Tennessee Williams Feted June 11 in Pre-Mississippi Picnic Event in New York

As a festive pre-cursor to the 36th annual Mississippi Picnic in New York’s Central Park on Saturday, the historic National Arts Club [15 Gramercy Park South/East 20th Street off Park Avenue South] will celebrate Mississippi’s rich cultural heritage with performances of sections from three celebrated works by native son Tennessee Williams and Mississippi-inspired tunes on Thursday, June 11, from 6:30 to 10 p.m.

Titled “Moon Lake: a Night of Music, Dancing and Drama,” it’s a reference to the Coahoma County community mentioned in several of the playwright’s works. The event is free. Arrive early. Space and seating are limited. All are welcome on a first come/first serve basis. Attendees are encouraged to come as their favorite Williams character or in period (30s–50s) dress.

Hushpuppies, fried pickles, and Comeback Sauce (the kissing cousin of rémoulade), which originated in Jackson, and other goodies will be served. There’ll be a cash bar for Southern-inspired specialty drinks, such as honeysuckle vodka from Cathead Distilleries and Ubon’s Bloody Mary mix.

There will be performances from A Streetcar Named Desire at 7 P.M., Eccentricities of a Nightingale at 7:30, and Suddenly Last Summer at 8. Williams scholar and producer of a Williams documentary Karen Kohlhaas will direct. Appearing, respectively, will be Suzanne Kimball as Blanche and Jim Gallagher as Mitch; Hannah Heller as Alma and George Fearing as John; and Anna Nanette Hudson as Mrs. Venable, Gwendolyn Kelso as Catharine, and Phillip Beaupre as Dr. Cukrowicz.

Guests will also enjoy blues and Mississippi-inspired music from Tamar Korn with piano and bass. Korn, a California native, has toured North America, Canada, China, France, Scandinavia, and the Caribbean. In New York, she’s performed at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola [named in honor of Dizzy Gillespie] at Jazz at Lincoln Center and society Café Carlyle.

This is the sixth annual event organized by National Arts Club members Scott and Laura Guthrie, working with the Mississippi Development Authority Office of Cultural Heritage, “to draw attention to the rich cultural heritage and continuing contributions made by Mississippi in all artistic media.”

Ellis Nassour is an Ole Miss alum and noted arts journalist and author who recently donated an ever-growing exhibition of performing arts history to the University of Mississippi. He is the author of the best-selling Patsy Cline biography, Honky Tonk Angel, as well as the hit musical revue, Always, Patsy Cline.