Why was Tennessee Williams in Vancouver in 1980?
Williams was in Vancouver doing The Red Devil Battery Sign and I guess he was also doing some mentoring and courses ( Williams was Distinguished Writer in Residence at University of British Columbia) but he was really there to put the play on because he was having some frustration getting people to put it on. It (RDBS) was a bit odd for Tennessee Williams. Mauro just gave The Visit to Tennessee Williams and Williams read it, and responded. I was shocked. The first inkling I had – no warning at all – I got a special delivery package in the mail containing my play and a letter from Tennessee Williams. I went – what is this?? I knew Mauro had to have something to do with it because he was out there. I was totally shocked. What did the letter say? Tennessee Williams was nice enough to say The Visit was an ‘excellent’ play, that I had a ‘fine dramatic sense’ and keep writing a lot of plays. It was incredibly inspiring to get that kind of reaction and he said he wanted to meet me if possible
