The Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival returns for its 35th annual celebration of contemporary literature, culture, theater, and the works of Tennessee Williams. The 2021 festival will offer two consecutive weekends of virtual programming in March: a Writer’s Retreat followed by a weekend of traditional events presented online. Even the festival’s dramatic closing act, a Stella shouting contest inspired by A Streetcar Named Desire, will be held virtually.
The Writer’s Retreat, from March 19 to 21, will include online writing workshops, author events, and a writing marathon. Delivering a keynote inspirational message to writers is Robert Jones, Jr., whose debut novel The Prophets is garnering praise and making top lists across the country. Acclaimed and award-winning authors also participating include C. Morgan Babst, Michael Bourne, Elizabeth Miki Brina, Ethan Brown, Pamela Colloff, Lily King, Leigh Camacho Rourks, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Sunni Patterson, Sharyn Rosenblum, and Katy Simpson Smith. Also included is an agent pitch boot camp and a session by Kindle Direct Publishing with Goodreads.
The following weekend, March 24 to 28, includes the annual Festival traditions presented online. We are thrilled to welcome back favorite friends and new faces including Megan Abbott, Augustin J Correro, Randy Fertel, Alison Gaylin, Eliza Griswold, Ladee Hubbard, Skye Jackson, Robert Jones, Jr., Peggy Scott Laborde, Susan Larson, Laura Lippman, Lauren Markham, John Cameron Mitchell, John Pope, Alice Quinn, Mo Rocca, Brian Sands, Kalamu Ya Salaam, Heather Ann Thompson, M.O. Walsh, and many more.
Special Events
The Festival will open Wednesday, March 24, with an online evening performance of A Vieux Carré Cabaret with Vinsantos, LadyBeast, and Franky. Other virtual events include the Tennessee Williams Tribute Reading focused on New Orleans as Muse with Alan Cumming, Brenda Currin, Rodney Hicks, Ann Magnuson, Amy Ryan, Mink Stole, Blair Underwood, and more. Books & Beignets focusing on The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams; an interview with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright John Patrick Shanley; Bryan Batt in conversation with Tennessee Williams’ scholar Dr. Kenneth Holditch; and a Williams Scholars Session.
Drummer & Smoke online music events sponsored by New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation will include Bon Bon Vivant, Sierra Green and the Soul Machine, Arsène DeLay, and a jazz cocktail hour with Joel Dinerstein. From the Archives will feature Festival highlights from over 35 years, including an archived interview with Tennessee Williams by Eric Paulsen, an interview with Anne Rice, and a panel with John Waters. UNO Press will present poetry readings filmed on location from the book I Am New Orleans and a new memoir by Kalamu ya Salaam. Culinary events will include a live Jazz Brunch show with Poppy Tooker and Ti Martin and classic New Orleans cocktails with Tim McNally; plus a full-length film by Lisa Immordino Vreeland, Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation.
Virtual theater offerings include an original production, The Felt Menagerie—A Williams-Inspired Puppet Comedy from The Tennessee Williams Theatre Co. of New Orleans; Teatro Sin Fronteras / Theater without Borders, showcasing the voices of Latin creatives in New Orleans curated by Jose Torres-Tama; and Tennessee Williams’ one-act plays from The NOLA Project. Other theater-related events include New Orleans, My Muse with Kathy Randels and Stephanie McKee moderated by Monique Verdin; a panel on the New Orleans Black theatre community with Tommye Myrick, Kalamu ya Salaam, Lauren Turner, Kaia Karen Livers, and Nick Slie.
The “Stella! Shout Heard ‘Round the World” contest requires wannabe Marlon Brandos to film themselves shouting the dramatic single line from the script of A Streetcar Named Desire, followed by a second clip offering the location of the contestant with an optional name. (See full instructions in the illustration below.) The deadline is Sunday, March 21.
The Festival shares partner content from The Historic New Orleans Collection, Garden District Book Shop, and the Diana Pinckley Prizes for Crime Fiction.
Founded in 1986, the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival is for readers, writers, theater lovers, and anyone who loves New Orleans’ magical culture. The festival showcases regional, national, and international writers, actors, musicians, and other artists, both acclaimed and emerging. A portion of the programming is devoted to the creative genius of Tennessee Williams, who considered New Orleans his spiritual home. For more information, visit www.tennesseewilliams.net or Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @TWFestNOLA.
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