MONOLOGUES

In August 2026 actors and teachers from around the country will meet in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the childhood hometown of Tennessee Williams, to work deeply on craft, learn about Williams, and enjoy the rich Mississippi Delta culture.

Many Tennessee Williams plays are set in, or refer to the Mississippi Delta, including SPRING STORM, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (Blanche and Stella’s home), THE GLASS MENAGERIE (home of Amanda Wingfield’s gentleman callers), BATTLE OF ANGELS, 27 WAGONS FULL OF COTTON, ORPHEUS DESCENDING, AND KINGDOM OF EARTH, and many short plays and stories. His plays SUMMER AND SMOKE and THE ECCENTRICITIES OF A NIGHTINGALE are set in the Clarksdale rectory once occupied by Williams and his family.

On the first day we begin at that rectory, now the Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum. We then tour the town, reading monologues and scenes at the actual places they’re set. On another day, we’ll drive out to the Mississippi River, and then Moon Lake and the former Moon Lake Club (Casino), the site of Blanche’s husband’s tragic suicide in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. Moon Lake is featured in most of Williams’ Mississippi Delta plays. We’ll eat at a Moon Lake restaurant.

During the week, we have daily monologue class with time to rehearse in the late afternoons and evenings. We have the Katie Honaker, a master voice & speech teacher, who will coach accents (Southern and non-Southern) and voice. Sunday is a day off. There are additional guest classes with amazing teachers. Morning yoga is an option, with the excellent teachers from Delta Yoga, for a modest additional fee. We finish with informal performances of monologues for the community. Our last day ends with dinner and Blues in town.

Teachers observe class and also meet daily for Teacher Training in my monologue technique. Teachers can work on monologues if they wish.

Tennessee Williams wrote about 500 monologues within his 39 published full length plays and over 70 published short plays. I can make Williams recommendations for each actor, and you are more than welcome to work on monologues by other writers too. Actors will have time to finish at least 4 monologues during the training. I will teach you my complete technique: how to DIRECT, ACT and AUDITION with monologues. Watch a short video about my technique.

The 2026 workshops meet August 12—18, which means travel dates are August 11 and 19. Participants are responsible for their own travel, housing and most meals. There may be a donated room available; ask me about that.