Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival

Join us 32nd Annual Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival

Schedule:

11:00 AM  Opening Lunch & Art Exhibit  Cutrer Mansion, 109 Clark Street, Clarksdale | Welcome by Jen Waller, Festival Director and Director of the CCHEC/Cutrer Mansion • Special Tribute to the late Dr. Ann Abadie (1939 - 2024) • Performance by the celebrated Coahoma Community College Choir under the direction of Dr. Kelvin Towers • Special exhibit of original artwork by Tennessee Williams exhibited for 2 weeks in partnership with Rhodes College with remarks by Dr. Eric Solomon from the University of Mississippi • Unveiling of original artwork by celebrated New Orleans artist, George Dureau (1930 –2014) on loan to the Cutrer Mansion by Erma Duricko in honor of the late Dr. Kenneth Holditch (1933 – 2022) who served as a respected advisor and presenter for the festival for over 30 years.

Lunch Options :Picnic Boxes available on-site from Our Delta Table in Cleveland which specializes in fresh, wholesome handmade foods such as chicken salad, pimento cheese, pasta salad, fresh fruit. We will have a variety of boxes available (Salad Trio, Croissant Sandwich or the Turkey BLT Wrap). Reserve your choice of box ($16) by Friday, October 11th by emailing jenwaller05@gmail.com. We take cash, check made out to MDTWF, or Venmo (@Jen-Waller-5). You may also bring your own lunch. Water will be provided.

1:00 PM  Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum and St.George’s Episcopal Church open for tours | 106 Sharkey Avenue. The museum is housed in the four upstairs bedrooms of the former rectory. Young Tom (before he was Tennessee) Williams lived with and then visited his grandparents in Clarksdale while his grandfather Rev. Walter E. Dakin was the rector of St. George's from 1917-1931. Williams would feature the names and stories of members of the congregation in some of his most famous plays.

2:00 PM  Tour of Tennessee Williams' Clarksdale | The tour bus leaves from and returns to the Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum, 106 Sharkey Ave and is led by Karen Kohlhaas, Museum Curator. There is no charge for the tour but reservations are necessary: jenwaller05@gmail.com. The tour includes important historical Clarksdale locations, inspirations and settings from Williams plays, including our featured play Spring Storm, and also Orpheus Descending, A Streetcar Named Desire, This Property is Condemned, The Glass Menagerie, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The tour features monologues and scenes from some of those plays, read by actors and participants.

5:30 PM to 7:30 PM  Delta Dinner Party at Kathryn's on Moon Lake | 5770 Moon Lake Road, Dundee, MS | Dinner Fee: $45 Dinner must be pre-ordered and purchased by October 11th by emailing jenwaller05@gmail.com. We take cash, check or Venmo (@Jen-Waller-5). Kathryn's sells beer and is BYOB for wine/spirits. A prix fixe dinner menu including Moon Lake Onion Rings, Kathryn's Salad, an entrée choice (Fried Shrimp, Grilled Shrimp, Chicken Piccata, or Pasta with a Lemon Caper Cream Sauce), side options and a dessert will be offered.