ST. LOUIS  – Sophia Brown and Nick Narcisi will create the tempestuous relationship between renowned characters Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” the main stage production of the third annual Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis, May 10-19, at the Grandel Theatre. Tim Ocel will direct the production for this year’s festival titled, “Tennessee Williams: The French Quarter Years.”

The French Quarter-themed Festival will also include a one-man show, two panel discussions, a staged reading and a Stella Shouting Contest. The Festival will open with “Streetcar” at 7:30 p.m. on Thurs., May 10, at the Grandel Theatre. Festivities will kick-off at 5:30 p.m. with a traditional brass band, New Orleans-inspired parade through Grand Center led by Harvey Lockhart and the Point of View Jazz Ensemble from Healing Arts Center. The parade is open to the public. Tickets to Festival events will be available March 1 at MetroTix.com. Visit www.twstl.org for additional event information.

Since its inception three years ago, the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis has embraced the work of the legendary playwright, poet and artist, whose works include multiple Pulitzer Prizes such as “The Glass Menagerie,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” and “A Streetcar Named Desire,” to name a few. Williams’ work reflects the nearly 20 years his family lived in St. Louis, and his creations range from the famed classics, to adaptations for film and opera, to dozens of newly discovered plays and writings that have been continuously documented, performed and studied around the world. The Festival, founded by St. Louisan Carrie Houk, has attracted thousands to the variety of readings, panel discussions, concerts, art exhibitions, productions and playwright contests that make up the annual event. Facebook: TWFestSTL;Twitter: TWFestSTL