Department of theater and dance production season 20152016. Miss firecracker is the streamlined title of the film version of beth henleys play the miss firecracker contest. Carnelle scott known locally in the small mississippi town of brookhaven as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation and allow her to leave town in a blaze of glory. Carnelle holly hunter, apparently dyeing her hair evenmore red, takes a call from glamorous cousin elain mary steenburgen, who won the pageant she s entering years earlier, then together they introduce delmount tim robbins, who s just been released, in miss firecracker, 1989. March 10 march 26, 2017 the miss firecracker contest written by beth henley. It got a production at the manhattan theatre club offbroadway in 1984 directed by stephen tobolowsky, who was henleys romantic partner at the time. See more ideas about firecracker, brookhaven mississippi and mississippi. The place is the small mississippi town of brookhaven, the time a few days before the fourth of july. Department of theater and dance production season 2015. The miss firecracker contest comedy fc theatre arts. Scott came to us with by the water because of his passion for the plays story and the. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation.
Dps offers an extensive list of titles that includes many of the most significant plays of the past century. Siue interim chancellor steve hansen and cougars mens basketball head. The miss firecracker contest directed by zach thomas wood for additional information visit. This hilarious comedy begins in a small mississippi town of brookhaven a few days before the fourth of july. Henley managed to recover ever so slightly with her next venture, the miss firecracker contest, which never made it to broadway but instead enjoyed a modest run offbroadway beginning in 1984. Theatre arlingtons production of the miss firecracker contest was a pleasant way to start my weekend as i attended opening night this past friday.
Its heroine, carnelle, is an irrepressible young woman who thinks that winning the local beauty contest will restore her soiled reputation and make. Lois kerschen, critical essay on the miss firecracker contest, in drama for students, thomson gale, 2005. After her reputation was tarnished carnelle hopes that a victory in the contest will restore her name and allow her to leave the small town on a high note. Theatre announces cast for the miss firecracker contest. No matter who wins the miss firecracker contest, this cast comes off like winners. Mar 26, 2017 the miss firecracker contest written by beth henley. Working against her questionable, permiscuous reputation, which crowned her miss hot tamale by brookhavens citizens, carnelles practicing her tap dance routine to the. Scott directed at south camden theatre company in 2016 bringing our audience the miss firecracker contest. Carnelle isnt happy with her life, so in order to improve herself she enters a local beauty contest, trying to emulate her cousin elains win many years ago. The miss firecracker contest is a play about appearances. Foothills community players announces auditions for the miss firecracker contest by beth henley auditions for fcps production of the miss firecracker contest by beth henley will be held on saturday, december, 2014, from 2.
Miss firecracker 1989 movie clip scrape up that dog. An orphan taken in by her genteel relatives, she idolizes her older cousin, elain rutledge mary streenburgen, a former fourth of july miss firecracker contest winner who is taking time out from her life as a pampered wife in atlanta to give a speech on my life as a beauty at this years pageant. Holm is a fiction and nonfiction writer and editor. This is not new material, but henley replaces some of the painful sincerity with. Jul 20, 2019 the miss firecracker contest, along with other beth henley plays, is characterized as a southern gothic. Im sure its just cause the judges think shes some sort of concert pianist. Beth henleys the miss firecracker contest, the southern gothic drama on stage at limelight theatre through march 30, boldly dissects traditional 1950s60s small town values particularly how.
Few think she can win, even her closest friends and relatives e. She longs to receive the respect and admiration that her cousin elain won with the community years ago. Southern illinois university edwardsville school of pharmacy sop alumni and community. The film, set in yazoo city, mississippi, was written by pulitzer prize winning playwright beth henley and is based on her 1984 play, the miss firecracker contest. Stein as carnelle scott, tori sicklick as popeye jackson in a scene from the miss firecracker contest, written by beth henley.
Carnelle scott lives in the small town of brookhaven, mississippi and is desperately trying to win the miss firecracker title. It stars holly hunter, mary steenburgen, tim robbins, alfre woodard, and scott glenn. Kaye, a lawyer, has written and directed productions in washington, d. Miss firecracker to open on broadway the new york times. The miss firecracker contest beth henley the miss firecracker contest by beth henley the play. The miss firecracker contest will be staged friday and saturday, feb. Laura hanson as costume designer, vanessa graf as sound designer and kate slovinski as props master. The tale of carnelle scott, a young woman with bright red hair, who dreams of escaping her humdrum exis tence in rural mississippi. The miss firecracker contest, along with other beth henley plays, is characterized as a southern gothic. The miss firecracker contest 1984 offbroadway tickets. Twentyfouryearold carnelle is entering brookhavens. The work of beth henley is often described as southern gothic.
The excitement and anticipation of the shows kickoff to a threeweek run was apparent in the audience and on stage. The miss firecracker contest play characters stageagent. Jonesboro arkansas state university theatre announces the cast and crew for the upcoming production of the miss firecracker contest, by beth henley. Maybe i should go on and get your measurements off you right now if ya dont mind. Mar 18, 2020 the miss firecracker contest by beth henley performances april 21 at 5. Now, if beth henley wants to write an entire play based on popeye jacksonwell, i am much more inclined to watch about her life. Beth henleys play the miss firecracker contest, which won critical praise in its off broadway run in 1984, will be mounted on broadway this spring, starring the emmynominated amber tamblyn joan of arcadia, the shows producers announced on tuesday. Nov 27, 2012 the lead producer of the miss firecracker contest is a relative newcomer to broadway, larry kaye, who is also the producer of another play announced for broadway this spring, the velocity of autumn.
Miss firecracker contest theatre department past productions. She enters the miss firecracker contest, the local 4th of july beauty pageant, and puts her. With holly hunter, mary steenburgen, tim robbins, alfre woodard. In miss firecracker, the playwright beth henley has taken such a contest, the fourth of july pageant in yazoo city, miss. Siue students peruse employment opportunities at health careers fair. Department of theater and dance production season 20152016 xfest. The miss firecracker contest little theatre of virginia beach. Artistic director chuck harper september 23, 26 at 7. Siue mens basketball fans will see the cougars on live television 10 times from the vadalabene center during the 201516 season and 12 times overall. Character descriptions carnelle scott the plays central character, carnelle is a vulnerable and selfconscious young woman. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation and allow her to leave town in a blaze of glory. Apr 16, 2014 a small town beauty pageant sets the scene for the miss firecracker contest, a southern comedy by jacksons own beth henley.
I cant say the miss firecracker contest does it for me. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will. At first i was thinking the beauty contest in miss firecracker was too impossibly cornball to be true, but then i remembered the county fair queens of my youth teenage girls made up to within an inch of their lives and trotted out in their formal gowns to parade in the heat of an august afternoon, downwind from the hog judging, which always took place at about the same time. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation and allow her to. The miss firecracker contest broadway tickets, news, info. Beth henleys the miss firecracker contest is a longrunning offbroadway play about small town. Tamblyn will play carnelle scott, a lonely young woman in mississippi who hopes that persevering in the patriotic pageant of. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. A small town beauty pageant sets the scene for the miss firecracker contest, a southern comedy by jacksons own beth henley. Carnelle interacts with her zany group of relatives and friends on her path to victory and the salvation of her tarnished reputation. Performed at bergen county academies june 10th, 2011. Winning the miss firecracker contest is all that stands between carnelle scott and leaving brookhaven in a blaze of glory. The miss firecracker contest, with hunter as a young woman hellbent on rehabilitating her tarnished reputation by becoming a beauty queen, closed in.
Mar 14, 2017 the miss firecracker contest has been given a sweet and affecting staging. Visitors can come to the limelight theatre for the southern comedy, the miss firecracker contest. In this essay, holm looks at how henley treats the theme of appearance in this play. Sharon dixon obst directs beth henleys comedy about life in smalltown mississippi. The miss firecracker contest opens siue s department of theater and dance 201516 season, showcasing the creative talents of cocuzza as director, katie kauffman as set designer, valerie goldston as lighting designer, dr.
The miss firecracker contest by beth henley performances april 21 at 5. The 2017 little miss and mister firecracker contest is open to gallia county boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 9 years old, as of july 1, 2017. The miss firecracker contest has been given a sweet and affecting staging. The miss firecracker contest characters beth henley this study guide consists of approximately 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the miss firecracker contest. The miss firecracker contest discussion questions beth henley this study guide consists of approximately 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the miss firecracker contest. Act 1, scene 1 as the miss firecracker contest opens, carnelle scott is practicing her talent routine for the upcoming fourth of july beauty pageant in brookhaven, mississippi. Multiple links are listed since a different versions exist and b many scripts posted become unavailable over time. See actions taken by the people who manage and post content. Both charming and irreverent, the miss firecracker contest is a wistful take on southern beauty culture and the reallife facades it so eloquently symbolizes. The miss firecracker contest by beth henley auditions for fcps production of the miss firecracker contest by beth henley will be held on saturday, december, 2014, from 2.
Miss firecracker contest at new stage theatre the clarionledger. Carnelle scott is feverishly rehearsing her patriotic tap dance for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation and allow her to leave town in a blaze of glory. The miss firecracker contest was a wonderful production, produced by a. This boisterous and bold dark comedy, a true beth henley play, explores human nature through the slightly largerthanlife, and finds earnest humor and satire in many of the same places. The miss firecracker contest slidell little theatre. The play is set in the small southern town of brookhaven, mississippi, and tells an archetypical story of a young woman trying to reinvent herself. The miss firecracker contest characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis. From the author of crimes of the heart, the miss firecracker contest is a southern gothic comedy for which henley is best known. Feb 03, 2017 sharon dixon obst directs beth henleys comedy about life in smalltown mississippi. But she just knows that one opus by johann sebastian bach. Please see registration for full contest rules and details.
The miss firecracker contest by beth henley, paperback. The miss firecracker contest south camden theatre company. Dramatists play service, one of the premier playlicensing and theatrical publishing agencies in the world, was formed in 1936 to foster national opportunities for playwrights by publishing affordable editions of their plays and handling the performance rights to these works. The unexpected arrival of her cousin elain, a former miss firecracker winner, complicates matters, as does elains eccentric brother.
Miss firecracker by thomas schlamme holly hunter, mary. W hen it comes to proving her worth, carnelle scott thinks winning brookhaven, mississippis annual fourth of july beauty pageant, the miss firecracker contest, will be her ticket to greater selfconfidence. It moved to a larger offbroadway house, the westbank theater. Beth henleys the miss firecracker contest opens oct. Carnelle hunter, an oversexed hellion who was orphaned as a young child, has always played second fiddle to her beautiful, older, southern belle cousin a past miss firecracker contest winner. Hmm, i suppose that talent part of the contest will count quite a bit. Fox sports midwest fsm will have the call for eight of the games. The miss firecracker contest is a southern literature play written by beth henley. Miss firecracker is a 1989 american comedy film directed by thomas schlamme. Its heroine, carnelle, is an irrepressible young woman who thinks that winning the local beauty contest will restore her soiled. The excitement and anticipation of the shows kickoff to a threeweek run was apparent in the audience and on stage during executive producer todd harts introduction. Miss firecracker this is a delightful over the top crazy characterization of a small town beauty pageant held in yazoo city.
Many critics have also labeled henleys work as southern gothic. Join us for our terrific linup of shows for this years xfest. What is southern gothic and what elements of the miss firecracker contest fit. With the return of her beautiful cousin, elain, a former miss firecracker herself. Holly hunter plays a mississippi girl whose sole reason for being is to enter. Despite funny moments, the miss firecracker contest loses its sizzle in second act.
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