TWStL's 2022 production of "The Rose Tattoo." Courtesy of Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis.
History
The eighth annual Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis is scheduled to be held at multiple venues, including the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA), beginning on September 7.
The festival is held each year to honor the life of famous poet and playwright Tennessee Williams. It is comprised of performances of some of Williams’ most famous plays, panel discussions with history and theater experts, and other literary themed events.
Williams spent a significant portion of his life in St. Louis. He attended high school in University City and attended the University of Missouri before transferring to
Washington University in St. Louis for college. Much of his writing and artistry is said to have been shaped by his experiences living in the city, and there are many nods to familiar aspects of St. Louis in his works. Saint Louis University presented Williams with the Saint Louis Literary Award in 1974, and in 1979 he was named to the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
Tennessee Williams in 1965. Library of Congress. New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c28957.
In 2014, TWStL executive artistic director Carrie Houk received a grant from the Regional Arts Commission to produce one of Williams' plays, and it sold out a three-week run. The success of the performances inspired Houk to continue producing plays written by Williams, and these productions evolved into the festival we know today. The first official festival was in 2016, and the programming remained so successful that it was able to carry on throughout the COVID-19 pandemic via radio. These on-air renditions continue today on Classic 107.3.
The Theme
Williams’ time living in University City—the apartment where he lived and the shoe factory at which he worked—manifests itself in many of his artistic works, most notably The Glass Menagerie. According to Houk, this year's theme of Williams' University City Years is meant to commemorate the time he spent in the area and the influences it had on his work that followed.
Events
Courtesy of Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
September 7-17: Suddenly Last Summer at the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA
This year's production of Suddenly Last Summer marks the first time since the pandemic that the festival will be held in a traditional theater. The one-act play is set in New Orleans during the 1930s and follows a widow who asks a doctor to perform a lobotomy on her mentally ill niece. It draws inspiration from Williams’ own family experiences with mental illness—the character Catherine is likely a mirror of Williams' sister, who also grappled with mental health struggles.
September 8-12: Something Unspoken at the home of Terry Crow, Mayor of University City
For those looking for something lighter, Something Unspoken is nearly the complete opposite of the darker Suddenly Last Summer. It is the story of a woman’s attempts to earn the presidency of a social club and is one of Williams' more comedic works. Performances of Something Unspoken will be held at the historic home of University City Mayor Terry Crow.
September 8: Late Night Poetry Slam at Blueberry Hill
September 9: Panels Hosted by Festival Scholar Tom Mitchell at COCA
September 10: A Walking Tour of University City
September 10: Tennessee Williams Tribute featuring cast members and favorite STL actors, sponsored by Jane and Bruce Robert, at University City Hall
September 12: Film screening of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in collaboration with Cinema St. Louis at the Hi-Pointe Theatre
September 13: National Premiere of Teatr Baza’s Polish translation of The Glass Menagerie Presented by St. Louis Polonia at The Chapel
Tickets
Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased either in person at the box office or on MetroTix.com. For additional information, visit twstl.org/.
