Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival Returning With In-Person Events, ‘Streetcar’ Celebration
The Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival is returning after two years with an in-person event celebrating the 75th anniversary of the playwright’s “A Streetcar Named Desire.” The fest will run from March 23 to March 27.
“After a canceled festival in 2020 and a virtual festival last year, we are so happy to be returning to our home at the Hotel Monteleone once again for our five-day festival,” said the event’s executive director Paul J. Willis. “Our speakers and patrons are excited about our return, and we can’t wait to celebrate the 75th anniversary of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ with everyone. Several of our special events focus on this beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning play, including our opening night, tribute reading and breakfast book club. We are working with city officials to create the safest environment possible so everyone can enjoy the festival once again.”
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The five-day event offers a range of speakers and performers, including Constance Adler, Jami Attenberg, Megan Mayhew Bergman, Rick Bragg, Tyler Bridges, Elizabeth Miki Brina, Jericho Brown, Craig Colten, Augustin J Correro, Brenda Currin, Peter Ho Davies, Mary Gauthier, Jewelle Gomez, Peter Hagan, Miles Harvey, Ladee Hubbard, Rickie Lee Jones, Errol Laborde, Zachary Lazar, Robert Mann, Eric Nguyen, Glen Pitre, Betsy Prioleau, Kathy Randels, Nathaniel Rich, Gary Richards, Farrah Rochon, Tom Sancton, Kalamu Ya Salaam, Timothy Schaffert, Katy Simpson Smith, Oliver Thomas, Poppy Tooker, Esmé Weijun Wang, David Williams and many more.
Tony winner Michael Cerveris will co-host the festival’s opening night festivities with New Orleans singer-songwriter Arséne DeLay. The evening will feature musical performances and scenes from “A Streetcar Named Desire.”
Other activities throughout the week include the annual Tennessee Williams Tribute Reading, which will highlight selections from the author’s poetry, prose and letters; Cocktails With Tennessee: Making Magic Happen With 4 Drinks Inspired by His Characters; a Drag Queen Brunch in partnership with SoBou and Poppy Tooker; three one-act plays by the NOLA Project; the Storyville Walking Tour With Dianne Honoré and Quinn LaRoux’s Nola Drag Tour; and Kenneth Holditch’s Literary Tour and the Saints and Sinners LGBTQ+ Tour led by Frank Perez.
In addition, the Saints+Sinners Literary Festival, the fest’s annual LGBTQ+ literary conference, returns for its 19th year of readings, literary panels, and special events. More details on that event are available at sasfest.org.
Tickets range from $10 to $45 for individual events. Tickets and passes are on sale now at tennesseewilliams.net.
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