UPDATE
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WED 3/26
7:00 PM | Special Events:
AN EVENING WITH TENNESSEE AND HIS WOMEN Festival Fundraiser
Please join us as we inaugurate our 22nd annual Festival with wine, dinner, music, and theatrical entertainment at the Palm Court Jazz Caf.Williams himself will be in attendance (as played by Jeremy Lawrence) and will chat with celebrity interviewer Rex Reed. Distinguished actresses, including Stephanie Zimbalist and Nell Nolan, will star in short performances portraying some of Williams' most legendary female characters. Also enjoy live jazz, an auction, and prize drawings. Proceeds benefit the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. Cocktail attire or come as your favorite Tennessee Williams character. Limited Seating.
Palm Court Jazz Cafe | Buy Ticket ($150) |
THU 3/27
9:00 am | Sales:
Registration, Ticket Sales, Concessions & Souvenirs
Opens at 8:30 am and continues through 5:00 pm in the lobby of the Bourbon Orleans (717 Orleans).
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Lobby | (Free and open to the public) |
THU 3/27
9:00 AM | Master Classes:
ROSEMARY DANIELL: Thinking About Writing in a Whole New Way
Daniell, founder of the Zona Rosa writing program, leads workshops (a.k.a. "pajama parties for grown-up girls with smarts") throughout the United States and Europe. To date more than 45 Zona Rosans have become published authors, among them best-selling writers John Berendt, Cassandra King, and Eric Haney. In this session Daniell, the award-winning author of Secrets of the Zona Rosa and eight books of poetry and prose, reveals the methods of the pros and what she considers the best writing practice ever. Learn why she believes truth-telling to be the writer's most valuable asset— and why novelist Pat Conroy calls Daniell "one of the great writing teachers."
The Historic New Orleans Collection | Buy Ticket ($25) |
THU 3/27
11:00 AM | Master Classes:
SHARED WORDS: Everything You Need to Know About Writers' Groups and Readers' Clubs
Critically acclaimed author Bev Marshall has 20 years of experience as a member of a writing group and has visited readers' clubs across the South. In this class she will offer advice on how to organize and nourish your group. If you're a writer or a reader, you will want to take advantage of this opportunity to learn how to make your group a success.
The Historic New Orleans Collection | Buy Ticket ($25) |
THU 3/27
1:30 PM | Master Classes:
TOM SANCTON: The Art of the Memoir
This session will examine the memoir as a literary nonfiction genre that shares many of the elements of fiction writing—story, plot, dialogue, character development, atmosphere—but is based on the author's actual life experience. With particular attention to the coming-of-age memoir, novelist and memoirist Tom Sancton will discuss a number of published works that serve as models of the genre, providing a framework and practical pointers for those interested in writing their own memoir.
The Historic New Orleans Collection | Buy Ticket ($25) |
THU 3/27
3:15 PM | Master Classes:
TIFT MERRITT: The Art and Craft of Songwriting
From Stephen Foster to Timbaland, the popular song as a form of literary expression has captured the minds, hearts, and souls of Americans. Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Tift Merritt, currently on tour with her third album, Another Country, discusses her inspirations and experiences, why Eudora Welty is her biggest influence, and how writing a song is different from writing a poem. Aspiring songwriters as well as writers in other genres will benefit from Merritt's discussion of her approach to songwriting as a means of literary expression.
The Historic New Orleans Collection | Buy Ticket ($25) |
THU 3/27
6:30 PM | Special Events:
2008 OPENING NIGHT GALA
Special Event: $75 (includes performances and reception). Celebrate with us as we commemorate our 2008 Festival with a special evening of entertainment, conversations, and fun in the French Quarter. The festivity begins on Le Petit Theatre's mainstage as actress Stephanie Zimbalist and film critic/columnist Rex Reed read together from Williams' work. Then listen in as Broadway legend Marian Seldes, who starred on Broadway in the 1964 production of The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore, and acclaimed actor Jeremy Lawrence, read Steps Must Be Gentle, Williams' one-act tribute to the poet Hart Crane.
Le Petit Theatre Mainstage, Reception to follow at Cafe Amelie | ($75; $35 Reception only) |
THU 3/27
8:00 PM | Special Events:
17 Poets! Literary and Performance Series
A poetry reading featuring California Poet Laureate Al Young hosted by Dave Brinks. Admission is free. Gold Mine Saloon, 701 Dauphine Street, (504) 586-0745
Gold Mine Saloon (701 Dauphine) | (Free and open to the public) |
FRI 3/28
8:30 am | Sales:
Registration, Ticket Sales, Concessions & Souvenirs
Opens at 8:30 am and continues through 5:00 pm in the lobby of the Bourbon Orleans (717 Orleans).
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Lobby | (Free and open to the public) |
FRI 3/28
9:00 am | Sales:
Book Fair
Purchase books by your favorite Tennessee Williams author at the book fair conducted by the Garden District Book Shop; continues from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm in the second floor foyer of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, 2nd Floor Foyer | (Free and open to the public) |
FRI 3/28
9:00 AM | Master Classes:
CLAIRE COOK: Help! How Can My Book and I Get Some Attention?
Best-selling novelist Claire Cook wrote her first book in her minivan outside her daughter's swim practice, and it sold to the first publisher who asked to read it. Five years later she walked the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of the film adaptation of her second novel, Must Love Dogs, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack. Her fourth novel, Life's a Beach, was a summer pick for Good Morning America, and her fifth, Summer Blowout, will be published in June. Whether you're still scrambling for an agent, or your book is already out there but so far nobody's noticed, Cook is happy to share her secrets.
The Historic New Orleans Collection | Buy Ticket ($25) |
FRI 3/28
9:30 am | Special Events:
Tennessee Williams Scholar's Conference
Literary experts share their insights on the creative work of America's greatest playwright. Conference Director: Dr. Robert Bray
Williams Research Center (410 Chartres St.) | ($10 for Scholars Conference Pass) |
FRI 3/28
10:00 am | Festival Panels:
AMERICAN CRISIS: SOUTHERN SOLUTIONS
The South has been the bedrock of George W. Bush's support and of the Republican Party. Have these associations helped the region in a time when America's prestige has never been lower internationally? Does the Southern experience offer insight on the problems America has inflicted upon itself and its image in the world? Is America becoming more like the South or vice versa?
Panelists: Jason Berry, Hal Crowther, and Wade Rathke.. Moderator: Michael Sartisky.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
FRI 3/28
10:00 AM | Literary Tours:
Literary Walking Tour by Heritage Tours
Homes and hangouts of the playwright in the French Quarter. Kenneth Holditch, Heritage Tours. Meet at the front entrance of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel 5 to 10 minutes before the start of the tour.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Front Entrance | Buy Ticket ($25) |
FRI 3/28
11:00 AM | Master Classes:
DANIEL MENAKER: From the Editor's Desk
For more than 30 years, Daniel Menaker has made it his specialty to find new literary voices. At The New Yorker he published such writers as Michael Chabon, Jennifer Egan, Michael Cunningham, and Susan Minot early in their careers. At Random House he worked with Gary Shteyngart, Colum McCann, Elizabeth Strout, and Benjamin Kunkel, among others. In this class, Menaker will discuss what an editor looks for in terms of originality, energy, and insight as he reads fiction by newcomers, and discuss the "plight" of first novels and story collections in publishing today.
The Historic New Orleans Collection | Buy Ticket ($25) |
FRI 3/28
11:30 am | Festival Panels:
WIT & WISDOM: SOUTHERN HUMOR AT ITS BEST
With their natural knack for storytelling, colorful use of language, and still strong regional identity, Southerners have a brand of humor--from the subtly satirical to the downright ridiculous--that is all their own. Whether you're Southern by birth, the grace of God, or not at all, join the fun as three Southern humor writers who'll make you laugh till it hurts (bless their hearts) discuss the art of literary comedy.
Panelists: Jack Pendarvis, Judy Conner, and James Wilcox. Moderator: Karissa Kary.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
FRI 3/28
1:00 pm | Festival Panels:
ART OF SONGWRITING
Tennessee Williams created literature in several mediums. This year the Festival celebrates writers who express their literary creativity through song. On this panel, Grammy-nominated songwriter Tift Merritt, Nashville writer Jim McCormick (who has penned songs for various artists, including Kim Carson and Tim McGraw), and New Orleans' own musical icon Paul Sanchez, formerly of Cowboy Mouth, come together to discuss their craft and shared love of the written (and sung) word.
Panelists: Jim McCormick, Tift Merritt, and Paul Sanchez. Moderator: Mark Fernandez.
Sponsored by New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, Inc.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
FRI 3/28
1:30 PM | Master Classes:
LISA BANKOFF: The Truth About Agents
Do you need an agent? How do you get one? What can and can't an agent do for her clients? Lisa Bankoff will answer these questions and share her experiences as a veteran agent with 17 years at ICM. Her client list includes authors Claire Cook, Scott Gold, Ann Patchett, Nancy Horan, Douglas Brinkley, Frank Bruni, David Lipsky, Bev Marshall, Joshua Henkin, Mike Perry, and many other successful writers. Advice for selling both fiction and nonfiction manuscripts will be covered in the class.
The Historic New Orleans Collection | Buy Ticket ($25) |
FRI 3/28
2:00 PM | Literary Tours:
Literary Walking Tour by Heritage Tours
Homes and hangouts of the playwright in the French Quarter. Kenneth Holditch, Heritage Tours. Meet at the front entrance of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel 5 to 10 minutes before the start of the tour.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Front Entrance | Buy Ticket ($25) |
FRI 3/28
2:30 PM | Festival Panels:
DYNAMIC DUOS: LIVING AND WRITING TOGETHER
Ahh, the sounds of love: a clattering keyboard, the printer churning out hard-earned pages of prose.... From Mary Wollstonecraft and Percy Bysshe Shelley to Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning to Anas Nin and Henry Miller, couples who both write tend to capture the public imagination. But what is it really like to be a part of such a pair? How much idea-sharing goes on? Do they edit each other's work? Does friendly competition--rivalry even--play a role in the partnership? And is it true, as Virginia Woolf wrote, that a writer simply must have "a room of one's own"? Join these four critically acclaimed authors as they discuss the nature of mutual influence and what it's really like having another writer in the house.
Panelists: Amanda Boyden, Joseph Boyden, Hal Crowther, and Lee Smith. Moderator: Amy Kirk.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
FRI 3/28
3:15 PM | Master Classes:
AL YOUNG: Just You, Just Me—Writing To Listening Readers
When we tell a story orally, we automatically adjust the tone, voice, and descriptive details for real-time listeners, literally shaping our stories in the interest of whomever happens to be sitting before us. Thus, to most, storytelling comes naturally while writing does not. But a writer isn't speaking or singing into an anonymous void. Voice, tone, theme, meaning, dramatic strategy—it all comes to life when writers stop muttering and start speaking to the listening reader. Al Young, Poet Laureate of California for 2005- 2007, will discuss bringing fresh energy to your poetry or prose through the realization that you aren't writing to an empty space but, rather, to an actual, easily imaginable audience.
The Historic New Orleans Collection | Buy Ticket ($25) |
FRI 3/28
4:00 PM | Festival Panels:
GRAND DAME OF AMERICAN THEATER: CONVERSATION WITH MARIAN SELDES
Theater legend Marian Seldes made her Broadway debut in 1947 and has worked steadily as an actress ever since, garnering critical acclaim and multiple awards over the last six decades. Nominated for five Tonys, she won for Best Featured Actress in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance in 1967, and was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1996 for her lifelong achievements on Broadway. She taught Acting at Julliard for nearly 25 years, and her hundreds of film and television appearances date back to the 1950s, spanning everything from Gunsmoke to Sex and the City and much in between. Recently, she played The Dean in the 2007 Robin Williams film August Rush and starred alongside Julia Roberts in 2004's Mona Lisa Smile. In this interview, Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally, a Broadway legend in his own right, will chat with Ms. Seldes about her epic acting career.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
FRI 3/28
5:30 PM | Special Events:
A FIRESIDE CHAT WITH JOHN MARIANI
Join food expert John Mariani for wine, wit, and hors d'oeuvres. Mariani, a food columnist for Esquire, will give expert advice on selecting the perfect wine and give the scoop on the latest national restaurant trends. Here's a chance to ask an expert one of those foodie questions you've been keeping on the backburner. Limited seating.
Windsor Court Hotel | Buy Ticket ($35) |
FRI 3/28
6:00 pm | Theatre:
A WITCH AND A BITCH: AN EVENING WITH FLORA GOFORTH AND THE MARCHESA CONDOTTIA
Award-winning LA actors Karen Kondazian and Festival veteran Travis Michael Holder reprise their roles as Mrs. Flora Goforth and the Marchesa Constance Ridgeway-Condotti (a.k.a. The Witch of Capri) in scenes from the Los Angeles Fountain Theatre s 2007 award-winning production of Tennessee Williams The Milk Train Doesn t Stop Here Anymore, for which director Simon Levy recently won the Back Stage West Garland Award and Miss Kondazian is currently nominated for an LA Weekly Award. The performance will be followed by a question-and-answer discussion about one of Tennessee s most difficult and troubled later plays and how Mr. Levy strived to make it relevant for the 21st century. Read more.
Note: This performance replaces the previously scheduled "Bent to the Flame."
Muriel's Cabaret, Le Petit Theatre | Buy Ticket ($25) |
FRI 3/28
8:00 pm | Theatre:
CAMINO REAL Directed by Sarah Michelson
From the alleys of Manhattan and the Tennessee Williams Festival in Provincetown, Massachusetts, this innovative street theater production of Camino Real makes its Southern debut onto (of all things!) the stage at this year’s Festival. A troupe of five actors (and one musician) will embody such legendary personalities as Jacques Casanova, Lord Byron, Camille and Don Quixote, as well as more than 40 other roles on this highway to revelation. Watch them walk the delicate tightrope between fate and free will. Produced by Brooklyn on Foot and directed by Sarah Michelson, this show will tickle and torture, and give new insight into Williams’ incredible imagination.
Le Petit Theatre Mainstage | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SAT 3/29
8:00 am | Special Events:
BREAKFAST IN NEW ORLEANS WITH KATE CHOPIN
This latest installment of our "Breakfast Book Club" invites participants to consider a number of stories by this wonderful late-19th-century writer as she explores the local color of New Orleans of a century ago and focuses on the complexities of race and gender in the city, thus anticipating the themes of her most famous work, The Awakening. The discussion will be led by frequent Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities program facilitator Dr. Gary Richards. Participants should read the stories before the session and be prepared for discussion rather than a lecture format. The specific stories are "La Belle Zoraide," "A Lady of Bayou St. John," "Athenaise," "A Matter of Prejudice," and "Neg Creol," which are included in the collections Bayou Folk and A Night in Acadie. These collections are available both in book form from Penguin Classics (ISBN 0-14- 043681-2) and online. LIMITED SEATING, $20 (includes continental breakfast).
Muriel's Jackson Square Restaurant | (SOLD OUT) |
SAT 3/29
9:00 am | Sales:
Book Fair
Purchase books by your favorite Tennessee Williams author at the book fair conducted by the Garden District Book Shop; continues from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm in the second floor foyer of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, 2nd Floor Foyer | (Free and open to the public) |
SAT 3/29
9:00 AM | Sales:
Registration, Ticket Sales, Concessions & Souvenirs
Opens at 9:00 am and continues through 5:00 pm in the lobby of the Bourbon Orleans (717 Orleans).
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Lobby | (Free and open to the public) |
SAT 3/29
10:00 AM | Literary Tours:
Literary Walking Tour by Heritage Tours
Homes and hangouts of the playwright in the French Quarter. Kenneth Holditch, Heritage Tours. Meet at the front entrance of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel 5 to 10 minutes before the start of the tour.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Front Entrance | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SAT 3/29
10:00 am | Festival Panels:
LOOKING BACK, WRITING FORWARD: HISTORICAL FICTION
All fiction writers strive to create strong characters, authentic settings, and engaging storylines, but some also incorporate history, dramatizing an authentic period from a bygone age. Whether their time travels take them to Rome circa 16 A.D., Louisiana circa 1828, or the happenings of the very recent past (think the Bush administration), all must work with what seems to be a paradox--using both thorough research and lots of imagination to recreate the sights, sounds, social mores, and spirit of a specific time and place. Join these four leading authors as they discuss the techniques they use to create a riveting read that gets the historical details right.
Panelists: David Fulmer, Barbara Hambly, Valerie Martin, and Tom Sancton. Moderator: Michael Ross.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
10:00 am | Festival Panels:
TENN 201
Back by popular request, panelists discuss general issues about the life and work of the great playwright. This year's topics include the Williams family's struggles with mental illness, his relationship with Hollywood, and why so much of Tennessee's work is considered autobiographical. Panelists will welcome questions from the audience.
Panelists: Robert Bray, Colby Kullman, and Michael Paller. Moderator: .
The Cabildo, Jackson Square | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
10:00 am | Festival Panels:
WRITER RETROSPECTIVE: EUDORA WELTY, FIRST LADY OF SOUTHERN LITERATURE
Known as one of the 20th century's masters of short fiction, Eudora Welty was also a novelist, memoirist, essayist, children's book author, and photographer. She received a National Medal for Literature, an American Book Award, six O. Henry awards, and the Pulitzer Prize during her illustrious 65-year career. Join distinguished Welty scholars and friends as they discuss on writer's beginnings, her indelible mark on the Southern lit landscape, and her lasting legacy as the "ultimate passionate observer of her time."
Panelists: John Lawrence, Suzanne Marrs, and Kevin Sessums. Moderator: Rebecca Mark.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, St. Mary's Salon | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
11:30 | Festival Panels:
TENNESSEE'S LATE, LATE, SHOW
Even with his great commercial success, Tennessee Williams always considered himself an experimental playwright. In the last 25 years of his life, his explorations increased--especially in shorter forms and one-act plays--as Williams created theatrical pieces with elements of theater of the absurd, theater of cruelty, theater of the ridiculous, Japanese forms such as Noh and Kabuki, as well as high camp and satire. Influenced by Beckett, Genet, and Pinter, among others, Williams worked hard to expand the boundaries of what he was best known for; these later plays were explicitly intended to be performed Off-Off Broadway or regionally. Panelists will discuss the importance of many of Williams' late works that are just now being published.
Panelists: Robert Bray, Allean Hale, Gregory Mosher, Michael Paller, and Annette J. Saddik. Moderator: Thomas Keith.
The Cabildo, Jackson Square | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
11:30 | Festival Panels:
THE AMERICAN NOVEL TODAY
"There are three rules for writing a good novel," wrote William Somerset Maugham. "Unfortunately, no one knows what they are." While these novelists can't offer any rules to follow, they can share with you what has worked for them. With subjects ranging from theme-park mermaids in 1970s Florida (Carter) to mistress/slave relationships in antebellum Louisiana (Martin) and you-name-it in between, these authors will discuss the unique process of turning ideas into words, and turning words into fictional worlds so real-seeming that they almost breathe. Join these four ladies of literature for a stimulating discussion and Q & A about the craft of writing novels.
Panelists: Betsy Carter, Rosemary Daniell, Valerie Martin, and Lee Smith. Moderator: Susan Larson.
Underwritten by the Zemurray Foundation.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
12:00 PM | Theatre:
A WITCH AND A BITCH: AN EVENING WITH FLORA GOFORTH AND THE MARCHESA CONDOTTIA
Award-winning LA actors Karen Kondazian and Festival veteran Travis Michael Holder reprise their roles as Mrs. Flora Goforth and the Marchesa Constance Ridgeway-Condotti (a.k.a. The Witch of Capri) in scenes from the Los Angeles Fountain Theatre s 2007 award-winning production of Tennessee Williams The Milk Train Doesn t Stop Here Anymore, for which director Simon Levy recently won the Back Stage West Garland Award and Miss Kondazian is currently nominated for an LA Weekly Award. The performance will be followed by a question-and-answer discussion about one of Tennessee s most difficult and troubled later plays and how Mr. Levy strived to make it relevant for the 21st century. Read more.
Note: This performance replaces the previously scheduled "Bent to the Flame."
Muriel's Cabaret, Le Petit Theatre | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SAT 3/29
1:00 pm | Festival Panels:
AT THE GATE OF THE TROPICS: NEW ORLEANS
In his 1877 essay "At the Gate of the Tropics," Lafcadio Hearn wrote, "It's not an easy thing to describe one's first impression of New Orleans: for while it actually resembles no other city upon the face of the earth, yet it recalls vague memories of a hundred cities. It owns suggestions of towns in Italy, and in Spain, cities in England and in Germany, of seaports in the Mediterranean, and of seaports in the tropics." In effect, he was describing New Orleans as a Creole city. This panel will look at how Caribbean echoes become Creole voices, and question whether New Orleans is indeed a "Caribbean city." Is a Creole identity the same throughout the Caribbean as it is in New Orleans? How does "Creole" travel from the Caribbean to New Orleans and further into the United States? And just what makes a Creole "Creole"?
Panelists: Marlon James, Ned Sublette, and Shirley Thompson. Moderator: Garnette Cadogan.
Underwritten by Xavier University.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
1:00 pm | Special Events:
BACK TO THE LAND WITH JOHN BESH: Farm-fresh Food in Louisiana
It's all about the taste, says acclaimed Louisiana chef John Besh, who offers his observations on the importance of locality and freshness, sustainable agriculture, and organic food during this discussion with food critic John Mariani. James Beard Award and Iron Chef runner-up Besh, who owns four local restaurants and grows herbs and vegetables himself, is part of the modern-day terroir movement, in which fine chefs cultivate their own ingredients and develop close ties to local purveyors. Hear Besh's take on the subject, and taste his locally raised Berkshire pork shoulder with grits and new spring vegetables to illustrate his points. Sponsored by Restaurant August, Besh Steak at Harrah's Casino, Lüke, and La Provence. Limited Seating.
Besh Steak, Harrah's Casino | Buy Ticket ($35) |
SAT 3/29
1:00 pm | Festival Panels:
THE AMAZING RACE: AGENTS AND AUTHORS WINNING TOGETHER
How do you cross the finish line to publishing success? Agent Lisa Bankoff and a few of her many published authors will explain how each of them won their initial book contract and much more. From the starting point to the final edit, they'll share stories of their amazing partnerships that will surprise, delight, and inform you too.
Panelists: Claire Cook, Scott Gold, and Bev Marshall. Moderator: Lisa Bankoff.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, St. Mary's Salon | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
1:00 pm | Festival Panels:
WRITERS READ: SWEET WORD OF YOUTH
Come hear these exciting young voices from area creative writing programs. In this special edition of our "Writers Read" series, students will read selections from their latest works. Join Sherman R. Fitzsimons, Whitney Johnson, Katie Kelsch, Kaitlin Ketchum, Laura Miller, and Dave Parker, Jr. as they thrill, entertain, educate, and stimulate the literary mind with that most powerful instrument: the written word.
The Cabildo, Jackson Square | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
2:00 pm | Theatre:
CAMINO REAL Directed by Sarah Michelson
From the alleys of Manhattan and the Tennessee Williams Festival in Provincetown, Massachusetts, this innovative street theater production of Camino Real makes its Southern debut onto (of all things!) the stage at this year’s Festival. A troupe of five actors (and one musician) will embody such legendary personalities as Jacques Casanova, Lord Byron, Camille and Don Quixote, as well as more than 40 other roles on this highway to revelation. Watch them walk the delicate tightrope between fate and free will. Produced by Brooklyn on Foot and directed by Sarah Michelson, this show will tickle and torture, and give new insight into Williams’ incredible imagination.
Le Petit Theatre Mainstage | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SAT 3/29
2:00 pm | Theatre:
EVERYONE EXPECTS ME TO WRITE ANOTHER STREETCAR: Another Evening With The Playwright
Arranged and performed by Jeremy Lawrence. In this follow-up to his popular one-man show, Talking Tennessee, critically acclaimed actor/playwright Jeremy Lawrence explores Williams’ life during the years when “the streetcar named success” stopped running, while his writing continued. Drawing from various sources—including Tennessee’s memoirs, poetry, plays, and personal anecdotes—Lawrence examines the playwright’s Broadway exile, his nervous breakdown and subsequent stay in the psychiatric ward at Barnes Hospital, his homosexuality, and of course, Williams’ will to survive.
Le Petit Theatre Mainstage | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SAT 3/29
2:00 PM | Literary Tours:
Literary Walking Tour by Heritage Tours
Homes and hangouts of the playwright in the French Quarter. Kenneth Holditch, Heritage Tours. Meet at the front entrance of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel 5 to 10 minutes before the start of the tour.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Front Entrance | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SAT 3/29
2:30 PM | Festival Panels:
A CONVERSATION WITH AL YOUNG
Al Young calls poetry a "vast universal language" and believes in its power to affirm our shared experiences. "Poetry is a glue," he says. "It pulls people together." Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger named him poet laureate of California in 2005, remarking that Young's "remarkable talent and sense of mission to bring poetry into the lives of Californians is an inspiration." A master at multiple genres, Young also writes novels, musical memoirs, and screenplays, and music has remained a steadfast influence throughout his career; he often recites his poetry to musical accompaniment and uses vocal styling drawn from jazz and blues. His honors and awards include Guggenheim and Fulbright fellowships, two American Book awards, two New York Times "Notable Book of the Year" citations, and the Pushcart Prize. Times Picayune journalist Jarvis Deberry will conduct this interview as Young speaks about the writing life--in all its forms.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
2:30 PM | Festival Panels:
DE-MYSTIFYING THOMAS PYNCHON
Thomas Pynchon is something of a cultural mystery, both because of his infamous reticence to appear in public or speak about his work and because of the difficulty of that work. Join this group of writers and scholars as they talk about the ways they read and understand -- or struggle with understanding -- the novels of Pynchon, as well as what makes the novels so important within the contemporary American literary scene.
Panelists: Richard Collins, David Madden, and Marcus Smith. Moderator: Kathleen Fitzpatrick.
Partially sponsored by Danella Hero.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, St. Mary's Salon | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
2:30 PM | Festival Panels:
VOICES RISING: STORIES FROM THE KATRINA NARRATIVE PROJECT
This anthology is a collection of essays chronicling the experiences of New Orleanians from evacuation before Hurricane Katrina through the rebuilding effort. During the "Katrina Semester" Fall of 2005, students in the University of New Orleans' history, women's studies and sociology departments as well as the creative writing workshop began collecting stories of those affected by Katrina. This became known as the Katrina Narrative Project. On this panel, contributors and the book's editor will discuss the process of gathering these accounts as well as the creation of Voices Rising.
Panelists: Rebeca Antoine, Kim Bondy, and Jana Salmon Mackin. Moderator: Rick Barton.
The Cabildo, Jackson Square | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
4:00 pm | Festival Panels:
CONVERSATION WITH WRIGHT KING
In 1947 Wright King, then in his mid-20s, became one of the first performers to regularly work in the new medium of live television. He went on to land roles on such classic small-screen programs as Gunsmoke, Dragnet, Perry Mason, Rawhide, and The Twilight Zone. As "The Young Collector" in 1949's A Streetcar Named Desire, he shared the stage with Anthony Quinn and Jack Palance, and made his film debut reprising the role in the 1951 movie with Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh. (Today, along with Karl Malden, King is one of only two surviving cast members of the film.) King has also worked alongside screen legends Fred Astaire, Charlton Heston, Steve McQueen, and Francis Ford Coppola, and has appeared in the films King Rat, Finian's Rainbow, the original Planet of the Apes, and the sci-fi classic Invasion of the Bee Girls. A World War II veteran and newly published author, King will discuss his remarkable life and career with playwright and actor Rob Florence.
Underwritten by Historic New Orleans Tour.
Muriel's Cabaret, Le Petit Theatre | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
4:00 pm | Festival Panels:
WRITERS READ
Come hear Festival authors read from their latest works. Join Jason Berry, Pamela Binnings Ewen, Christopher Forrest, Danella Hero, Suzanne Hudson, and Geoff Wyss as they thrill, entertain, educate, and stimulate the literary mind with that most powerful instrument: the written word.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, St. Mary's Salon | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
4:00 pm | Festival Panels:
YEAR OF THE PRESIDENCY
This panel will look at presidential elections and the mood and condition of the nation at the time of the elections. What do candidates need to know about the division among the people and the issues that concern them most? Panelist are Hal Crowder, a journalist and essayist who has written extensively on national issues; Victor Gold, National correspondent for Washingtonian Magazine whose book topics have included the condition of the Republican party and Jay Hakes, a former UNO political scientist who has worked in politics at the state and national level and is now Executive Director of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.
Panelists: Hal Crowther, Victor Gold, and Jay Hakes. Moderator: Errol Laborde.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SAT 3/29
8:00 pm | Theatre:
TENNESSEE'S GOT TALENT
New this year! The Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival is thrilled to announce the debut of our theatrical talent competition, Tennessee’s Got Talent. In our own take on American Idol, contestants will perform duets before a panel of celebrity judges who will vote on the players’ interpretations of dramatic scenes from Tennessee Williams’ work. Enjoy the suspense and cheer for your favorite hopefuls as they vie for prizes and the chance to be crowned “Tennessee Williams Idol.” Judges: Terrence McNally, Rex Reed, Stephanie Zimbalist.
Le Petit Theatre Mainstage | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SUN 3/30
9:00 am | Sales:
Book Fair
Purchase books by your favorite Tennessee Williams author at the book fair conducted by the Garden District Book Shop; continues from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in the second floor foyer of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, 2nd Floor Foyer | (Free and open to the public) |
SUN 3/30
9:00 AM | Sales:
Registration, Ticket Sales, Concessions & Souvenirs
Opens at 9:00 am and continues through 3:00 pm in the lobby of the Bourbon Orleans (717 Orleans).
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Lobby | (Free and open to the public) |
SUN 3/30
10:00 am | Festival Panels:
CONVERSATION WITH DANIEL MENAKER AND MITCH DOUGLAS
Independent publisher and author Joshua Clark joins Random House editor-in-chief Daniel Menaker and International Creative Management agent Mitch Douglas for this in-depth behind-the-scenes peek into the upper echelons of publishing, editing, and representing. Menaker and Douglas have seen (and done) it all--from discovering Michael Cunningham and Michael Chabon to representing Tennessee Williams to editing Elmore Leonard, Salman Rushdie, Alice Munro, and too many more. And--oh, boy--the stories....
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
10:00 am | Festival Panels:
JET LAG & WRONG TURNS: THE GUTS & GLORY OF TRAVEL WRITING
Explore the world through the eyes of a travel writer. Ride shotgun in a Honda hatchback while crisscrossing the countryside, or toast your way around the globe leaving a trail of cocktail glasses behind you. This group of esteemed travel writers takes readers along on their journeys by making mysterious lands seem easily accessible and a visit to the neighborhood pub feel like an exotic getaway.
Panelists: Wayne Curtis, Stephanie Elizondo Griest, and Barbara Redding. Moderator: Deborah Burst.
Partially Sponsored by Harrah's New Orleans Casino and Hotel.
Muriel's Jackson Square Restaurant | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
10:00 AM | Literary Tours:
Literary Walking Tour by Heritage Tours
Homes and hangouts of the playwright in the French Quarter. Kenneth Holditch, Heritage Tours. Meet at the front entrance of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel 5 to 10 minutes before the start of the tour.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Front Entrance | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SUN 3/30
10:00 am | Festival Panels:
POLITICAL SPEECH WRITING Red, White, and Blue Rhetoric: The Power of Political Speeches
In 1960 John F. Kennedy stirred the nation with these words: "My fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country." And now, just when political speechmaking appeared to be a dying art, along comes Barack Obama. In honor of the election year, this panel explores the evolution and devolution of political orientation and the techniques of an effective speech, form the writers' first drafts to the speaker's delivery. Panelists will identify some of the greats - those articulate gems that resonate long afterwards - as well as some noted acts of misspeaking. Join Victor Gold, former speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush; Carol Gelderman, a University of New Orleans English Professor whose books include All the President's Words: The Bully Pulpit and the Creation of the Virtual Presidency; John Hill, former Baton Rouge bureau chief for Gannett newspapers; and Jon Kukla, author and an expert of America's early political history, for an insider's look at this political art form.
Panelists: Carol Gelderman, Victor Gold, and John Hill, John Kukla. Moderator: Errol Laborde.
The Cabildo, Jackson Square | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
10:00 am | Theatre:
STAGED READING OF THE 2008 FESTIVAL ONE-ACT PLAY COMPETITION WINNER
The University of New Orleans Department of Film, Theatre, and Communication Arts presents a reading of the winning entry in the 2008 Festival’s national One-Act Play competition. The Creative Writing Program at the University of New Orleans administers and coordinates competition judging. The Festival sponsors the annual competition, which includes a $1000 cash prize. Notable past winners include David Lindsay-Abair who won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2007 with The Rabbit Hole.
Muriel's Cabaret, Le Petit Theatre | (Free with Panel Pass or $5 at the door.) |
SUN 3/30
11:00 AM | Theatre:
Weïrd by B.T Ryback Performance of 2007 One-Act Play Winner
The three Weïrd Sisters from Shakespeare’s Macbeth are on the lam in Denmark. The University of New Orleans Department of Film, Theatre, and Communication Arts presents the premiere performance of the winner of the 2007 Festival One-Act Play Competition.
Muriel's Cabaret, Le Petit Theatre | (Free with Panel Pass or $5 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
11:30 am | Special Events:
SONGS FOR A SUNDAY AFTERNOON: A Day of Music and Performances at the Palm Court Jazz Cafe
Acting on inspiration, overcoming writer's block, developing a chord progression, fine-tuning a melody—some skills are inherent to all writers, while others are unique to the songwriter's genre. In the following three events, songwriters and musicians will discuss the skills and passion needed to turn an idea into a song and offer musical performances for your listening pleasure. Palm Court Jazz Cafe; $25 Music Pass includes entry to all three events, or $10 per event at the door:
WRITING IN THE ROUND(March 30, 11:30 a.m.) Please come join us for a special Tennessee Williams Festival musical event celebrating the emphasis on songwriting at the Festival this year. TW/NOLF board member and songwriter Mark Fernandez will lead a songwriterin- the-round performance with artists Paul Sanchez, Sonia Tetlow, and Rich Look.
SPENCER BOHREN:American Roots Music (March 30, 1:00 p.m.) Spencer Bohren's music resonates with the ambiance of the rivers, roads, and bayous of the American South. He has a marvelous gift for sharing his great love for America's wealth of traditional, folk, blues, gospel, and country music with audiences all around the globe. Also woven into the fabric of a Bohren concert are his stunning original pieces, teeming with echoes of the traditional music he loves, yet written from a modern perspective. In a world filled with synthesized pop music, Bohren defines artistic integrity.
DRUMMER AND SMOKE:Bearing the
Torch (March 30, 2:30 p.m.)
Clarinetists Tom Sancton and Michael White hold a lively onstage conversation about their respective experiences as jazz "apprentices," learning the traditional New Orleans style at the feet of old masters. From two sides of the tracks—one black, one white—they were drawn to the music by a common passion, which they will share with the audience in words and live music.
Palm Court Jazz Cafe | (Included with $25 Music Pass or $10 per event at the door.) |
SUN 3/30
11:30 AM | Festival Panels:
THAT CRAZY THING YOU DO
Where do poets they get their ideas? How do they translate the world into image and sound? And how can you? Join these three accomplished poets as they come clean about the little tricks up their sleeves for rolling with a mind on fire. They'll read from their work then talk about how the poems came to be, from their frenzied origins to the thousand worries that follow with revision and revision and revision.
Panelists: Carolyn Hembree, Alison Peligrin, and Mark Yakich. Moderator: Kay Murphy.
The Cabildo, Jackson Square | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
11:30 AM | Festival Panels:
THROW ME SOMETHING MISTER: ALL ON A MARDI GRAS DAY
New Orleans Carnival traditions, the Black Mardi Gras, and the role of women Cajun Carnival celebration are just part of the parade of topics to be touched on during in this panel exploring the diversity of Mardi Gras in Louisiana. Panelists include Errol Laborde, author of the recently released Krewe: The Early New Orleans Carnivals, Comus to Zulu; Royce Osborn, whose documentary All On A Mardi Gras Day explores Black Mardi Gras traditions; and Carolyn Ware, author of the book Cajun Women and Mardi Gras: Reading the Rules Backwards.
Panelists: Errol Laborde, Royce Osborn, and Carolyn Ware. Moderator: Peggy Scott Laborde.
Sponsored by Sam's Club.
Muriel's Jackson Square Restaurant | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
11:30 AM | Festival Panels:
TRUTHS STRANGER THAN FICTION: LIVES REVEALED IN MEMOIR
Oscar Wilde said it best: "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train." The memoirists on this panel have published their sensational diaries, so climb aboard, sit back, and enjoy the ride with them as they reveal lives that are truly stranger than fiction.
Panelists: Betsy Carter, Joshua Clark, Stephanie Elizondo Griest, and Kevin Sessums. Moderator: Bev Marshall.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, St. Mary's Salon | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
1:00 pm | Festival Panels:
ALL THE PRESIDENT'S WOMEN
The lives of the founding fathers are back in fashion with both history buffs and general readers. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, and their supporting players have been re-examined in 21st-century biographies. Now heeding Abigail Adams's admonition to her husband "not to forget the ladies," writers are taking a new look at the women of the founding generation. A historian and a novelist share their insights into the lives of these women and compare notes about writing fact or fiction--and the muddled line between
Panelists: Barbara Hambly and Jon Kukla. Moderator: William Robison.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
1:00 pm | Theatre:
EVERYONE EXPECTS ME TO WRITE ANOTHER STREETCAR: Another Evening With The Playwright
Arranged and performed by Jeremy Lawrence. In this follow-up to his popular one-man show, Talking Tennessee, critically acclaimed actor/playwright Jeremy Lawrence explores Williams’ life during the years when “the streetcar named success” stopped running, while his writing continued. Drawing from various sources—including Tennessee’s memoirs, poetry, plays, and personal anecdotes—Lawrence examines the playwright’s Broadway exile, his nervous breakdown and subsequent stay in the psychiatric ward at Barnes Hospital, his homosexuality, and of course, Williams’ will to survive.
Le Petit Theatre Mainstage | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SUN 3/30
1:00 pm | Festival Panels:
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: A SENSE OF PLACE IN THE SHORT STORY
Everybody is somewhere, and that particular piece of real estate is a major component in literary characterizations. "Fiction depends for its life on place," wrote Eudora Welty. "Location is the crossroads of circumstance." While novelists can spend chapters developing a sense of place, short story writers have to telegraphically communicate setting with a few well-chosen details. How does a writer deal with those places already established in the imagination (Manhattan, Mississippi, and, yes, New Orleans) without veering toward clich? In this panel short story writers will discuss how they concoct that magical somewhere in which their characters jump alive.
Panelists: Tim Gautreaux, Valerie Martin, and James Nolan. Moderator: Paula Morris.
Sponsored by Tulane University.
The Cabildo, Jackson Square | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
1:00 pm | Festival Panels:
PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD
Julia Reed, Scott Gold and Robert St. John speak to us through two universal languages - humor and food. They explore our human contradictions, point out our flaws, and remind us of our pettiness, all the time making us laugh and leaving us hungry for more. This panel will explore how food becomes a tasty lens through which to view the rest of life.
Panelists: Scott Gold, Julia Reed, and Robert St. John. Moderator: Liz Williams.
Muriel's Jackson Square Restaurant | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
1:00 pm | Special Events:
THE GULF MENAGERIE: New Orleans Classic Seafood
Visit New Orleans, and you'll go home talking about the seafood. Live here, and it's a constant topic of conversation—where to find the best for the next lunch or dinner—even as you're enjoying a meal with friends. Author Kit Wohl's newest cookbook in her New Orleans Classics series, New Orleans Classic Seafood, reveals these local treasures for the pearls they are. Wohl and some of the city's favorite chefs offer insights, tips, techniques, and friendly banter as they share their knowledge and provide tastes of the Gulf's best in the elegant setting of the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. Crescent View Room, Ritz-Carlton, 921 Canal Street. Limited Seating. $35; includes autographed complimentary copy of New Orleans Classic Seafood by Kit Wohl.
The Ritz-Carlton | Buy Ticket ($35) |
SUN 3/30
2:00 PM | Literary Tours:
Literary Walking Tour by Heritage Tours
Homes and hangouts of the playwright in the French Quarter. Kenneth Holditch, Heritage Tours. Meet at the front entrance of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel 5 to 10 minutes before the start of the tour.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Front Entrance | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SUN 3/30
2:30 PM | Festival Panels:
BROADWAY'S BEST: CONVERSATION WITH TERRENCE McNALLY AND GREGORY MOSHER
This interview provides students, theatergoers, and Festival attendees an invaluable opportunity to learn from two of the most influential figures working on Broadway today. Both multiple Tony Award-winners, playwright Terrence McNally (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class, Ragtime) and director Gregory Mosher (Anything Goes, Our Town) will share stories from their own roads to success, offer advice on that elusive "big break" for which all artists strive, and talk about how Broadway has changed in an age when entertainment is just a mouse-click away but the experience of live theater is just as unique as ever. Join David Hoover, Director of the Performance Program at the University of New Orleans, as he engages Mosher and McNally in a discourse on all things contemporary theater.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Ballroom | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
2:30 pm | Theatre:
IGNATIUS ON STAGE A staged reading of scenes from John Kennedy Toole’s New Orleans classic A Confederacy of Dunces
Scenes edited by W. Kenneth Holditch. Directed by Perry Martin. Presented by special arrangement with McIntosh and Otis.
Le Petit Theatre Mainstage | Buy Ticket ($25) |
SUN 3/30
2:30 PM | Festival Panels:
KEEP 'EM TURNING THE PAGE
The most important thing every author must maintain in their work is the reader's interest; how do you keep the reader involved in turning the page and reading on? A diverse group of authors from the worlds of mystery, thrillers, and true crime will discuss how they keep the suspense alive on every page, as well as the importance of research to their work.
Panelists: Joe Formichella, Christopher Forrest, and David Fulmer. Moderator: Greg Herren.
Muriel's Jackson Square Restaurant | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
4:00 PM | Festival Panels:
I REMEMBER TENNESSEE
In what has become one of the Festival's annual highlights, former friends and colleagues gather to toast --and roast--"America's greatest playwright."
Panelists: Mitch Douglas, Wright King, and Gregory Mosher. Moderator: Thomas Keith.
Le Petit Theatre Mainstage | (Included in Festival Panel Pass or $10 at the door) |
SUN 3/30
4:00 PM | Special Events:
Stella Contest Preliminaries
Get your yell on and join us for this annual Festival favorite, where both Stanley and Stella hopefuls bellow to the balconies for a shot at the grand prize. Signup begins at 4:00 pm, the shouting commences at 4:30 pm.
Outside the Upper Pontalba Apartments, Jackson Square | (Free and open to the public) |
SUN 3/30
5:30 PM | Special Events:
Stella Contest Finals
This year's Stanley and Stella finalists turn up the decibels and angst in the tension-filled finals of the annual Shouting Contest.
Le Petit Theatre Mainstage | (Free and open to the public) |
SUN 3/30
5:30 PM | Special Events:
Tea with Tennessee
The 22nd annual salute honoring the Festival s presiding spirit. Tea, cake, and ice cream, a round of toasting, and a hearty Happy Birthday to Tennessee a proper close to a festive weekend.
Le Petit Theatre Courtyard | (Free and open to the public) | |
