Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
September 17 - 27, 2026

St. Louis Premiere!

In their family’s decaying plantation mansion, three adult children sort through a lifetime of hoarded mementos and junk as they collide over clutter, debt, and a disturbing family history.

Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA
6880 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63130

September 17: Preview 7:00 PM
September 18: Opening Night 7:00 PM
September 19, 24, 25, & 26: 7:00 PM
September 20 & 27 • 2:00 PM

SCHOLAR PANELS led by Tom Mitchell

9:00 AM • WHY WILLIAMS STILL MATTERS
Although he was writing through the heart of the last century, Tennessee Williams’s plays are still produced – often alongside contemporary writers. How do the plays of Tennessee Williams resonate with audiences today? What is it about this author that lingers in our imagination? 

10:00 AM • THE TENNESSEE OF TODAY?
Who is making theatre, film, music, or art in a spirit similar to Tennessee Williams today? How has his rich depiction of emotional life, his unflinching portrait of family conflict, and his unashamed celebration of sexuality transferred to new generations in the 21st century? 

11:00 AM • LINGERING DISCOVERIES FROM TENNESSEE WILLIAMS:
The Lingering Hour & Fin du Monde
Besides his well-known classics, Tennessee Williams left behind a huge collection of unpublished and unproduced works like “The Lingering Hour” and “Fin du Monde.”  Almost 50 years since his death, new work is still being unearthed and shared with audiences and readers. This panel will examine some of the specific new discoveries and the process of bringing them to light.

Immediately following discussion: Reading of “Fin du Monde: A Postscript to the Casualty List”
Set among Bohemian artists in the French Quarter at the time of Pearl Harbor, Tennessee Williams imagines the what the dawn of all-out world war means for a gay couple and their lesbian neighbor. Unpublished until 2026, “Fin du Monde” was radical for normalizing queer domestic life.

FREE ADMISSION
Moderated by Bess Rowen, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Theatre at Villanova University 

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins sits down to pull back the curtain on his powerful artistic dialogue with Tennessee Williams. Hailed by critics as Williams’ modern heir, the two-time Tony winner will dive into the profound influence of Tennessee Williams on his own writing, and how his acclaimed play “Appropriate” embodies the spirit of the Southern Gothic tradition for contemporary audiences.

Doors open at 1:00 p.m.

The Home of University City Mayor Terry Crow and Roberto Carnelos
7100 Delmar • University City, MO 63130

A delightful and intimate evening celebrating the life and legacy of Tennessee Williams, hosted at the beautiful home of one of the Festival’s generous sponsors. Guests will enjoy light hors d’oeuvres and cocktails while gathering in a warm and welcoming setting with fellow Tennessee Williams enthusiasts.

The evening will also feature a special short reading from Tennessee Williams’ final play, The Lingering Hour, offering a rare glimpse into the work of one of America’s most celebrated playwrights.

Join us for this very special evening of conversation, cocktails, and a celebration of Tennessee Williams.

Cliff Froehlich (Retired Executive Director of Cinema St. Louis) will provide a short introduction to the film and talk-back and conversation following. Blue Jasmine (2013), written and directed by Woody Allen, is widely recognized as a modern, loose reimagining of Tennessee Williams's classic 1947 play A Streetcar Named Desire. The film translates the core dynamic of Williams's masterpiece from New Orleans to San Francisco, swapping post-war grit for a contemporary story shaped by high-society financial fraud.

Tennessee Williams Festival Pop-up Events identify projects outside of Ptown that carry on the Ptown Festival’s efforts to celebrate Tennessee Williams through live performance and related live events. "Under the Influence" was the theme of the 2010 Festival in Provincetown. 

A fun and informative romp through the many ways Tennessee Williams shaped culture, drama, and entertainment for generations. In film and fashion, stage and screen, the indelible mark of America’s great playwright can be traced from the 1950’s onward in popular media. Under the Influence traces Williams tropes like the Southern Belle and the sexual fugitive through comedic parodies, homage, and satire.

Hosted by former director of the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival, this one-hour program features scenes from Williams’ most famous plays performed by St Louis favorites, [actor names here, if appropriate]. From The Golden Girls to The Simpsons, you’ll enjoy experiencing the surprising ways Tennessee Williams continues to influence all of us.

After "Under the Influence" in St. Louis, the next TW Fest Pop-up Event will be in New Orleans, October 8th-11th @ the Mudlark Public Theatre: two plays by Tennessee Williams staged with actors, marionettes, and shadow puppets. For more information: TWptown.org