission to alert Dorothy to the “miraculous accident of being alive.” Armed with poetry, seeds for wild roses, and a business card from “LIFE, INCORPORATED,” the young man endeavors to convince Dorothy that tremendous inspiration lies beyond what can be bought or sold in a shop.
Tennessee Williams’ The Reading is a short sketch of what would eventually become Vieux Carré. The Reading, like I Never Get Dressed Till After Dark on Sundays, is structured as a play-within-a-play, with two actors auditioning for their respective parts. Their script centers on Jane and Tye, two more elements this play shares with I Never Get Dressed Till After Dark on Sundays. Making its Festival debut, The Reading looks at Jane’s depiction of a mysterious merchant whom she believes (or wants to believe) will rescue her from poverty and dependence on Tye. The thin plot also involves Jane’s advancing leukemia (named here but only poetically described in Vieux Carré) and her futile attempt to abandon Tye to run off with her wealthy suitor. The play’s only other characters are Two Voices presiding over the audition.
Hotel Monteleone, Vieux Carré Room, $20 or VIP Pass
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
11:30 – 12:45 PM—Literary Discussion
YOUNG ADULT FICTION
Young adult readers are discerning in their reading habits—they know what they like—and they are a growing force in the book market. How to please readers who are past the point of picture books and middle-grade tales, but not quite ready for adult fiction? Some writers do it by addressing social problems head on; others turn to fantasy and elaborate worldbuilding. But all successful YA authors develop characters with power and agency. What particular set of skills do these writers bring to their work? This panel of YA authors includes moderator Cammie McGovern with Marti Dumas, Daniel José Older, Farrah Rochon, and Brittany N. Williams.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom. $25 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
11:30 – 12:45 PM—Featured Interview
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS with REBECCA MAKKAI
Award-winning author Rebecca Makkai plumbs the depths of memory and trauma in I Have Some Questions for You, her highly anticipated new novel, which Jennifer Egan calls “a true literary mystery—haunting and hard to put down.” C. Morgan Babst, author of The Floating World, will join Makkai in a conversation about the ability of fiction to explore complex cultural issues, while keeping us on the edges of our seats.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
Sunday, March 26
11:30 AM – 12:45 PM—Music
Drummer & Smoke Music: SHAKE ‘EM UP JAZZ BAND
Formed in the summer of 2016, Shake ‘Em Up is a New Orleans-based band playing early American music, including New Orleans-style traditional tunes and swing. Originally a pickup band composed of working musicians brought together for a Girls Rock New Orleans performance, the band immediately garnered positive attention (and gigs), influencing its members to keep the personal and musical chemistry rolling. Six years, three albums, and four international tours later, the band continues to expand their repertoire and musicality, their popularity at home in New Orleans, and their national and international notoriety.
Palm Court Jazz Cafe, 1204 Decatur Street, $10 or VIP Pass.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
1 – 2:15 PM—Literary Discussion
CIVIL RIGHTS IN FACT AND FICTION
Stellar writers talk about the struggle for equality in their work, including Judge Freddie Pitcher, Jr., the first African American judge in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; journalist Brian Fairbanks, who chronicles the rise of David Duke and right wing politics, and novelist De’Shawn Charles Winslow, who writes about the divided city of West Mills, North Carolina. Playwright Harold Ellis Clark moderates.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom. $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
1 – 2:15 PM—Music
Drummer & Smoke Music: CATIE RODGERS AND THE GENTILLY STOMPERS
My name is Catie Rodgers, and I am a musician. I moved to New Orleans almost 15 years ago on a Greyhound bus. I didn’t set out to be a traditional jazz trumpet player, but it is where I belong. When I think about all the amazing people that this music has connected me to, it brings tears to my eyes. New Orleans Jazz is love. I started the Gentilly Stompers 7 years ago after a booker said “Do you have a band? Get a band. You have Wednesday nights.” This will be the first time I’ve seen these guys together since March 15, 2020. I’ve been fortunate to have a varied trumpet career that has included the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and playing with the daughters of Louis Prima and Judy Garland (Lena Prima and Lorna Luft, respectively). But mostly you can find me Monday nights at Fritzels with the wonderful Richard “Piano” Scott, and on the weekends at Arnaud’s Jazz Bistro with the charismatic Sugarbear Francis. Important mentors have been Banu Gibson, Matt Perrine, Steve Yocum, Connie Jones, Jerry Jumonville, Doug Reneau, Leslie Cooper, and the music faculty at the University of New Orleans. Forever in their debt.
Palm Court Jazz Cafe, 1204 Decatur Street, $10 or VIP Pass.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
1 – 2:30 PM—Tour
LGBTQ+ FRENCH QUARTER TOUR
See above for full description.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
1 – 3 PM—Tour
HISTORY OF QUEER NIGHTLIFE IN NEW ORLEANS TOUR
See above for full description
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
2 PM—Theatre
The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans presents Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams
See above for full description.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
2 –4 PM—Tour
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS LITERARY WALKING TOUR
See above for full description
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
2:30 – 3:45 PM—Music
Drummer & Smoke Music: MESCHIYA LAKE
A singing contest win at 9, a stint in a literal circus, and being transfixed by the music of the French Quarter: all of this led to the Meschiya Lake whom New Orleanians know and love. Some remember her as part of the Loose Marbles on Royal Street, which led to excursions to New York and Europe where just the right amount of hard times convinced her to start her own band, the Little Big Horns. A few albums later and numerous awards later, Meschiya is an icon of New Orleans music—a passionate performer who brings audiences into her realm to have an experience they won’t forget.
Palm Court Jazz Cafe, 1204 Decatur Street, $10 or VIP Pass.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
2:30 – 3:45 PM—Literary Discussion
AN EYE FOR AN EYE: JUSTICE V. REVENGE
The crime novel has always scrutinized how the justice system works, either by shining an unflinching light on its pitfalls, biases, and injustices or by showing it running as smoothly as a Swiss watch. With more and more public scrutiny on crime and policing, does the crime writer have a responsibility to show the system working or to expose its inconsistencies and flaws? When does justice cross the line into vengeance? Is taking the law into one’s own hands ever justified, or is it merely vigilantism? Join us as five amazing authors discuss writing about crime, the justice system, and how their work explores and reflects those fine lines between personal morality and human justice. J.M. Redmann moderates this discussion with S.A. Cosby, Margot Douaihy, Genevieve Essig, and Michael Nava.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon. $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
2:30 – 3:45 PM—Special Event
FESTIVAL CLOSING EVENT: A CELEBRATION OF WRITERS
Our 2023 closing event celebrates Tennessee’s birthday and up-and-coming writers. We’ll hear from our contest winners and premiere the winning one-act play staged reading directed by David Hoover. We’ll also celebrate some of our local community writing groups who support and promote emerging writers by hosting writing marathons, readings, submission happy hours, and free writing workshops. They’ll share some of their work and offer their best words of encouragement to writers.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
3 PM—Theatre
Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré presents Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams
See above for full description.
2023 Tennessee Williams Scholars Conference
FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2023
9 AM – 5:15 PM
Williams Research Center at The Historic New Orleans Collection, 410 Chartres Street
$10 per session or Scholars Conference Pass, VIP Pass, or Literary Discussion Pass.
9 – 9:05 AM
Welcome: Margit Longbrake,
The Historic New Orleans Collection
9:05 – 9:15 AM
Opening remarks: Bess Rowen,
Villanova University
9:15 – 10:30 AM
EN AVANT! EMERGING WILLIAMS SCHOLARS
The future is now: join members of the newest wave of Williams scholars as they discuss eugenics in an unpublished Blanche DuBois monologue, the experimental work of notorious radical 1960s theatre troupe The Living Theatre, and connections between writing and addiction. Moderator: Bess Rowen, Villanova University; Kaitlyn Farrell Rodriguez, University of Texas, Austin; Nigel O’Hearn, University of Texas, Austin; Melissa Lin Sturges, University of Maryland, College Park.
10:45 AM – 12 noon
INTERDISCIPLINARY LENSES ON WILLIAMS
Sometimes it seems that the Williams oeuvre never met a discipline it didn’t like. This year, classic works including Suddenly Last Summer and The Glass Menagerie are new again, and lesser-known works gain interest under the lenses of visual arts, Jewish influence, biography, and food studies. John S. Bak, Université de Lorraine (moderator); Jaclyn Bethany, Independent scholar; Debra Caplan, Baruch College, City University of New York; Thierry Dubost, Université de Caen Normandie; Henry I. Schvey, Washington University, St. Louis.
12 Noon – 1:15 PM Lunch Break
1:15 – 2:45 PM
THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE PERHAPS OF WILLIAMS STUDIES: A ROUNDTABLE IN HONOR OF ROBERT BRAY
Robert Bray, founder of the Tennessee Williams Scholars Conference and the Tennessee Williams Annual Review, joins an array of distinguished theater scholars from the US and abroad in a lively, thought-provoking discussion of the state of Williams studies, hosted by R. Barton Palmer, the journal’s editor-in-chief since 2017. Introduction: Jessica Dorman, The Historic New Orleans Collection; Moderator: R. Barton Palmer, Clemson University (emeritus); Robert Bray, Middle Tennessee State University (emeritus); Dirk Gindt, Stockholm University; John “Ray” Proctor, Tulane University; Annette J. Saddik, Graduate Center, City University of New York; Respondent: John S. Bak, Université de Lorraine.
3 – 4:15 PM
QUEERNESS AT WORK AND PLAY IN AND AFTER WILLIAMS
Scholars reveal surprising uses and legacies of queerness in Williams’ work: come learn about the French Quarter as a dramatic character, Williams as a foundation for US avant-garde theater, and perversity as a challenge not only to heteronormative sexuality but also to the concept of linear time itself. Moderator: David Kaplan, Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival; Kelly I. Aliano, New-York Historical Society; Stephen Cedars, Graduate Center, City University of New York; Benjamin Gillespie, Baruch College, City University of New York.
4:30 – 5:15 PM
A STAGED READING OF TWO NEWLY DISCOVERED STORIES BY WILLIAMS: THE CATERPILLAR DOGS AND TILL ONE OR THE OTHER GITS BACK
Theatre director and scholar Tom Mitchell, who has uncovered a treasure trove of previously unknown short stories from the Williams archives, presents a staged reading of two unusual showdowns from among his finds: a ferocious elderly descendent of pirates and conquistadors faces off with a pair of Pekingese dogs in 20th-century St. Louis, and a characteristically Williamsian troubled relationship undergoes its struggles in a very uncharacteristic spaghetti-Western setting.
