Hirschfeld/Williams Exhibit DRAWN TO LIFE Opens in New Orleans

Today, the first exhibition to chronicle the career of Tennessee Williams with drawings by legendary artist Al Hirschfeld opens in the French Quarter. On view at The Historic New Orleans Collection's Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St., "Drawn to Life: Al Hirschfeld and the Theater of Tennessee Williams" features 125 items, including 50 drawings by the self-described "characterist" and 75 items from The Collection's permanent holdings relating to the great American playwright.
 
 "2011 marks the centennial of Tennessee Williams's birth, and when the opportunity to partner with the Hirschfeld Foundation arose, we knew it would showcase both artists' works in a unique and visually compelling way," said Mark Cave, co-curator for the exhibition and curator of manuscripts/oral historian at The Collection.
 
Williams was born in Columbus, Miss., on March 26, 1911, but spent most of his childhood in St. Louis. On December 26, 1938, a then-27-year-old Williams arrived in New Orleans, a city that fascinated and inspired the young writer. Even after he moved away, his devotion to New Orleans continued throughout his lifetime. Williams said New Orleans was his "favorite city in America" and that his "happiest years were there."
 
"Williams drew from his own life experience to create the characters in his plays. The personalities that Williams created became archetypes that transcend time and place," said Cave.  "Hirschfeld was able to capture the universality of Williams's characters."
 
Hirschfeld was the foremost chronicler of Williams's productions on and off Broadway. His drawings, distinguished by a signature linear calligraphic style, translate these performances into works of art that have become, in the words of co-curator and Hirschfeld archivist David Leopold, "the lingua franca of generations of actors and audiences." Hirschfeld said his contribution was to take the character-created by the playwright and portrayed by the actor-and reinvent it for the reader.  Visitors will quickly identify many of the actors-including Alec Baldwin, Marlon Brando, Richard Burton, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Jessica Lange, Paul Newman, Kathleen Turner, and Uta Hagen-whose portrayals of Williams's characters were immortalized by Hirschfeld.
 Items from The Collection supplement the Hirschfeld drawings to present a cohesive portrait of the playwright and his life, legacy and influences. Pieces displayed include an original Desire streetcar sign box from 1935; the diary of Edwina Dakin Williams, Tennessee Williams's mother; movie posters; souvenirs and much more. Home to the largest private collection of Tennessee Williams-related material in the world, The Collection's holdings include signed first editions, correspondence to and from Williams, his family members and friends, and manuscripts of unpublished poetry, screenplays and short stories.
 
Exhibition Information:
"Drawn to Life: Al Hirschfeld and the Theater of Tennessee Williams"
On view January 11-April 3, 2011
The Historic New Orleans Collection's Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres Street
Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
(On Sunday, April 3, the gallery will be open 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m)
Free and open to the public. Details available at www.hnoc.org and (504) 523-4662.
 
Upcoming Related Programs:
The following events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.hnoc.org or call (504) 523-4662.
Opening Reception
Friday, January 14, 2011
4:30-6:30 p.m. - Exhibition viewing, 410 Chartres St.
6:30 - 8 p.m. - Cocktail reception, 533 Royal St.
The public is invited to celebrate the opening of "Drawn to Life" with a special extended-hours viewing of the exhibition at 410 Chartres St. and a cocktail reception following at 533 Royal St. Special guests at the opening reception will include David Leopold, the guest curator for the exhibition and archivist for the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, and Louise Kerz Hirschfeld, Al Hirschfeld's widow, president of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation and theater historian.
 
Screening: The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld StorySunday, March 13, 2011, 2 p.m.
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St.
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature (1996), The Line King celebrates Hirschfeld's many years of work for The New York Times, where his drawings were a centerpiece of the Sunday Arts section. With appearances by Lauren Bacall, Carol Channing, Joan Collins, Barbara Walters, Robert Goulet and many others, The Line King is a fascinating portrait of the artist as a cultural icon. (1996; 86 minutes; not rated)
     

Screening: The Fugitive KindSunday, March 20, 2011, 2 p.m.
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St.
Sidney Lumet's stirring drama The Fugitive Kind is based on Tennessee Williams's play Orpheus Descending. Marlon Brando plays a drifter who wanders into a small town in Mississippi and falls into a tragic love affair. The film also stars Anna Magnani and JoAnne Woodward. Following the screening, Mark Cave, curator of manuscripts/oral historian at The Collection and co-curator of "Drawn to Life," will discuss the film and the exhibition. (1960; 120 minutes; not rated)
 
Screening: Journalist and anchor Eric Paulsen's 1981 interview with Tennessee Williams
Tuesday, March 22, 2010, 6:30 p.m.
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St.
    
Local legend and current WWL-TV anchor Eric Paulsen conducted the final in-depth broadcast interview with the famous playwright in 1981, roughly two years before Williams's death. Known for hosting highly successful shows like the nationally syndicated "PM Magazine" and WWL's Eyewitness Morning News, Paulsen has been a mainstay on New Orleans television for 15 years. After the screening, Paulsen will be on hand to discuss the interview and take questions from the audience. (1981; 47 minutes; not rated)
 
About The Collection
Founded in 1966, The Historic New Orleans Collection is a museum, research center and publisher dedicated to the preservation of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, The Collection offers guided tours, free rotating exhibitions, a research facility, and a museum shop. For more information, visit www.hnoc.org or call (504) 523-4662.
 

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