CONVERSATION AND FILM

Friday, March 25, 3 – 4:15 PM

KENNETH HOLDITCH ON THE LEGACY OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS AND NEW ORLEANS

Through his writing, Tennessee Williams created a mythic New Orleans for himself and readers, a “more congenial place,” where the passions and truths of human nature are revealed in Vieux Carré garrets and Garden District salons. Over a long and distinguished career, pre-eminent Williams scholar Dr. Kenneth Holditch has worked to illuminate Tennessee’s creations, providing insight into the origins of Williams’ most engaging characters, especially those whose stories take place in New Orleans. As a resident of the French Quarter/Marigny for over 50 years, Dr. Holditch’s familiarity with “the last Bohemia” and the eccentricities of New Orleans has shaped our understanding of the role New Orleans played in both Williams’ life and his work. The film illuminates Tennessee’s biography, relationships, and work habits, his faith, family, and friends (high and low). Utilizing previously unseen documentary footage, excerpts from books and lectures, and media from TWFest archives, this film presents Dr. Holditch’s unique appreciation of some of Williams’ best-known plays, as well as his more obscure writing. After the film, Holditch will be interviewed by his longtime friend, actress Brenda Currin.

Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or Literary Discussion Pass or VIP Pass