A celebration of everything Tennessee Williams. As a child growing up in Clarksdale the seeds were planted that grew into people and places in his writing. From porch plays to scholarly discussions there is something for every Tennessee Williams fan.

You can reserve for the Thursday 10/15/2026 Delta Dinner Party and the Thursday and Friday 10/16 & 10/17 lunches by contacting the Cutrer Mansion at 662-621-9344 or at cchecassistant@gmail.com or Jen Waller by text at 662-645-3555. See below for details.

You’re Invited!

Please join us in Clarksdale, Mississippi, as we
 Celebrate the life and work of 

Tennessee Williams

While honoring the people and places that inspired him

For a festival like ours, set in one of Williams’s most cherished home places, this is so exciting! 

It allows us—the attendee, the reader, the spectator, the participant—to explore, learn, connect and experience the great playwright, in the place that he remembered so fondly…CLARKSDALE.

Come join us as we learn more about Tennessee Williams.

Come join us as we celebrate his life and his work.

Come join us as we recognize one of the greatest American playwrights of all time, in the Sanctuary of his Youth.

WATCH THE VIDEO | Tennessee Williams Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi

Festival Focus:  This Property is Condemned

Festival Moderator – Dr. Clay Motley

Thursday, October 15, 2026

Overview: Opening Lunch, Tours around the Delta,

Delta Dinner Party at Kathryn’s with music

11:30 AM to 1:00 PM —Opening Lunch Reception at Hopson Commissary (confirmed with Chelsea Antici) with Possible Award Ceremony, Music, Keynote Speaker: Author, Professor Ralph Eubanks, and Site-specific Teaser Performance on the train tracks at 1:15 pm, over by 1:30 pm, then folks depart for various tours – Discuss Food with Hopson Folks

10 Commissary Circle, Clarksdale, MS 38614

Specifics of program:

¨ Welcome by Dr. Clay Motley, Festival Moderator, and Dr. Valmage Towner, President of Coahoma Community College

¨ Performance by the celebrated Coahoma Community College choir under the direction of Dr. Kelvin Towers

¨ Scholar Presentation by Ralph Eubanks (confirmed)

¨ Site specific teaser performance – This Property is Condemned -- Need to determine if we want to use locals for this or Augustin’s company? Is it a teaser of the professional team or do we want to try to do a community theatre type program using students from Lee Academy?

2:00 PM – Afternoon Open for Tours to various places in the Delta: Hopson Commissary, TW Rectory Museum, Blues Museum, Benoit to the Baby Doll house, Railroad Museum and Grammy Museum in Cleveland, BB King Museum in Indianola, Rowan Oak in Oxford, Quapaw offers a community canoe, Ag Tour, and other options – Considering trying to partner with Jimmy Thomas to revive the Delta Cultural Tours that the Center for the Study of Southern Culture use to do.

6 PM to 8 PM — Delta Dinner Party with Live Music at Kathryn’s on Moon Lake

5770 Moon Lake Road, Dundee, MS 38626

¨ The cost for a dinner ticket is $60 per person. Dinner ticket must be pre-ordered and

purchased by October 9th by contacting Jen Waller by text at 662-645-3555.

We take cash, check or Venmo (@Jen-Waller-5).

Friday, October 16, 2026

Overview: Scholar Talks and screening of This Property is Condemned

At Coahoma Community College in the Whiteside Lecture Hall off of Quitman Lane

(9 am to 12 noon), Blues Museum for Lunch, and

Carnegie Public Library in downtown Clarksdale for one presentation and film

9:15 AM to 10 AM – Scholar Talk #1 – Karen Kohlhaas?

At Coahoma Community College, 3240 Friars Point Road in the Whiteside Lecture Hall which is off of Quitman Lane

10:15 AM to 11:15 AM – Scholar Talk #2 Greg Carr? At Coahoma Community College, 3240 Friars Point Road in the Whiteside Lecture Hall which is off of Quitman Lane

11:30 AM to 1:30 PM – Train History Panel at the Blues Museum or at Visit Clarksdale – Focused on the history of the Train and train station and what was going on in Clarksdale when the train station was the primary transportation

Possibly Moderated by Dr. Ted Ownby, University of MS

1 Blues Alley or 326 Blues Alley, Clarksdale

¨ 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 Chicken Salad Sandwich or the Turkey BLT Wrap), but will need to know by Thursday, October 9th if you plan to purchase one. If you want a specific one, let us know. The cost is $15 per box. Email the Cutrer Mansion at cchecassistant@gmail.com to reserve a picnic box. We will share specific box choices as it gets closer. We take cash, check or Venmo (@Jen-Waller-5). You may also bring your own picnic lunch to enjoy. Water will be provided.

For Panel ideas:

¨ TBD

2:00 PM — Panel about the film with people from Bay Saint Louis Little Theatre, Actor Mary Badham and Jon Provost, and Francis Ford Coppola on Zoom – Could get a Film Scholar to lead the program?

¨ Details to figure out

Carnegie Library, 114 Delta Avenue

3:00 PM to 4:50 PM – Screening of This Property is Condemned

5:30 PM to 7:30 PM — Wine and Cheese Party at Eva’s with special guest/s Jon Provost and Mary Badham?

107 Ridge Road, Clarksdale off of Friars Point Road

¨ Details to figure out

Saturday October 17, 2026

Overview: Student Drama Competition and Porch Plays

9:00 AM to 12 Noon — Student Drama Competition I Sponsored by Coahoma Community College

Norman Brown Commons Building at the Cutrer Mansion, 109 Clark Street, Clarksdale

¨ A festival favorite, the Student Drama Competition highlights students from around the region who will perform monologues, scenes and Stella calls competing for the opportunity to win trophies and $2,500 in award money for their school programs. Open to the Public.

¨ In talks with Rick Draughon and Judith Mullens about producing/incorporating a Writing Contest this year. TBD

12 Noon       Lunch on your own at one of Clarksdale’s fine restaurant establishments

¨ Student Pizza Party in the courtyard of the Cutrer Mansion

1:00 PM to 2:00 PM – Clarksdale Woman’s Club & Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum Open to Visitors

Clarksdale Woman’s Club I 101 Sharkey Avenue I Clarksdale

Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum I 106 Sharkey Avenue I Clarksdale

¨ The Clarksdale Woman’s Club, which has been an active service club for women since 1907, will serve refreshments in their club house built in 1923. It is located across the street from St. George's Episcopal Church and the Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum. Stop by the Woman's Club for some hometown hospitality and refreshments before the Porch Plays.

¨ The Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum is where a young Tom "Tennessee" Williams lived with, and then regularly visited his grandparents in Clarksdale, Mississippi, between 1917 and 1932 when his grandfather Walter E. Dakin was rector of St. George's Episcopal Church. Williams was deeply influenced by the Mississippi Delta, and featured Clarksdale people, places, and stories in some of his most famous plays, including THE GLASS MENAGERIE, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, SUMMER AND SMOKE, and ORPHEUS DESCENDING. The museum is housed in the four upstairs bedrooms in the former rectory of St. George's Episcopal Church, once occupied by Williams and his family.

2:15 PM A visit to the St. George’s Church with remarks by the Rev. Charlie Deaton

St. George’s Episcopal Church, 106 Sharkey Avenue

¨ The Reverend Charlie Deaton of St. George’s Episcopal Church talks inside the sanctuary where Tennessee Williams’ grandfather, the Rev. Walter E. Dakin, was rector from 1917 – 1932.

¨ In Talks with Professor Tom Mitchell about introducing a new 20-minute play called Dolores Sleeps Under the Roses. He would like to do it in the church sanctuary as a wake service so I need to discuss with Rev. Charlie Deaton.

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM — Porch Plays in the Historic District   

¨ 415 Court Street I Panny’s Porch| 3:00 PM | Another one-act play to be determined, Maybe “At Liberty” – Possible Actors: Beth Bartley and Brenda Currin, but then need a director OR see if Augustin wants to try to bring actors to do it

¨ 203 Court Street I Sherman Law Offices | 3:30 PM | Performances by the Winners of the Student Drama Competition and winners of the Writing Contest

¨ 235 Clark Street | 4:00 PM | Lifelong Community Theatre Actor Sherrye Williams offers her traditional portrayal of Amanda Wingfield from The Glass Menagerie with guests

¨ 41 John Street | 4:30 PM Production Begins | This Property is Condemned

Directed by Augustin J. Correro

5:15 pm to 6:30 PM – After-Party at Ground Zero Blues Club because it would be near the railroad tracks?

121 Delta Avenue, Clarksdale