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Tennessee Williams Headshot

Tennessee Williams

Date of Death: February 25, 1983 (71)

Birth Place: Columbus, MS, USA

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BIO

One of America's greatest playwrights and certainly the greatest ever from the South, Tennessee Williams wrote fiction and motion picture screenplays, but he is acclaimed primarily for his plays, nearly all of which are set in the South, but which at their best rise above regionalism to approach universal themes. Tennessee Williams drew heavily on his family experiences in his writings. When The Glass Menagerie hit Broadway in 1945, it not only changed Tennessee Williams' life, it revolutionized American theatre. A Streetcar Named Desire, The Night of the Iguana and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof are some of his other masterpieces. Among his many awards, Williams won two Pulitzer Prizes and four New York Drama Critics Circle Awards. In addition to 25 full-length plays, Williams produced dozens of short plays and screenplays, two novels, a novella, 60 short stories, more than 100 poem and an autobiography. His works have been translated into at least 27 languages, and countless productions of his work have been staged around the world.

Photos

Awards and Nominations

Olivier Awards - 2003 - Best Revival

Tennessee WilliamsA Streetcar Named Desire

Tony Awards - 1999 - Best Play

Tennessee Williams, Not About Nightingales

Olivier Awards - 1995 - Best Revival of a Play or Comedy

Tennessee WilliamsSweet Bird Of Youth


winner
New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 1962 - Best American Play

Tennessee Williams, The Night of the Iguana

Tony Awards - 1962 - Best Play

Tennessee Williams, The Night of the Iguana


winner
Evening Standard Awards - 1958 - Best Play

Tennessee WilliamsCat on a Hot Tin Roof

Tony Awards - 1956 - Best Play

Tennessee Williams, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof


winner
New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 1955 - Best American Play

Tennessee Williams, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof


winner
The Pulitzer Prize - 1955 - The Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Tennessee Williams, Cat on A Hot Tin Roof


winner
Tony Awards - 1951 - Best Play

Tennessee Williams, The Rose Tattoo


winner
New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 1948 - Best American Play

Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire


winner
New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 1945 - Best American Play

Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie

Videos

News


Bryan Cranston, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Paapa Essiedu Will Lead ALL MY SONS Directed By Ivo Van Hove in the West End
by Stephi Wild - Apr 10, 2025

Bryan Cranston will star as ‘Joe Keller', Marianne Jean-Baptiste as ‘Kate Keller' and Paapa Essiedu as ‘Chris Keller' in Arthur Miller's ALL MY SONS. Learn more about the show here!
INTERIOR: PANIC and THE PRETTY TRAP are Coming to The Fire Weeds Theatre Co.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 9, 2025

The Fire Weeds in association with Houghton Hall Arts Community, will present Outraged Hearts. Directed by Jaclyn Bethany, Outraged Hearts is an evening of two rarely performed one-act plays by Tennessee Williams. Learn more!
THE VEIL World Premiere and More Set for Crow's Theatre 25-26 Season
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 9, 2025

Crow’s Theatre has revealed its 42nd season of programming and revealed an innovative three-year partnership with Soulpepper Theatre that imagines a collaborative and robust vision for the future of theatre in Toronto. Learn more!
THE SOPRANOS Star Dominic Chianese Will Appear at Town Hall
by Stephi Wild - Apr 8, 2025

Dominic Chianese from 'The Sopranos' will appear for one night only at the Town Hall. The evening will be directed by Will Nunziata. Learn more about the event here!
Pasadena Playhouse Marks 100th Anniversary with Major Building Announcement
by Emmy Rice - Apr 6, 2025

The building was lost to bankruptcy in 1970 and held in private ownership for more than five decades. Check here for more information.
Review: ORPHEUS DESCENDING at Tennessee Williams Theatre Company
by Tara Bennett - Apr 4, 2025

There’s a moment in ORPHEUS DESCENDING when Valentine Xavier, tall, lanky, with enough charisma to make a statue blush, enters a dry goods store in a dying Mississippi town, and you just know something is about to combust.
THE SECRET LIVES OF BABA SEGI’S WIVES Returns To Arcola Theatre
by Stephi Wild - Apr 4, 2025

After its hit 2018 UK premiere, the adaptation of the bestselling novel by Lola Shoneyin, a tale of marital power dynamics and sexual politics, will return to Arcola Theatre
Alex Edelman’s JUST FOR US Published by Dramatists Play Service
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 3, 2025

Dramatists Play Service has published Just for Us, the solo play by writer-performer Alex Edelman. Learn more about Just For Us's stage history and more about Edelman here.
Wake Up With BroadwayWorld April 2, 2025
by - Apr 2, 2025

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is April 2, 2025 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.
Dig Deep Theatre To Present THIS IS OUR YOUTH By Kenneth Lonergan At The Main Theatre
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 1, 2025

Dig Deep Theatre's production of Kenneth Lonergan's This Is Our Youth will run for 9 performances over two weekends at The MAIN in Santa Clarita, April 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27. Dig Deep's production of the play - Lonergan's first playwriting success - will be Santa Clarita's first chance to see his sharp, layered writing brought to the stage.
Top Off-Broadway Shows for April 2025
by Sidney Paterra - Apr 1, 2025

What's happening off-Broadway? BroadwayWorld is here to guide you through the top picks for theatre in the month of April, including Vanya starring Andrew Scott; A Streetcar Named Desire starring Paul Mescal and more. 
Review: Kym Vaitiekus Shares His Thoughts on THE GLASS MENAGERIE
by Jade Kops - Mar 31, 2025

Director Liesel Badorrek brings Tennessee Williams’ career-defining debut work to the Ensemble stage with a bold, multifaceted production. With a fresh and inventive eye, she breathes exuberant life into this classic, eliciting richly layered performances full of subtlety and emotional depth from every cast member.
Photos: David Rothenberg Hosts Book Launch With Christine Ebersole, Jim McGreevey, and More
by Stephi Wild - Mar 31, 2025

On March 30, theater publicist David Rothenberg celebrated the release of his new book, Manhattan Mayhem, with a release party at Fortune Society’s Castle Gardens. Check out photos here!
Pulitzer Prize for Drama: Iconic Plays That Shaped American Theater
by Sidney Paterra - Mar 30, 2025

The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the most prestigious honors in American theater, celebrating outstanding works that have made a significant impact on the stage. Here's a closer look at what the Pulitzer Prize for Drama is, how it works, and why it matters.
Richard Chamberlain, Legendary Star of TV, Stage and Screen Dies at 90
by Team BWW - Mar 30, 2025

Richard Chamberlain, renowned for his roles in 'The Thorn Birds' and 'Shogun,' has died at 90. Chamberlain, celebrated for his versatility in film, theater, and television, passed away on March 29th, 2025, in Waimanalo, HI, following a stroke. His career spanned decades, earning him numerous accolades, including Golden Globes for his performances.
21 Theater Books for Your Spring 2025 Reading List
by Nicole Rosky - Mar 29, 2025

Need a great book to spring into the new season? This spring, Broadway's best have put pen to paper to turn out theatre page-turners of every kind. From theatre biographies to theatre fiction; theatre books for kids to theatre history; check out our collection of 21 new Broadway books for every theatre lover's Spring 2025 reading list.
See Lorna Luft & Andrea McArdle and More at 54 Below in April
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 28, 2025

Next month, 54 BELOW will presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond, including Lorna Luft and Andrea McArdle, Marilyn Maye, and many more. See the full lineup here!
THAT'S (NOT) ALL SHE WROTE Comes to Theater For the New City
by Stephi Wild - Mar 28, 2025

In April, Theater for the New City will present 'THAT'S (NOT) ALL SHE WROTE...because after 50, she's got A LOT to say. Learn more about the upcoming production here!
Meet the Cast of STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW, Now on Broadway
by Stephi Wild - Mar 28, 2025

Performances are now underway for the Broadway production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow. The production begins performances Friday, March 28, 2025 and officially opens Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre. Meet the cast!
Theater For the New City to Present THAT'S (NOT) ALL SHE WROTE... in April
by Josh Sharpe - Mar 27, 2025

From April 25 to 27, Theater for the New City will present 'THAT'S (NOT) ALL SHE WROTE...because after 50, she's got A LOT to say.' The audience is meant to imagine itself as present in a playwriting workshop for women over 50 who are reading and acting their own work.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many shows has Tennessee Williams written?

Tennessee Williams has written 35 shows including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Playwright), You Touched Me (Playwright), Summer and Smoke (Playwright), Orpheus Descending (Lyricist), Garden District (Playwright), Sweet Bird of Youth (Playwright), I Rise in Flames, Cried the Phoenix (Playwright), The Purification (Playwright), Period of Adjustment (Playwright), The Night of the Iguana (Playwright), The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore (Playwright), The Rose Tattoo (Playwright), The Seven Descents of Myrtle (Playwright), In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel (Playwright), Camino Real (Playwright), Out Cry (Playwright), Battle of Angels (Playwright), Serafina (Source Material), Summer and Smoke (Playwright), Vieux Carre (Playwright), Clothes for a Summer Hotel (Playwright), Ten by Tennessee (Playwright), Kingdom of Earth (Playwright), The Red Devil Battery Sign (Playwright), Not About Nightingales (Playwright), Tennessee Williams Remembered (Author), Something Cloudy, Something Clear (Playwright), Five By Tenn (Playwright), The Glass Menagerie (Playwright), A Streetcar Named Desire (Playwright), Suddenly Last Summer (Playwright), The Eccentricities Of A Nightingale (Playwright), The Two-Character Play (Playwright), 2 By Tennessee Williams (Playwright), Talisman Roses (Playwright).

What awards has Tennessee Williams been nominated for?

Tennessee Williams has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. Some of his notable nominations include Best Revival at the Olivier Awards for "A Streetcar Named Desire," Best Play at the Tony Awards for "Not About Nightingales," Best Revival of a Play or Comedy at the Olivier Awards for "Sweet Bird Of Youth," Best American Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "The Night of the Iguana," Best Play at the Tony Awards for "The Night of the Iguana," Best Play at the Evening Standard Awards for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," Best Play at the Tony Awards for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," Best American Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," The Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "Cat on A Hot Tin Roof," Best Play at the Tony Awards for "The Rose Tattoo," Best American Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "A Streetcar Named Desire," and Best American Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "The Glass Menagerie."

What awards has Tennessee Williams won?

Tennessee Williams has won several awards for his plays. Some of his notable wins include the Best American Play award from the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "The Night of the Iguana," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "A Streetcar Named Desire," and "The Glass Menagerie." He also received the Best Play award from the Evening Standard Awards for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and the Tony Award for Best Play for "The Rose Tattoo." Additionally, Williams was honored with the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

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