Tennessee Williams Museum Celebrates Playwright's 115th Birthday With Free Public Events

A free two-hour celebration at the Tennessee Williams Museum, 513 Truman Ave., capped a month of programming honoring one of Key West's most celebrated residents Thursday evening, as the museum marked the 115th birthday of playwright Tennessee Williams with award presentations, live readings, birthday cake and bubbly beverages.

The party, which ran from 5 to 7 p.m., drew local writers, performers and members of the museum community and served as the grand finale of a month-long festival honoring Williams' life and legacy. Actress George diBraud performed readings from the winning entries in short story and poetry contests organized as part of the festival. Awards were also presented for a plein air painting contest, recognizing visual artists whose work was inspired by Williams' writing.

"Keeping Tennessee Williams' legacy alive here in Key West is deeply important to us," said Dennis Beaver, founder and curator of the Tennessee Williams Museum. "This island was not only his home but a source of inspiration, and through events like this, we ensure that his voice, his stories and his impact continue to resonate with new generations."

Williams was born March 26, 1911, in Missouri and died February 25, 1983, at age 71 in New York City. He first visited Key West in 1941, established permanent residency in 1949 and maintained a home at 1431 Duncan St. from 1950 until his death. In that time he wrote major works including "Night of the Iguana" and finished "A Streetcar Named Desire" while on the island.

The museum, established in 2011 and operated through the Key West Art & Historical Society, houses an extensive collection of photographs, first edition plays and books, rare newspaper and magazine articles, videos, a typewriter used by the playwright and a scale model of his Duncan Street residence. A historic photograph of Williams celebrating a past birthday with David Wolkowsky at the Pier House Resort & Spa, courtesy of the Estate of David Wolkowsky, was used to promote this year's celebration and ties the annual event to a long Key West tradition.

For information about upcoming events, visit kwahs.org/whats-on or contact Dr. Cori Convertito at 305-295-6616 x507 or cconvertito@kwahs.org.