Tennessee Williams Theatre Company To Present SMALL CRAFT WARNINGS

The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans (TWTC) will present SMALL CRAFT WARNINGS at the Lower Depths Theatre at Loyola University New Orleans. The production will mark the company’s return to one of Williams’ less frequently staged plays.

Set in a run-down bar called Monk’s Place on a night marked by dense fog, SMALL CRAFT WARNINGS follows a group of regulars and unexpected visitors who gather while travel conditions worsen. Over the course of the evening, the characters confront personal disappointments, uncertain futures, and the realities of their present circumstances. The play features a large ensemble of characters and blends humor with reflection.

LaKesha Glover will reprise her role as Leona, which she first performed during TWTC’s inaugural season. She will be joined by James Howard Wright as Monk and Robert Alan Mitchell as Doc, a role once performed by Tennessee Williams himself. The cast also includes Leon Contavesprie, Quinn Lapeyrouse, Kevin Wheatley, Kelley Holcomb, Miles Hamauei, and Benjamin Dougherty.

“This play has you cackling, cringing, and taking a sucker punch to the soul all within the space of a few moments,” said Founding Co-Artistic Director Nick Shackleford. “It's a roller coaster filled with recognizable and relatable characters that feels different from so many Williams plays. There's no Blanche DuBois in sight in Small Craft Warnings—just our friends, neighbors, favorite bartender…and maybe a little bit of ourselves.”

The production is directed by Augustin J. Correro. “Small Craft Warnings has been one of my favorite shows that we ever produced,” Correro said. “I'm most excited to revisit it and be able to bring production and performance aspects to light that we weren't able to achieve a decade ago, when we had just started. We had such a small budget in 2015, and we were performing for a small patch of seats in a cramped bar. But in our eleventh year we want to highlight some of the theatricality and depth that might have been missed on a much smaller scale. Plus, so many of our fans have joined us since that first season that it's a thrill to be able to show them one of our all-time favorites.”

The creative team includes lighting designer Diane K. Baas, scenic designer Nathan Arthur, Costume Designer Baylee Robertson, and sound designer Nick Shackleford. Maddie Taliancich serves as production manager, with Ryan Darby as stage manager and Avery Colle and Puck as assistant stage managers.

The production is part of TWTC’s anniversary season, which focuses on presenting both well-known and rarely produced works by Tennessee Williams. The season is supported by a grant from the New Orleans Theatre Association, with additional production support from Jason and Anjali Gillette. The run will conclude in conjunction with the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival.