JANUARY 4—10, 2026
1-WEEK RESIDENTIAL ACTING WORKSHOP IN TENNESSEE WILLIAMS’ MISSISSIPPI DELTA
tennessee williams
scene study
with KAREN KOHLHAAS
TUITION | $695 Actor | $350 Auditor
To apply, click the button and include your resume or description of previous training.
the workshop
January 2026 marks the 4th year of these winter workshops. Actors and from all over the country meet in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the childhood home of Tennessee Williams, to work deeply on craft, learn about Williams, and enjoy the rich Mississippi Delta culture.
Everyone starts the week with a tour through the town and surrounding area, beginning at the Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum. Many of Williams most famous plays are set in, or refer to the Mississippi Delta, including 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), and ORPHEUS DESCENDING. SUMMER AND SMOKE and THE ECCENTRICITIES OF A NIGHTINGALE are set in the rectory itself. We then tour the town, reading monologues and scenes at the actual sites they’re set in, and then we drive out to the Mississippi River. We finish with dinner at Moon Lake, the site of Blanche’s husband’s tragic suicide in STREETCAR. Moon Lake is featured in all of Williams’ Delta plays.
During the week, there is daily class and daily time for rehearsals. Wednesday is a day off (the only request for improvement by the first group!). In the evenings, Clarksdale has live Blues 365 nights a year. Morning yoga is an option with the excellent teachers from Delta Yoga. We finish with public performances of the Williams scenes for the community. Our last day ends with dinner and Blues in town.
The 2026 workshops meet January 4—10 which means travel dates are January 3 and 11. Participants are responsible for their own travel, housing and most meals.
tennessee williams scene study with karen kohlhaas
Tennessee Williams wrote about a dozen plays set in the Mississippi Delta and over two dozen others, as well as over 70 short plays. Projects and partners are chosen ahead of the workshop so that actors can get to know their plays and scenes well before arriving. We analyze and act the scenes with Practical Aesthetics acting technique. Partners bring in scenes of increasing length, reaching 15-20 minutes. Scenes are fully staged with set pieces, props and costumes. The community attends the final performance on Saturday. PREREQUISITES | No previous experience with Practical Aesthetics or Tennessee Williams is needed. Full participant actors must have previous acting training (send resume with application). Active Auditors should have deep interest in the subject matter and can do ‘paper project' script analysis on Williams scenes of their choice.
transportation
Travel days are January 3 and 11. The nearest airport is Memphis, about 75 miles away. For those not renting cars, there will be airport pickup and dropoff on arrival and departure days, within certain windows. When you register those who fly will receive air travel recommendations. Cars have always worked out easily with some people renting, or driving to the training, and sharing and chipping in for gas.
Housing
There is a range of places to stay in Clarksdale starting at $35 for a dormitory room in a very cool hostel; private rooms from about $60/night and upwards at various places around town. There have been some donated rooms in the past for those who otherwise could not afford to come, please inquire about that when you apply. When you register you will receive housing recommendations.
MEALS
Participants are responsible for most of their own meals. I host a couple of group dinners. Most of the B&Bs in town have kitchens and/or include breakfast food. There are several restaurants.
bio
KAREN KOHLHAAS is a theater director, teacher, author, filmmaker and Tennessee Williams scholar. Full Bio