FRIDAY TWFest EVENTS
9 AM – 4 PM
Festival Headquarters open to pick up VIP and LitPasses, purchase Fest merchandise, and to buy tickets. Save time by buying tickets in advance online at www.tennesseewilliams.net/tickets.
Friday, March 22
9 AM – 5:15 PM
Tennessee Williams Scholars Conference
Click here for the full day of events – SCHOLARS CONFERENCE
Williams Research Center at The Historic New Orleans Collection, 410 Chartres Street
$10 per session or Scholars Conference Pass or LitPass or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
10 AM – 12 NOON—Walking 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.
Other dates include: Thursday, March 21 and Saturday, March 23, 10 AM – 12 NOON
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Parlor, $30 or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
10 – 11:15 AM—Writer’s Craft Session
THE DUAL GAZE: WRITING FICTION INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS–WENDY CHIN-TANNER
Do you have a piece of family lore that haunts you? Are you obsessed with a particular place and time? Did something happen in real life that you just can’t get out of your head? Led by Wendy Chin-Tanner, author of the novel King of the Armadillos, this craft session will examine some of the elements of writing fiction inspired by true events. Focusing on research and its methods, purpose, implementation, and challenges, we’ll explore how to balance fact and fiction to create a compelling, page-turning narrative. “Research is formalized curiosity,” writes Zora Neale Hurston. “It is poking and prying with a purpose.” This sentiment will be our touchstone for discussing: How to find the story inside the history; how to become a story detective, zeroing in on what your reader needs to know; how to let gossip (or the concept of it) be your guide; how to avoid info dumping; how to conduct detailed research; how to keep your research lean and mean so you don’t waste time, get overwhelmed, or otherwise drive yourself nuts. Topics will also include creative license, ethics, authenticity, conflict, urgency, narrative arcs, stakes, and more. We’ll do some writing exercises, workshop some ideas, and troubleshoot any issues you might have. No matter where you are with your work-in-progress, our goal is for you to gain a clearer sense of what’s at the heart of your story and how to research it with purpose.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
10 – 11:15 AM—Literary Discussion
A TRUMAN CAPOTE READING AND DISCUSSION
Celebrating the 100th year of Southern writer Truman Capote’s birth with readings, discussion, and stories are moderator and Capote scholar, Stuart Noel, Ph.D., who founded and chairs the Truman Capote Literary Society; actress Brenda Currin, who portrayed Nancy Clutter in Capote’s In Cold Blood; Anna Christina (Tina) Radziwill, daughter of the late Prince Stanislas Radziwill of Poland and Lee Bouvier Radziwill, sister of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. Tina’s mother and Truman Capote were close friends for many years; and Gary Richards, Southern literature scholar.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or LitPass or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
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, Lobby Level, Royal Salon D, $10 or LitPass or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
11:30 AM – 12:45 PM—Writer’s Craft Session
FACT AND FICTION WITH COLM TÓIBÍN
How history, biography and journalism, or an overheard remark, or a story half told, or an experience, can make their way into fiction, and how life can be completed using fictional methods, with special attention to Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw and Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice. With these two stories, we have evidence (from James’s Notebooks and from Katia Mann’s memoirs) about the origin of the stories. We can then study the story, learning how the authors made use of facts to create their fiction and how the imagination was nourished by fact, by anecdote, and by experience that were then transformed as the work progressed.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
11:30 – 12:45 PM—Literary Discussion
VOICES FROM THE PAST: HEARING OUR ANCESTORS IN THE PRESENT
Whether as editors, translators, or anthologists, writers are often called to steward the works of their predecessors alongside creating their own work. Poet Benjamin Morris will moderate a panel exploring the challenges of shepherding books from the past into the present: fiction writer Kayla Min Andrews edited her late mother Katherine Min’s novel The Fetishist, now published posthumously. Poet and professor Ariel Francisco has a forthcoming translation of Haitian poet Jacques Viau Renaud, killed at age 23 in the Dominican Revolution. And Gina Ferrara has recently revived the New Orleans Poetry Journal Press, first founded by Maxine Cassin decades ago, with a new anthology of 100 contemporary New Orleans poets. Each of these writers will discuss how they brought these voices to modern ears, and what literary citizenship means for writer and reader today.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or LitPass or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
1 – 2:15 PM—Literary Discussion
EXPLORING BLANCHE DUBOIS AND THE WOMEN OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS
This panel will explore contemporary Williams and discuss interpretations of his most inspired creation, Blanche DuBois and his adjacent women. A panel of writers and performers will discuss the significance and complexities of his female characters and the female gaze on Williams’ work. The panel will be moderated by Jaclyn Bethany, writer, director, actor and rising Williams scholar, and will include panelists Beth Bartley d’Amour, who has played Blanche as well as numerous Williams women; Lin Gathright, actress and co-artistic director (with Bethany) of New Orleans’ new female focused theater company, The Fire Weeds; LaKesha Glover, actor, producer, and creator of the production company, Tootsie’s Production; Nancy Shoenberger, author of Blanche: The Life and Times of Tennessee Williams’s Greatest Creation; and Judy Lea Steele, interdisciplinary actress, playwright, poet and performance artist.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or LitPass or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
1 – 3 PM—Walking Tour
HISTORY OF QUEER NIGHTLIFE IN NEW ORLEANS TOUR
A 2-hour deep dive into the joy, heartbreak, and history of the New Orleans Queer Underground from the 1850s to the present. Follow the stories of sex worker street gangs, drag queens working for the mafia, jazz artists, and the queer community of today to discover the ways the queer underbelly of New Orleans has shaped the history of the entire world. With over 900 five star reviews, calling the tour “hilarious,” “deeply researched,” and “a life changing experience,” the tour restores New Orleans to its rightful place in Queer History as one of the most dynamic cultures shaping what it even means to be queer. All tours are led by artist, community organizer, and alleged spirit medium Quinn L Bishop. Total tour walking distance is just under 2 miles.
Other dates include: Thursday, March 21, and Saturday – Sunday, March 23 – 24, 1 – 3 PM
Crossing Bar, 439 Dauphine Street, $35 or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
1:30 – 2:45 PM—Writer’s Craft Session
CHARACTER: FINDING THE MISSING PERSONS–MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM
What I hear most often from students is that they have trouble with plot. My response always is, I suspect what you’re telling me is, you’re having trouble with character. Because fully-imagined characters always produce a story. Usually more than one story. Usually more than two. In this session, we’ll build a character together. Then we’ll build a second character. Then we’ll look at their various qualities—ranging from their ages and occupations to their desires and fears—and find the stories. The stories are always there.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
2 – 4 PM—Walking 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.
Other dates include: Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24, 10 AM – Noon and 2 – 4 PM
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Parlor, $30 or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
2:30 – 3:45 PM—Literary Discussion
WRITERS OF A CERTAIN AGE
Being published is hardly a young person’s game, but that’s the perception the world has of writers. How many “under 30/40” lists are there? The implicit assumption is that those who haven’t already made it by the time they’ve hit 50 are never going to get published. This is, of course, absurd, as many brilliant, successful writers have proven! Working in the youth-obsessed world of publishing as writers born in or before the Ford administration, these panelists have experience proving the world wrong. Learn about the challenges, successes and strategies as writers of a certain age. Miles Harvey moderates this discussion with Jubi Arriola-Headley, Teresa Tumminello Brader, Chin-Sun Lee, and Rose Norman.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or LitPass or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
3:00 – 4:15 PM—Writer’s Craft Session
POETRY AND TALKING THINGS WITH STEPHANIE BURT
Who speaks a poem? Is it the poet? Is it the reader? What if it’s a window, or a Muppet, or a giant toad? We’ll look at the history of poems in the voices of characters who do not exist in our world, of animals that can’t talk, and of inanimate objects, going back to ancient Greece and forward to today’s farrago of robots, mutants, and self-portraits as many things. We’ll ask why poets draw on this resource, long ago and today. And we’ll find out—if we can—what’s queer about this kind of poetry, what’s contemporary about it, and how it speaks to the kinds of persons that you—yes, you—might be, or hope to become.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, $25 or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
3:30 – 5 PM—Walking 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.
Other dates include: Thursday, March 21, 11 AM – 12:30 PM and Sunday, March 24, 1 – 2:30 PM.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Parlor, $30 or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
4 – 5:15 PM—Featured Conversation
MAUREEN CORRIGAN, MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM, AND JUSTIN TORRES
The distinguished critic Maureen Corrigan of Fresh Air and the “Book World” section of The Washington Post talks with two award-winning American novelists: Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize winner for The Hours, and Justin Torres, National Book Award winner for Blackouts. Both have new books out—Cunningham’s Day is a heartbreaking look at the pandemic years, and Torres’ Blackouts is about the search for a mysterious book. Both of these writers achieved early acclaim, both have had works adapted for film, and all are teachers—Corrigan at Georgetown, Cunningham at Yale, and Torres at UCLA. Join us for what is sure to be a scintillating conversation about the way American literature is being shaped by their many contributions.
Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or LitPass or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM–Special Event
PRESENTATION OF THE DIANA PINCKLEY PRIZES FOR CRIME FICTION
The Pinckley Prizes for Crime Fiction were established in 2012 for women writers to honor the memory of Diana Pinckley (1952-2012), a longtime crime fiction columnist for The New Orleans Times-Picayune, and her passion for mysteries. After a brief hiatus (COVID, Hurricane Ida), the Prizes return this year with a presentation ceremony and reception. This event honors the 2022 winner, Sascha Rothchild, author of the debut novel, Blood Sugar; the 2023 winner Margot Douaihy, author of Scorched Grace. Alafair Burke, the winner for the Distinguished Body of Work Prize, is unable to attend.
Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal Salon, free and open to the public.
Friday, March 22
5:45 – 7:15 PM—Walking Tour
FRENCH QUARTER GHOSTS AND LEGENDS TOUR
Join acclaimed local author and storyteller Ariadne Blayde for an immersive twilight walk exploring the dark local history and lore of the historic French Quarter, considered one of the most haunted districts in America. Learn about true crime, yellow fever, pirates, ghosts, and the city’s fascinating colonial history through visits to the Quarter’s most haunted places, including the infamous LaLaurie Mansion, the historic Mississippi riverfront, New Orleans’ oldest and most haunted bar, and more. Feel free to bring a drink!
Other dates include: Thursday, March 21, 5:45 – 7:15 PM; Saturday, March 23, 8:30 – 10:00 PM; Sunday, March 24, 5:30 – 7:00 PM
622 Pirates Alley, meet outside Pirates Alley Cafe & Old Absinthe House, next to the Cathedral. $30 or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
7:30 – 8:30 PM—Theatre
LAST BOHEMIA FRINGE FESTIVAL PRESENTS:
THE SINKING OPULENCE SHOW
Back by popular demand! A Cabaret celebrating the sinking of the ship that we are all aboard! Overheard as the audience was leaving, “Tennessee would have loved this—it’s an explosion POW of camp.” Like the legendary tale of The Titanic band playing as the ill-fated ocean liner sank into history’s depths, Tsarina Hellfire, Stanley Roy, and their motley crew of maritime monsters will titillate your ears and tickle your imagination. It’s the last big hurrah until the inevitable glug-glug! An over-the-top romp of Storyville style live music, theater, burlesque, and a delightful devastation of all of your senses! Brought to you by the producers of New Orleans best night out, the widely successful Les Vampyres Cabaret. Includes a talkback led by Fauxnique.
The Twilight Room, 2240 St. Claude Avenue, $35 cocktail table, $20 general admission, or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
7:30 PM—Theatre
THE TENNESSEE WILLIAMS THEATRE COMPANY OF NEW ORLEANS PRESENTS:
KINGDOM OF EARTH BY TENNESSEE WILLIAMS
TWTC opens its eighth season with the Tennessee Williams thriller, Kingdom Of Earth. A dark, stormy night with the levee soon to burst amplifies the tension of the Ravenstock estate where Lot has returned home for a showdown with his half-brother Chicken. Between these two forces of nature, Myrtle finds herself suspended on a tightrope of desire, desperation, and danger. Will she, or any of the trio, survive the night? And what is there to fight over when the water threatens to wash the world away?
Performance Schedule: Thursday – Saturday, March 21 – 23 at 7:30 PM; Sunday, March 24 at 3 PM.
The Marquette Theatre, Loyola University New Orleans, 6363 St. Charles Avenue. Tickets at www.twtheatrenola.com.
Friday, March 22
7:30 PM—Theatre
DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE THEATRE DEPARTMENT PRESENTS:
FIVE BY TENN
We travel through five short plays by one of America’s greatest playwrights meeting characters such as Mrs. Hardwicke-Moore, a tenant in a New Orleans cockroach-infested boarding house and a young couple desperately in love trying to put things together, as they fall apart. We are introduced to New Orleans visitors during Mardi Gras in the 1890’s who hear about an encounter with Lord Byron. There is Bertha, a “scarlet lady” who has fallen on hard times, and, finally, Miss Dorothy Simple, proprietor of the Simple Notions Shop in Primandproper, Mass., who has barricaded her house and heart behind a double row of petunias. The five Tennessee Williams one-acts are The Lady of Larkspur Lotion, Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen, Lord Byron’s Love Letter, Hello from Bertha, and The Case of the Crushed Petunias.
Performance Schedule: Thursday – Saturday, March 21 – 23 at 7:30 PM All curtain times are at 7:30pm.
Tickets at https://www.dcc.edu/academics/liberal-arts-social-sciences-education/programs/theatre/plays/default.aspx
Timothy K. Baker Theatre, Delgado Community College, Bldg. 1 Room 106W, 615 City Park Avenue. $12 or VIP Pass.
Friday, March 22
7:30 PM—Theatre
THE FIRE WEEDS PRESENTS:
OUTRAGED HEARTS: THE PRETTY TRAP AND INTERIOR: PANIC
Female-driven theatre company, The Fire Weeds, presents their debut production in association with the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival. Come discover the rarely produced prototypes for American classics The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire. Co-Directed by Jaclyn Bethany and Lindsey Neville, Outraged Hearts is a powerful, immersive evening featuring two early Tennessee Williams’ one-act plays. Get ready to be captivated by Williams’ unique storytelling and unforgettable characters with an unflinching feminist gaze that promises to be a night of raw emotions and powerful performances. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the magic of Tennessee Williams.
Performance Schedule: Thursday – Friday, March 21 – 22, 7:30 PM; Saturday – Sunday, March 23 – 24, 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM; Tuesday – Friday, March 26 – 29, 7:30 PM; Saturday, March 30, 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM.
Big Couch New Orleans, 1045 Desire Street, $35 adults and $12 for students, or VIP Pass. Tickets at https://outragedhearts.bpt.me/
Friday, March 22
9 PM—Theatre
LAST BOHEMIA FRINGE FESTIVAL PRESENTS:
THIS IS THE PEACEABLE KINGDOM, OR GOOD LUCK GOD
This funny and shocking one-act play, published in 1981, was inspired by a real-life news item from New York City’s borough of Queens, reporting on a four-day nursing strike in the spring of 1978. In Williams’s hysterical—in every sense of the word—farce, the children of some very cranky seniors are forced to take care of their parents. The Peaceable Kingdom of the title is a famous idyllic painting in which born enemies find peace and the lion lies down with the lamb. That doesn’t happen in the Queens nursing home, where the dying are not going gently or even politely. Even so, God appears. Or does God appear? This almost never seen production will be staged with puppets and live actors by the New Orleans Mudlark Public Theatre, directed by Pandora Gastelum. Includes a talkback led by David Kaplan.
The Twilight Room, 2240 St. Claude Avenue, $35 cocktail table, $20 general admission, or VIP Pass.
