Festival Figures

Back at the office, we’re tallying up everything that went into making it a truly memorable weekend. Here are a few of our Festival figures:

9,500+ audience seats filled at 29 panels, 17 theater performances, 7 special events, 8 master classes, 6 walking tours, the Tennessee Williams Scholars Conference, and writeNOW, our educational outreach program
150+ authors, thespians, musicians, chefs, and performers (including bounce dancers, burlesque performers, and a ukulele player)
150 invaluable volunteers who helped take tickets, sell concessions, register guests, and man the info desk and box office
44 generous sponsors and 185 Friends of Tennessee who keep the literary arts vibrant and accessible
25 raucous Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest contenders (Pictured above: Dewey Caddell, whose melancholy moans earned him the first place. Photo by Earl Perry.)
2,500 cups of Hendrick’s Gin cocktails consumed (Pictured right: (That delectable Night at the Iguana punch! Photo by Ride …

Perfect Attendance

Top 3 Attended Literary Panel Discussions

New Orleans in 1920s: Bohemians, Baby Dolls, and Storyville
Writing New Orleans: the Most “Exotic” Place in America
Conversation with Michael Cunningham

Most Popular Master Classes

Scenes from a Screenwriter’s Notebook: John Patrick Shanley: Big Screen Stories
Resurrect the Past: Susan Straight: Mining History for Your Book
A Sense of Time and Place in Literary Fiction: Zachary Lazar: Mapping and Timing Narrative Space (Pictured right. Photo by Ride Hamilton.)

Overheard at the Festival

“#TWF13 Festival author (and 2013 fiction writing contest judge) Michael Cunningham talks marriage and divorce in his impromptu #SixWordStory  http://ow.ly/jmezf”
“Heinz Heisl and Magdalena Kauz come all the way from Austria to pose with Tennessee! http://tinyurl.com/cy88qj5” (Pictured, right. Tennessee Williams courtesy of The Times-Picayune.)
“Don’t miss out on seeing literary rockstars like #TWF13 performers Bryan Batt, Harry Shearer, Michael Arata, and Cristine McMurdo-Wallis! Visit our Festival box office now! But in the meantime, check out this clip of Bryan Batt and Alison Fraser leaving the stage after their reading of ‘Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen…’ Thursday night. http://ow.ly/jlwR7”
“Ayana Mathis, Leonard Pitts, Jr., and Susan Straight wave hello from the 2013 #TennesseeWilliams Festival! #TWF13 http://ow.ly/jlwu9”
“Between her starring roles at the #TWF13, Cristine McMurdo-Wallis enjoys the spirited sounds of Tanya and Dorsie on Royal St. http://tinyurl.com/bnct2bn”
“Her name is Moira Crone, and she’s here to tell you a #SixWordStory http://ow.ly/jj4hb”

Follow us on …

Festival Best-Sellers

Local independent bookseller Garden District Book Shop offered Festival authors’ books for sale, along with special books about Louisiana and all things Tennessee. How many of these Festival best-sellers are on your nightstand? (Photo by Earl Perry.)

The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published, Arielle Eckstut & David Henry Sterry
The “Baby Dolls”: Breaking the Race and Gender Barriers of the New Orleans Mardi Gras Tradition, Kim Marie Vaz
The Miniature Wife and Other Stories, Manuel Gonzales
The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, Ayana Mathis
Dixie Bohemia: A French Quarter Circle in the 20′s, John Shelton Reed
Leave Me Alone, I’m Reading, Maureen Corrigan
Shoot the Money, Chris Wiltz

Take the 2013 Festival Survey

Fill out our brief survey for a chance to win a free Stella-a-a! tank top.

Box Office Updates

Our online box office will close on Wednesday, March 20th 11 a.m. CST. The box office will re-open on site at The Hotel Monteleone (Mezzanine level) from Thursday March 21st through Sunday the 24th, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

7 Important Festival News Items

1. Every year, major stars gather to pay tribute to Tennessee. Join us for this year’s tribute, Tennessee Williams in Others’ Words. Among the presenters is Don Murray, the film icon who starred alongside Marilyn Monroe in Bus Stop and worked with our namesake playwright himself.

2. Only A Paper Moon: A Tennessee Williams Songbook captures the soul of Tennessee and puts it to music. If you can’t make it to our Fundraiser Gala, you can still catch a performance of the songbook on Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

3. Our 2013 Festival Raffle is offering a grand prize worth $2,000 – including a VIP All-Access Pass, a Swag Bag overflowing with concessions, and a 2013 Library of many of the books and authors featured at our Festival this year. All books will be autographed by authors, and all prize items will …

Revisit Tennessee’s French Quarter Stomping Grounds: Literary Walking Tours

New Orleans — and especially the French Quarter — played a very vital part in shaping Tennessee Williams. When he came here for the first time, he was Tom Williams. When he left here a couple months later, he was going 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. Revisit the homes and hangouts where he lived and worked and returned to throughout his adult life, beloved spots that helped to make Tennessee America’s greatest playwright.

Each Literary Walking Tour will start with an introduction by Dr. Kenneth Holditch. Read on for the days and times of our six Literary Walking Tours.

Event: Literary Walking Tour
Date: Friday
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Tour meets in the Hotel Monteleone …

“STELLA-A-A-A!”: The Stella/Stanley Shouting Contest Returns!

That’s right, the Tennessee Williams Festival’s annual Stella/Stanley Shouting Contest is back for #TWF13! Read on for details on this very special event and our sponsor, Hendrick’s Gin, as well as footage from past contests and the Shouting Contest Practice videos on Vine!

Follow us on Vine, Instagram, and Twitter @TWFestNOLA
Check out our official Facebook page for updates throughout the Festival weekend

The 27th Annual Stella/Stanley Shouting Contest

Join the #TWF13 Stanley/Stella Shouting Contest and vie to rival Stanley Kowalski’s shout for “STELLAAAAA!!!” in the unforgettable scene from A Streetcar Named Desire. The most outrageous, unique, and convincing rendition wins! Shouters are also welcome to try a little role reversal and yell “STANLEYYYY!” instead. Whichever name you decide to shout, remember to bring your A-game because prizes will be awarded.

Date: Sunday March 24, 2013
Time: 4:15 – 6:00 p.m.
Location: Jackson Square
Price: Free and open to the public

This event is made possible by the generous support of Hendrick’s Gin.

Sponsor Spotlight: Hendrick’s Gin

Hendrick’s is a most unusual Gin that has taken the world by storm since it was first introduced, thanks to its delightfully unique flavour, which combines a distinct blend of eleven botanicals, as well as the signature infusions of Cucumber and Rose petals, producing a wonderfully refreshing gin with a delightfully unique aroma. Hand crafted in Scotland in miniscule batches, Hendrick’s uses a marriage of spirits from a Carter-Head and Copper Pot Still, a combination produces a divinely smooth gin that has both the required character and balance of subtle flavours.

Since its induction in the US, Hendrick’s has gained widespread acclaim and received numerous awards, including a Double gold medal at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition; “Gin of the Year” at the Food and Wine Magazine Awards, and voted “World’s Best Gin” by the Wall Street Journal.

Check Out Our Shouts on Youtube and Vine

It’s no secret that our annual Stanley/Stella Shouting Contest features impassioned participants from around the country who take their shouting very seriously. Each year at the climax of the Festival the Stanley/Stella shouters resurrect the memory of Marlon Brando’s impassioned “STELLA-A-A-A!!” from the film version of A Streetcar Named Desire.

In celebration of this stellar event, we asked local New Orleanians to let us capture their best shouts in a Vine video, as practice for the 2013 contest. Read on for links to our “Stanley/Stella Shouting Contest Practice” clips, as well as YouTube videos from past contests. Remember, the competition gets stiffer with each passing year, so take a look at these clips to pick up a few pointers for the #TWF13 contest!

Follow us on Vine, Instagram, and Twitter (@TWFestNOLA)  for video updates throughout the Festival weekend!

Clips:

#TWF13 Shouting Contest Practice: Round 1 (Vine)

#TWF13 Shouting Contest Practice: Round 2 …

Literary Jook Joint: Q&A with MelaNated Writers Collective

The MelaNated Writers Collective nurtures emerging writers-of-color in New Orleans, and has been embraced by local fans as well as national media outlets. Learn more about their evolution and upcoming collaboration with the Tennessee Williams Festival.

New Orleans Nocturnes: Q&A with People Say Project

Jarret Lofstead’s edge and enthusiasm cuts through to crucial issues in the development of New Orleans’s cultural economy.

Cocktails and Conversation with Festival Author, Kit Wohl

Among the 2013 Festival’s many special events, is the Saturday afternoon discussion of classic New Orleans cocktails led by author Kit Wohl and mixologist Hadi Kitiri-Idrissi. Wohl, Festival speaker and author of the critically acclaimed Classic New Orleans cookbook series, will lend her culinary expertise to the 2013 Festival’s Saturday afternoon special event, “Sipping on a New Orleans Afternoon.”

Read on for more information about author Kit Wohl and details on this must-attend special event.

Special Event: “Sipping on a New Orleans Afternoon”

The 2013 Festival special event, “Sipping on a New Orleans Afternoon,” pairs critically acclaimed author Kit Wohl with mixologist Hadi Kitiri-Idrissi, to sample and discuss historic New Orleans beverages at Arnaud’s iconic French 75 Bar. Wohl will share from her latest book, New Orleans Classic Cocktails, which boasts over sixty recipes from absinthe cocktails to Tennessee Williams’ beverage of choice, the Sazerac.

Spend a relaxing Saturday afternoon sampling Old New Orleans Rum specialty drinks while listening to history, musings, and stories about the history of cocktails in New Orleans. For the price of admission, this special event also includes a signed copy of Wohl’s latest book,  New Orleans Classic Cocktails.

Event: “Sipping on a New Orleans Afternoon”
Date: Saturday March 23, 2013
Time: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Location: Arnaud’s French 75 Bar, 813 Bienville
Ticket Type: Special Event
Price: $30, or included in All-Access Pass
Ticket Code: SippingSat130pm

Purchase …

Bryan Batt Reads at the Festival’s Thursday Night Event

Mad Men’s Bryan Batt will be performing at the Thursday night theater event “Those Rare Electrical Things Between People: Readings of Three One-Act Plays by Tennessee Williams,” along with Harry Shearer, Alison Fraser, Cristine McMurdo-Wallis, and Nell Nolan. Batt will be reading Tennessee Williams’ “Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen…” alongside Alison Fraser.

Read on for a full description of the event, or peruse the 2013 Festival program for our selection of panel discussion, master class, and theater offerings.

Event: Those Rare Electrical Things Between People: Readings of Three One-Act Plays by Tennessee Williams
Description: This year’s Festival kicks off with an entertaining trio of Tennessee Williams’s one-act gems. Written when the author was only 28, “The Palooka” is an age-old tale of youth and age in which an up-and-coming fighter comes face-to-face with his hero, and perhaps his …

Tennessee Returns! Actor Jeremy Lawrence as Tennessee Williams

Crowd favorite Jeremy Lawrence returns to the 2013 Festival to explore the character of our eponymous playwright, Tennessee Williams. The actor and writer has a knack for personifying cultural greats like Tennessee, and also appears as Albert Einstein. This year, Lawrence will lend his talents to two Festival theater events: “There’s No Way We Can’t Finally Win,” an exploration of Williams’ personality and career; and “Tennessee Williams in Others’ Words,” a piecing together of Williams’ life through the eyes of those who knew him best.

Read on for a full description of these events, or peruse the 2013 Festival program for our selection of panel discussion, master class, and theater offerings.

Event: There’s No Way We Can’t Finally Win
Description: A new exploration of Tennessee Williams, arranged and performed by Jeremy Lawrence, culled from essays, letters and his works, many unpublished, and mostly …

Experience Tennessee Williams’ “Auto-Da-Fe” Performed on a Live Set in the French Quarter

The annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival is known for its stellar theater performances, and this year is no different. Tennessee Williams’ one-act, “Auto-Da-Fe,” has two scheduled showings during the Festival and uses the French Quarter itself as a set!

The term auto da fe refers to a ritual of public penance that took place during the Spanish Inquisition, which makes it that much more appropriate as the title of Tennessee Williams’ one-act which will be performed using the historic New Orleans French Quarter as a live – and very public – set.

Directed by Jef Hall-Flavin and starring Cristine McMurdo-Wallis and Ben Berry, “Auto-Da-Fe” brings to life the story of puritanical Eloi Duvenet, who is over 30 and still lives with his mother. We find the two of them squabbling on the balcony of their Vieux Carre boarding house as the …

Festival Offerings That Help You Get Published

Need help navigating the complex process of publishing your work? Take advantage of these 6 Festival offerings designed specifically to help you get published.

1. “The Art of Self-Publishing”
Description: Cornell Landry provides practical tips for the self-published author. A great class for those tired of the query cycle or for anyone who might have wondered what self-publishing is all about.
Event Type: Master Class
Instructor: Cornell Landry
Date: Thursday March 21
Time: 9:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Location: Historic New Orleans Collection
Price: Single ticket ($25), or included in Master Class Full Series Pass ($175) or All-Access Pass ($500)
Ticket Code: MC-LandryTh9am

2. “The Art of the Debut: Writers on Their First Books”
Description: Panelists tell how they got their first fiction byline, ensnared their agents, won fellowships, maintained (or chucked) their day jobs and kept their sanity as they gained their bona fides as writers.
Event Type: Panel Discussion
Panelists: Manuel Gonzales, …

Announcing the Results of the 27th Annual One-Act Play Contest

The Festival is staunchly committed to nurturing emerging writers, and the abundance of fresh talent we receive every year is stunning.

Announcing the Results of the 5th Annual Fiction Contest

We’d like thank all the writers who submitted work for consideration. It was our pleasure and honor to receive such challenging, poignant, and innovative stories.

Opening Night Fever: Cocktail Gala & New Orleans Premiere of Only A Paper Moon

An intimate reception with decadent food and drinks will be followed by the New Orleans premiere of “Only A Paper Moon,” a tribute to the music floating through the finest plays of Tennessee Williams.

Interview with David Kaplan, Curator of “Only A Paper Moon”

A lively interview with David Kaplan explores how Williams used music to articulate the complex human experience of both suffering and joy, often at the same time.

Get the Most Out of Your Festival Experience

Are you planning your Festival itinerary? Trying to decide which ticket types to buy? Want to score seats for those coveted wait-listed events? Consult our Sample Day at the Festival guide below to help make your choices. Plus, get a detailed explanation of ticket packages and a list of newly available events.

24 Hours of Tennessee: A Sample Day at the Festival

A five-day celebration of literature and Tennessee Williams is an exciting prospect, to be sure. But given this bevy of programming options, how does one decide which events to attend?

Fear not, Festival Fans, we have compiled a Sample Day at the Festival with suggestions on everything from panel discussions and master classes, to dining and after-hours venues. For our Sample Day, we chose Saturday, March 23rd, 2013. You, however, can browse the 2013 program and create your own Festival schedule. Read on to see how you can make the best of your Festival experience.

Day Four of the Festival: Saturday, March 23rd, 2013

7:30 a.m.
START AT THE BEGINNING
Start your morning with a hot cup of French Market Coffee in the place where locals say the French Quarter really begins: the Hotel Monteleone lobby. During your visit to the Crescent City, you will want to experience as …

Seats Now Available for Select Wait-Listed Events

Previously, we announced that a few of our limited-seating events were on hold. We are pleased to let you know that we now have tickets available for the following events:

Restaurant Scoop from the Virtual Gourmet with John Mariani: Friday, March 22nd at 5:30 PM
Ticket Code: RestaurFri530pm
Sipping on a New Orleans Afternoon: Saturday, March 23rd at 1:30 P.M.
Ticket Code: SippingSat130pm
At Tennessee’s Table: Sunday, March 24th at 11:30 A.M.
Ticket Code: TableSun1130am

Only a limited number of tickets are available so buy your tickets now!

Buying Tickets, Demystified: Browse Our Best Packages

VIP All-Access Pass
The VIP All-Access Pass grants unlimited access to the Festival’s 70 literary and theatrical events over the course of the entire weekend. Oh, and did we mention it comes with an invitation to our exclusive VIP party? The VIP All-Access Pass is a must for any Festival-goer wanting the complete Tennessee Williams experience, with a VIP twist.
Cost: $500
Access: Unlimited

One-Day Festival Panel Pass
Good for a specific day of your choosing, a One-Day Festival Panel Pass grants you access to all of the panels, “Conversations With” events, and music events, as well as the One-Act Play Contest reading and production. The best part? You don’t need individual reservations, just drop in and join the fun. The One-Day Panel Pass is perfect for those who want to experience the Festival on a flexible schedule.
Cost: $30
Access: Approximately 30 different programs (Access limited to …

Polish Your Writing Skills in Our Master Classes

Interested in sharpening your fiction writing skills, shopping your book to an agent, or even delving into the world of screenwriting? Discuss these topics, and many more, in a personalized learning environment with our professional instructors. Headlining our 2013 Festival Master Class series are authors Zachary Lazar (novelist) and John Patrick Shanley (Oscar-winning screenwriter), among many other established writers. Read on for author interviews, as well as descriptions for all 2013 Master Class offerings.

Menu of 2013 Master Classes

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Master Class: The Art of Self-Publishing
Instructor: Cornell Landry
Cost: $25 individually, or included in Full Series Pass $175
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2013
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: The Historic New Orleans Collection

Master Class: A Sense of Time and Place in Literary Fiction
Instructor: Zachary Lazar
Cost: $25 individually, or included in Full Series Pass $175
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2013
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Location: The Historic New Orleans Collection

Master Class: Mining History for Your Book
Instructor: Susan Straight
Cost: $25 individually, or included in Full Series Pass $175
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2013
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: The Historic New Orleans Collection

Master Class: Shaping Speculative Fiction
Instructor: Moira Crone
Cost: $25 individually, or included in Full Series Pass $175
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2013
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Location: The Historic New Orleans Collection

Friday, March 22, 2013 

Master Class: How to Get Successfully Published
Instructor: Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry
Cost: …

Q&A with Critically Acclaimed Author and Master Class Instructor, Zachary Lazar

For his novel Sway, Zachary Lazar ventured back to the London of the 1960s. In his memoir, Evening’s Empire: The Story of My Father’s Murder, he retraces the more personal history of his own father’s life. Lazar, whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Newsday, and elsewhere, will conduct the Master Class “A Sense of Time and Place in Literary Fiction” for the 2013 Festival. During this class he will share the tools of setting scenes from different time periods and places, while discussing narrative elements such as voice and character. We sat down with Lazar for a more in-depth discussion about the class, his memoir, and what’s on his personal reading list.

Your latest book, a memoir called Evening’s Empire: The Story of My Father’s Murder, attempts to elucidate the mysterious circumstances surrounding …

A Word from Oscar-Winning Screenwriter and Master Class Instructor, John Patrick Shanley

During the class Shanley discusses his screen and stage career, and offers insider wisdom and his personal thoughts on the writing life. Facilitated by Thomas Keith, an editor and leading authority on contemporary theater, this session promises lively conversation.

A Conversation with Harry Shearer, Artist-Activist Extraordinaire

We attempt to pick his endlessly creative brain and hold our own alongside his disarming wit.

The Box Office Is Open!

Reserve your tickets today! Many events are extremely popular and sell out very quickly.

2013 Festival Raffle: Win the Festival Library!

Win dozens of new releases and classics penned by our speakers and help support our WriteNow outreach program.

Oprah Picks Ayana Mathis’ “Twelve Tribes of Hattie”

Ayana Mathis‘s debut novel, Twelve Tribes of Hattie is the latest Oprah Book Club pick. “The opening pages of Ayana’s debut took my breath away,” Oprah said. “I can’t remember when I read anything that moved me in quite this way, besides the work of Toni Morrison.”

When we read the book’s galleys some months back, we had a similar reaction and immediately invited her to attend our 2013 Festival. We’re thrilled that she accepted and can’t wait to host her in March. Ayana will speak on two panels at the Festival: “The Art of the Debut: Writers on their First Books,” during which we imagine she’ll have lots to say about after her wild journey in Oprah-land, and “The South: Literature of Exile, Refuge and Return,” alongside Vivek Bald and John Jeremiah Sullivan.

To hear Ayana, and other talented new (and new-ish) …

Holiday Sale: Save Up to 20% On Tickets

Searching for the perfect present for your favorite bibliophile, writer, or theater lover? Give them a VIP All-Access, Master Class, or Panel Pass to the 27th annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, and you’ll be giving the gift of inspiration. Hurry, offer ends January 4th!

Advertise in Our Commemorative Program

An ad in the program will drive traffic to your business before, during, and after the Festival! Reserve your ad now; the deadline for our print version is February 3.

Summer Ticket Special: $395 for VIP All-Access Passes

Save more than 20% on your golden ticket to the 2013 Festival! Offer ends August 31, 2012.

Me and Tennessee

Email your pix to us and we’ll share on our Facebook and Pinterest pages.

Take Our Survey

We hope you found the 2013 Festival enriching and entertaining. Take our survey for a chance to win a free Stella-a-a! tank top.

Festival Wrap-Up

Thank you all so much for joining us to celebrate the 26th annual Festival! Friends came from near and far, from French Quarter regulars to fans from far flung countries like Australia, China, and Trinidad.

It was a whirlwind weekend: Tom Sancton and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band tugged at our heartstrings at the Song for My Fathers gala (Pictured, photo by Ride Hamilton); audiences were spellbound by a conversation with Piper Laurie, Bryan Batt, and Christian LeBlanc; rumbling bellies were appeased at Home is Where the Heart Is: Cooking for the Family with Chef John Besh; and the city’s most lauded jazz musicians brought down the house at Swinging the Hippest of the Standards.

Missed the Festival? Check out the 2012 Program to see our panels and Master Classes. We’ll have audio recordings of selected events available for purchase very soon in our …

Festival Figures

Back at the office, we’re tallying up everything that went into making it a truly memorable weekend. Here are a few of our Festival figures:

8,000+ audience seats filled at 34 panels, 8 theater performances, 8 special events, 8 master classes, 6 walking tours, the Tennessee Williams Scholars Conference, and writeNOW, our educational outreach program
150+ authors, thespians, musicians, chefs, and performers (including opera singers, belly dancers, and burlesque performers)
180 invaluable volunteers who helped take tickets, sell concessions, register guests, and man the info desk and box office
33 generous sponsors and 160 Friends of Tennessee who keep the literary arts vibrant and accessible
25 exceptionally loud Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest contenders (Pictured: Nicole Martin, whose powerful pipes earned her the top prize. Photo by Earl Perry.)
60 gallons of mint juleps dispensed at our booth at the Road Food Festival
50+ autographed books by Festival authors given to the grand prize …

Top 3 Attended Literary Panel Discussions

New Orleans Free People of Color
Living Out Loud: A Conversation with Piper Laurie (Pictured: Piper Laurie signing copies of her new memoir, Learning to Live Out Loud. Photo by Earl Perry.)
TIE: Between the Lionels: Living Treasures of New Orleans Music and It’s Getting Ugly Out There: Politics in an Election Year

2012 Festival in the News

Press clips of the 2012 Festival events.

Our Lucky, Lucky Raffle Winners!

Check out the results of the draw.

Our Box Office Moves Onsite!

Our online Box Office is now closed as we move onsite to set up for the Festival.

Last Minute Festival Info

Our box office will close on Tuesday, March 20 at 12:00 PM CST. It will open again onsite at the Hotel Monteleone on Thursday, March 22th through Sunday, March 26th from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM CST. Click the title to read more.

Susan Larson’s Blog: The Kindness of Writers, Part Deux

Alex Cook takes readers on a whirlwind tour of good times in south Louisiana.

Mint Juleps, Book Fair, Stella, and More!

The 26th annual Tennessee Williams / New Orleans Literary Festival is only days away! We’re busy putting the finishing touches to what we’re hoping will be the best Fest yet.

Mint Juleps at the Road Food Festival
Refresh yourself between events with one of our famous, signature mint juleps at our booth at the New Orleans Road Food Festival. We’ll be at the French Market on Saturday, March 24 and Sunday, March 25. Our juleps will be served in special Mardi Gras keepsake cups! Read all about Maureen Detweiler’s Mint Julep Mix for a Crowd (pictured).

Our New Orleans To Do List

Support our wonderful Festival sponsors with your patronage.

Last Call! 50% Off Theater Tickets – Three Days Only

Buy your tickets now! Hurry, offer ends Tuesday, March 20 at 12:00PM CST. Limited number of tickets available.

Q&A with Elena Passarello, the 2011 Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest Winner

We caught up with Elena to learn the secret of a winning shout.

Susan Larson’s Blog: Piper Laurie’s Got Tales to Tell

And in Learning to Live Out Loud, her own is the most interesting of all.

Every fan of movies and plays and television has a favorite version of Piper Laurie — in The Hustler, The Glass Menagerie, Twin Peaks, The Grass Harp or Rich in Love, the list just goes on and on — but after reading Learning to Live Out Loud, you may find that your favorite version of her is the true, complex woman behind all those well-known roles. Piper Laurie is a truth-teller, that’s for sure.

2-for-1 Ticket Offers for “Glass Mendacity” and “Steel Magnolias”

Hurry! Offer ends Tuesday, March 20, 2012.

Auction: Dine at Tennessee’s Table at Galatoire’s

Here’s your chance to live like Tennessee! During the Fest, eat at our namesake’s usual table on the first floor of the famed restaurant.

Listen to WTUL 91.5 FM and Win Panel Passes!

Set your radio on Monday, March 12 and Tuesday, March 13.

Susan Larson’s Blog: For the Aspiring Writers

We know that readers love the Tennessee Williams Festival. But writers love it too! They enter our contests in fiction and poetry, they gain inspiration from master classes, and this year, we’ve added two events that are designed for aspiring writers: the New Orleans Writing Marathon and Pitchapalooza.

Priceless Raffle: Win the Festival Library!

Purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win our 2012 Festival library, a collection of over 50 prize-winning books, films and CDs by speakers appearing at the Festival. The grand prize is worth over $2,000, and is great way to take the Festival home with you. For a chance to win these prizes, buy a raffle ticket ($5) or three ($10).

Susan Larson’s Blog: Late Night with Lafcadio!

A Q&A with the People Say Project’s Brian Boyles and Jarret Lofstead. We’re teaming up with these innovative minds to bring you the Literary Late Night: Lafcadio Hearn Revue.

Check us out in 360 West Magazine and The Tulane Hullabaloo

360 West, a lifestyle magazine from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, gives the scoop on the Festival experience in New Orleans Gets Booked Up.

And Tulane University talks Streetcar and Shouting Contest in Pop Culture Inspired by New Orleans.

2012 Poetry Contest Results

We’re delighted to announce the finalists and the grand prize winner of our 2nd Annual Poetry Contest, selected by Louisiana Poet Laureate Julie Kane.

New Theater Event: Selected Scenes from “Steel Magnolias” by Robert Harling

We invite you to take a trip to Northwest Louisiana to visit Truvy’s beauty parlor in this comedy–drama play reading about the bond among a group of Southern women who are as delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel. This staged reading is directed by Perry Martin and features the Bayou Playhouse production with actresses Kathryn Tabot, Daphney Hernandez, Jillian Vedros-Rowan, Pat Hornsby Crochet, Jackie Freeman, and Abby Lake. Steel Magnolias made its New York premiere 25 years ago, and has since become a theatrical classic. Buy your ticket now!

Time: 2:30 P.M. on Sunday, March 25, 2012
Location: Hotel Monteleone, La Nouvelle Ballroom
Price: $25
Ticket Codes: SteelSun230pm, AllAccessPass
Ticket Types: Theater Ticket, All Access Pass

Outdoor Screening of “A Streetcar Named Desire” on Friday, March 9

Get your tickets ($3-6 plus booking fee), grab a blanket, and head to the New Orleans Museum of Art’s gorgeous Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden.

Festival President on GoNOLA Radio

Listen to a preview of the Festival’s events from our board president Janet Daley Duval on GoNOLA Radio here. All the events she mentioned can be found on our schedule. Tickets are available via our order form.

Fiction Contest Finalists

We’re thrilled to announce the finalists of our 2012 Fiction Contest as chosen by our judge Amy Hempel.

New Drummer and Smoke Event

Don’t miss our newest Drummer and Smoke event, Swinging the Hippest of the Standards! Join some of New Orleans’ most lauded jazz musicians as they perform selections that have come to be recognized as modern jazz classics or standards.

Time: 2:30 P.M. on Sunday, March 25, 2012
Location: Palm Court Jazz Café, 1204 Decatur Street
Ticket Types:  All Access Pass, Literary Panel Pass, Student Panel Pass, Teacher/Senior Citizen Literary Panel Pass, One Day Festival Panel Pass, Single Panel Ticket (only available on site)

“Streetcar Named Desire” Time Change

Please note that the following events have changed times:

A Streetcar Named Desire: Thursday, March 22th at 7:30 PM
A Streetcar Named Desire: Friday, March 23th at 7:30 PM
A Streetcar Named Desire: Saturday, March 24th at 7:30 PM

Sold Out Events: Breakfast Book Club and New Orleans Food Memories

Due to the high volume of Summer and Holiday Special All Access Ticket holders, the following events have sold out:

Breakfast Book Club: Saturday, March 24th at 8:00 AM
New Orleans Food Memories: Sunday, March 25th at 11:30 AM

We’re looking into adding seats and are beginning a wait list.

If you’re interested in tickets to any of these sold out events, please send an email to info@tennesseewilliams.net with the words WAIT LIST in the subject line. Please include your contact information (phone number and email), the event you’d like to attend, and the number of tickets you’d like to purchase. Someone from our office will contact you should a space become available.

The 2012 Program is online!

John Guare, Amy Hempel, Piper Laurie, Victor Navasky, and Jesmyn Ward are just some our headliners. Plus, a full production of A Streetcar Named Desire, Stella Shouting Contest, and more.