'Stella' Shouting Contest to Launch Tennessee Williams Festival

On Saturday, March 21, the Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival will host Williams Under the Oaks, with scenes from his plays along with new original pieces inspired by Williams. The event is a free gift to the community in partnership with The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans and will feature New Orleans actors and performers. This Festival kickoff is slated for 2 PM on the grounds of the New Orleans Jazz Museum and culminates in the ever-popular Stella Shouting Contest at 3:30 PM.

Bring your blanket or festival chair and join in under the oaks on the front lawn of the New Orleans Jazz Museum for scenes from Small Craft Warnings, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Gnädiges Fräulein, and A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, along with Williams-inspired scenes featuring Debbie with a D, Qween Quan, and Tennessee's ghost with Harry Mayronne with special musical guest Chris Vincent. A cash bar will be available.

The Stella Shouting Contest replays the iconic scene where Stanley yells up to Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire. Poppy Tooker will emcee and acting duo Beth Bartley d'Amour and Todd d'Amour will portray Stella and Stanley. 

“Williams Under the Oaks and Stella will be such a fun way for people to spend the Saturday afternoon before the Festival," says Tracy Cunningham, managing director. "The front lawn of the New Orleans Jazz Museum is beautiful, and everyone can relax and watch the performances and then cheer for their favorite Stella shouter at the contest." 

The contest will be a fundraiser for the New Orleans Family Justice Center, a network of agencies assisting anyone affected by domestic violence. The Stella Shouting Contest is free and open to the public.

This year, the Festival celebrates its 40th anniversary of highlighting contemporary literature, theatre, New Orleans culture, and, of course, Tennessee Williams. Festival dates are March 25 - 29.

There will be over 100 speakers at the Festival including Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Olen Butler, acclaimed playwright Martin Sherman, National Book Award winner Justin Torres, Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cunningham, bestselling authors Miles Harvey, Rodger Kamenetz, Thomas Mallon, and Maurice Carlos Ruffin, multi-award winners Addie Citchens, Maureen Corrigan, Margot Douaihy, Ladee Hubbard, Skye Jackson, Mona Lisa Saloy, Marguerite Sheffer, and many more. Visit the Festival website at www.tennesseewilliams.net for the full speaker roster of award-winning writers, fresh new voices on the literary scene, and many New Orleans authors.

Also during the Festival weekend, March 27 - 29, Saints and Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival (SAS) celebrates its 23rd year of writer's craft sessions, author readings, literary panels, and special events. Visit sasfest.org for more details.

Festival Tickets are on sale now. VIP Passes and LitPasses to the panels are available, as well as  individual event tickets. Prices for most individual events range from $10 to $45.