The writing of Tennessee Williams is about to come to life in the city again this week, as volunteers bring the work of the Columbus-born playwright back into the spotlight.
From Thursday through Sunday, Tennessee Williams Tribute and Columbus Arts Council will host seven events — including theatrical performances, poetry slams, a cocktail hour and more — to celebrate the playwright’s legacy.
TWT board member Marthalie Porter told The Dispatch the tribute is going on its 23rd year. The four-day celebration includes something for everyone, she said, even people who are not already Tennessee Williams fans.
“We’re just excited… that here we are in the fall and it’s time for the tribute,” Porter said. “We’re looking forward to having a lot of fun and a lot of people coming out and joining us.”
Porter said this year’s tribute includes four performances of “A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur.” The first three will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and there will be a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Sunday. All four performances will take place at the Omnova Theater on the second floor of the Rosenzweig Arts Center.
The play, written by Williams in 1976, includes a four person all-female cast. It is a comedy focused on the romantic life of two roommates, Dorothea and Bodey, and two other tenants in their building, Helena and Miss Gluck. The four characters will be portrayed by actors Sara Wade, Julia Mortyakova, Ksenia Davis and Lori LeVar Pierce, respectively.
While “A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur” is one of Williams’ lesser-known plays, director Melanie Tubbs hinted that it holds a lot to look forward to.
“We’d love for the community to come and see the rare performance of one of (Tennessee) Williams’ last plays,” Tubbs wrote in a text message to The Dispatch. “The play is clever and funny and the cast has done an amazing job.”
The week will also include readings of the top three plays entered in Mississippi University for Women’s fourth annual 10:TENN national playwriting 10-minute competition. The readings will be at 3 p.m. Friday at Second Stage Theatre at the Cromwell Communications Center on the MUW campus.
There will also be a poetry slam in the Omnova Theater at noon Saturday, along with a Moon Lake cocktail hour at the Omnova Theater at 6 p.m. before Saturday’s showing of the play.
Porter said the tribute is bringing back the long-standing tradition of inviting a scholar to attend the week’s events and share information about Tennessee Williams and their own writing. This will be the tribute’s first scholar since 2020, Porter said.
This year’s scholar will be Elyzabeth Wilder, who teaches playwriting at Sewanee: The University of The South in Tennessee and won last year’s 10:TENN playwriting contest. Wilder will be sharing information about Tennessee Williams and sharing her own writing at three of the week’s events, Porter said.
“I’m so excited to be participating in the Tennessee Williams Tribute Festival,” Wilder told The Dispatch in an email. “As a Southern writer, my work has been heavily influenced by Williams’ work. I’m honored to be able to honor his legacy and to also celebrate the new work being written by contemporary playwrights.”
Porter said Brenda Caradine started the tribute in 2001 as a way to celebrate Williams’ work and draw attention to the city as the playwright’s birthplace. A few years ago, she said, TWT started partnering with the arts council, as a way to make sure the tribute keeps going for as long as possible.
Salem Gibson, former executive director for the arts council and current board member, told The Dispatch CAC is happy to be working with the tribute, giving a “home” to many of the events and highlighting Tennessee Williams’ impact on art.
“All of the things that we’re doing are just to celebrate him and celebrate his time, and not forget what he’s done in… the world of literature, but also just how impactful he was to come from a small town in Mississippi and make something so great for his career and his life,” Gibson said.
Tickets for “A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur” are available at the Columbus Arts Council or on its website at columbusartscouncil.com/crevecoeur. Tickets to the show are $20 each, though there is a discount available for teachers and students, Porter said.
The 10:TENN National Playwriting 10-minute competition reading and the poetry slam are free and open to the public.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 39 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
