Members of the Tennessee Williams Tribute Board are busy finalizing plans for the 15th annual Tribute honoring the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and poet born in Columbus March 26, 1911.
The 2016 Tribute set for Sept. 8-11 will again highlight play performances and literary insight into the life of Tennessee Williams. It will add a new aspect as well.
“We’re having two free acting workshops with David Roby this year,” said Jerry Fortenberry, chair of the Tribute’s Host Committee. Roby is a professional actor, director, playwright and screenwriter based in Birmingham, Alabama. “We thought it would be great to have that; we expect it to even draw from outside the Golden Triangle area,” Fortenberry added.
Three performances of Roby’s original play, “Unseen Character,” will be presented at Rent Auditorium during the Tribute. Inspired by Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie,” it gives voice to characters who are mentioned, but never seen, in the play.
“We’ll have an opening night gala Sept. 8 at the Rosenzweig Arts Center, with food and drink, and David Roby will perform a new play,” Fortenberry said. In “sometimes there’s God so quickly,” Roby portrays 19 different characters, including a resident of Columbus.
The popular “Stella” Shouting Contest and its attendant street party return, set for Sept. 9 at 5:30 p.m. in front of Hollyhocks in downtown Columbus. Other events include a Backstory Breakfast with scholars at the Puckett House on the Mississippi University for Women campus, a Scholars’ Luncheon at the S.D. Lee Home and Tom’s Columbus, a morning of coffee, refreshments and casual conversation with scholars in the Tennessee Williams Home and Welcome Center.
Fortenberry said, “We look forward to continuing this tradition that Brenda Caradine started 15 years ago and to welcoming everyone to Columbus for the 2016 Tribute.”
Schedule, tickets
For a complete schedule of events and details, visit tennesseewilliamstribute.org. Several events are free. Some require tickets, priced $20-$60 (senior, military and student discounts available). A special “Desire Pass” for $100 includes priority admission to the gala opening, “Unseen Character,” the Scholars’ Luncheon and access to all additional events.
For ticket information, call 662-368-TLW1 (8591). Tickets will soon also be available at the Columbus Arts Council’s Rosenzweig Arts Center at 501 Main St.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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