T is for the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. Here's a festival that breaks from the expected carnival games and rides, food vendors, parades, and royalty and replaces them with words. Attendees at this annual March event enjoy five days to celebrate and showcase national and regional scholars and writers. The festival began in 1986 by a group of citizens who wanted to spotlight the region's rich cultural heritage through the art of writing. Besides over 100 literary speakers, a highlight of the festival is the popular contests for poetry, fiction, and one-act plays. Grand prize winners in each category receive $1500!
Apparently there's also a contest for this famous scene from A Streetcar Named Desire. Stella!!
Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) was an iconic American playwright famous for productions such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie, and of course, A Streetcar Named Desire. Williams lived for a time in New Orleans' French Quarter. His play Vieux Carré was set in the Quarter. For more information on Williams, here's the Wiki link.
Locally, Keagan LeJeune, professor of English at McNeese State University, was selected as a finalist in this year's festival poetry contest last month. Congratulations!
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2 comments:
Sounds like a fun festival. Boston does a book festival too and I went a few year's ago. A lot of the events are held in historic buildings and churches in the city. I really enjoyed it. New Orleans is a wonderful city. I've visited a few times and really enjoyed it.
@WeekendsinMaine
Weekends in Maine
Hi Karen, thanks for the comment. I checked out your blog and immediately swooned over the lilacs! I miss them. They apparently do not grow in the south. I've only been to Maine once in my life, and I loved it. I remember the rocky shoreline, and we stayed in a wonderful campground, I think it was called Blueberry Hill Campground. Lots of privacy, with half acre campsites.
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