Join us 32nd Annual Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival

Schedule:

Thursday October 17,2024

11:00 AM  Opening Lunch & Art Exhibit Cutrer Mansion, 109 Clark Street, Clarksdale | Welcome by Jen Waller, Festival Director and Director of the CCHEC/Cutrer Mansion • Special Tribute to the late Dr. Ann Abadie (1939 - 2024) • Performance by the celebrated Coahoma Community College Choir under the direction of Dr. Kelvin Towers • Special exhibit of original artwork by Tennessee Williams exhibited for 2 weeks in partnership with Rhodes College with remarks by Dr. Eric Solomon from the University of Mississippi • Unveiling of original artwork by celebrated New Orleans artist, George Dureau (1930 –2014) on loan to the Cutrer Mansion by Erma Duricko in honor of the late Dr. Kenneth Holditch (1933 – 2022) who served as a respected advisor and presenter for the festival for over 30 years.

Lunch Options  Picnic Boxes available on-site from Our Delta Table in Cleveland which specializes in fresh, wholesome handmade foods such as chicken salad, pimento cheese, pasta salad, fresh fruit. We will have a variety of boxes available (Salad Trio, Croissant Sandwich or the Turkey BLT Wrap). Reserve your choice of box ($16) by Friday, October 11th by emailing [email protected]. We take cash, check made out to MDTWF, or Venmo (@Jen-Waller-5). You may also bring your own lunch. Water will be provided.

1:00 PM  Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum and St.George’s Episcopal Church open for tours | 106 Sharkey Avenue. The museum is housed in the four upstairs bedrooms of the former rectory. Young Tom (before he was Tennessee) Williams lived with and then visited his grandparents in Clarksdale while his grandfather Rev. Walter E. Dakin was the rector of St. George's from 1917-1931. Williams would feature the names and stories of members of the congregation in some of his most famous plays.

2:00 PM  Tour of Tennessee Williams' Clarksdale | The tour bus leaves from and returns to the Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum, 106 Sharkey Ave and is led by Karen Kohlhaas, Museum Curator. There is no charge for the tour but reservations are necessary: [email protected]. The tour includes important historical Clarksdale locations, inspirations and settings from Williams plays, including our featured play Spring Storm, and also Orpheus Descending, A Streetcar Named Desire, This Property is Condemned, The Glass Menagerie, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The tour features monologues and scenes from some of those plays, read by actors and participants.

5:30 PM to 7:30 PM  Delta Dinner Party at Kathryn's on Moon Lake | 5770 Moon Lake Road, Dundee, MS | Dinner Fee: $45 Dinner must be pre-ordered and purchased by October 11th by emailing [email protected]. We take cash, check or Venmo (@Jen-Waller-5). Kathryn's sells beer and is BYOB for wine/spirits. A prix fixe dinner menu including Moon Lake Onion Rings, Kathryn's Salad, an entrée choice (Fried Shrimp, Grilled Shrimp, Chicken Piccata, or Pasta with a Lemon Caper Cream Sauce), side options and a dessert will be offered.

Friday October 18,2024

9:15 AM  Tennessee Williams 101 | With Augustin Correro, Founding Co-Artistic director of the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans and author of Tennessee Williams 101. Limited free copies of Tennessee Williams 101 (2021) will be available. When those run out, the book can be purchased for $20.

10:15 AM History and Analysis of Spring Storm | With Tom Mitchell, Emeritus Professor, Department of Theatre, University of Illinois.

11:15 AM  Scholar Panel: The Significance of Tennessee Williams moderated by W. Ralph Eubanks, Faculty Fellow and Writer in Residence at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi, in conversation with Special Guests.

Noon Lunch on your own at one of Clarksdale's fine restaurants

Afternoon All afternoon presentations are at the Carnegie Public Library  114 Delta Avenue

2:00 PM  Writing Spring Storm | With Karen Kohlhaas, Williams scholar, documentary filmmaker and curator of the Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum. Featuring film clips from Karen's documentary that depict what Williams' life was like as he wrote our featured play, Spring Storm.

3:00 PM  Site-Specific Scene Performance from Spring Storm by the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans

4:00 PM  Book Talk  Searching for My Father, His First Wife, and Tennessee Williams Online discussion with author Melanie McCabe

Evening  Address TBA

5:30PM-7:30PM  Wine and Cheese Party at Eva's with Very Special Guest, legendary actor and director Austin Pendleton, in conversation with Karen Kohlhaas. Address TBA.

Saturday October 19,2024

9:00 AM  Student Drama Competition Norman Brown Commons Building at the CCHEC/Cutrer Mansion 109 Clark Street. A festival favorite, the Student Drama Competition highlights high school students from across Mississippi who compete with Tennessee Williams monologues, scenes, and "Stella!!!!" calls, for trophies and $2500 in prizes for their school programs. Free and open to the public.

Noon  Lunch on your own at one of Clarksdale's fine restaurants. The student luncheon is in the courtyard of the Cutrer Mansion.

1:00-2:30 PM  Woman's Club Open House and Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum Tours  101 and 106 Sharkey Ave  The Clarksdale Woman's Club, an active service club since 1907, will serve refreshments in their clubhouse, which was built in 1923. Visit the rectory museum across the street, attend the talk in the church, and stop by the Woman's Club for some hometown hospitality and refreshments before the porch plays.

2:30PM A Visit to St. George's Episcopal Church with remarks by the Reverend Charlie Deaton 106 Sharkey Ave Rev. Deaton will speak inside the sanctuary where Tennessee Williams' grandfather, the Rev. Walter E. Dakin, was rector 1917—1931.

3:00-6:00 PM  Porch Plays in Clarksdale's Historic District

415 Court Street  Panny's Porch  The Gentleman Caller Scene from Williams' The Pretty Trap (a precursor to The Glass Menagerie) performed by The Fire Weeds Theatre Company of New Orleans.

203 Court Street  Sherman Law Office  Performances by winners of the Student Monologue & Scene Competition

235 Clark Street  Home of Tom and Fran Ross  Sherrye Williams portrays Amanda Wingfield

41 John Street  Governor Brewer Mansion Spring Storm full play performed by the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans, directed by Salvatore Mannino.

6:15-7:15 PM  After-Party at a "Hot Spot Cafe" (inspired by Baby Doll)  Location TBA

Date:October 17-19,2024

Location:Various Venue in Clarksdale

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