This year’s Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis brings A Streetcar Named Desire to the stage under the direction of Tim Ocel. Along with that production, this year’s festival, dubbed Tennessee Williams: The French Quarter Years, celebrates the playwright with discussion panels, a one-man show, and a “Stella”-shouting contest.
Festivities kick off with a traditional brass band and a New Orleans–inspired parade through Grand Center, starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 10.
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A Streetcar Named Desire stars local actress and returning festival performer Sophia Brown as Blanche DuBois, who disrupts the relationship between her sister Stella, played by Lana Dvorak, and Stella’s husband, Stanley, played by Nick Narcisi. The production will also feature an original score by Henry Palkes, a St. Louis native, pianist, and composer.
“After the exhilarating response to some of our shows these last two seasons of the festival, it’s evident that our community has a hunger for Tennessee Williams’ work,” festival founder and artistic director Carrie Houk said in a statement. “Streetcar is one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved plays in the history of American theater, and we’re excited to be able to showcase it in the newly renovated Grandel Theatre. I think it’s important for generations to come, to know how much our city meant to Tennessee Williams, and how much of it is reflected in his work. He’s an important part of our cultural landscape, both here in St. Louis and beyond.”
Performances of A Streetcar Named Desire will take place May 10–3, May 16–17, and May 19, breaking on May 18 to celebrate the Muny’s 100th anniversary. The “Stella”-shouting contest will follow the May 13 performance.
Jacob Storms will perform his one-man show, Tennessee Rising, May 11–13 at .ZACK. Tennessee Williams scholars David Kaplan and Henry Schvey will moderate two discussion panels, Tennessee Williams: The French Quarter Years and A Streetcar Named Desire at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on May 12 at the Grandel.
On May 19, University of Illinois theatre department head Tom Mitchell will direct Williams’ one-act precursor to Streetcar, called Interior: Panic, at the Grandel Theatre.
Tickets to this year’s festival can be purchased at MetroTix.com.
