Tamblyn will play carnelle scott, a lonely young woman in mississippi who hopes that persevering in the patriotic pageant of. Sharon dixon obst directs beth henleys comedy about life in smalltown mississippi. Goodreads members who liked the miss firecracker contest also. 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, along with other beth henley plays, is characterized as a southern gothic. As are most of henleys works, this play is set in a small southern town. Scott came to us with by the water because of his passion for the plays story and the. Lois kerschen, critical essay on the miss firecracker contest, in drama for students, thomson gale, 2005. In this essay, holm looks at how henley treats the theme of appearance in this play. 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. And while the miss firecracker contest is wonderfully funny in the way that all southern families are funny and offkilter trust me, i know from. Please see registration for full contest rules and details. 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.
What is southern gothic and what elements of the miss firecracker contest fit into this category. It moved to a larger offbroadway house, the westbank theater. The miss firecracker contest is a southern literature play written by beth henley. Mississippian carnelle holly hunter, readying herself for the pageant, introduces two allies, alfre woodard as popeye, who s engaged to create her costume, and scott glenn as carnie mac whom, we learn, is her itinerant boyfriend, early in miss firecracker. They collectively deal with family problems and individual challenges. 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. 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. Winning the miss firecracker contest is all that stands between carnelle scott and leaving brookhaven in a blaze of glory. The excitement and anticipation of the shows kickoff to a threeweek run was apparent in the audience and on stage. 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. An eccentric southern family gathers on the eve of their misfit daughters debut. She longs to receive the respect and admiration that her cousin elain won with the community years ago. The miss firecracker contest broadway tickets, news, info. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will.
Willow gregory entered the miss firecracker contest on a dareand won. Arrangements for teddys debutante comingofage event are complicated by her mothers conviction for her fathers murder. In delmont, mississippi, a beauty pageant, the miss firecracker contest, is held every. 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. Carnelle is furiously rehearsing her patriotic tap dance for the miss firecracker contest hoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation as the towns miss hot tamale and allow her to leave brookhaven in a crimson blaze of.
The miss firecracker contest play monologues stageagent. It got a production at the manhattan theatre club offbroadway in 1984 directed by stephen tobolowsky, who was henleys romantic partner at the time. Carnelle scott lives in the small town of brookhaven, mississippi and is desperately trying to win the miss firecracker title. Miss firecracker contest at new stage theatre the clarionledger. Its heroine, carnelle, is an irrepressible young woman who thinks that winning the local beauty contest will restore her soiled reputation and make. Theatre arlingtons production of the miss firecracker contest was a pleasant way to start my weekend as i attended opening night this past friday. 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. Few think she can win, even her closest friends and relatives e. As popeye takes measurements, she tells carnelle that she got her sewing start making outfits for bullfrogs. From the author of crimes of the heart, the miss firecracker contest is a southern gothic comedy for which henley is best known. The miss firecracker contest is reynoldss favorite henley comedy, and several of henleys plays have shown at new stage.
The miss firecracker contest is a play about appearances. Complete summary of beth henleys the miss firecracker contest. 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. Join stageagent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. As the miss firecracker contest opens, carnelle scott is practicing her talent routine for the upcoming fourth of july beauty pageant in brookhaven, mississippi. Download the miss firecracker contest study guide subscribe now. In the miss firecracker contest, carnelle scott is a southern orphan living in brookhaven, mississippi. 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. The miss firecracker contest by beth henley, paperback.
A seamstress, popeye jackson, arrives and carnelle hires her to make a pageant costume. It stars holly hunter, mary steenburgen, tim robbins, alfre woodard, and scott glenn. March 10 march 26, 2017 the miss firecracker contest written by beth henley. 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. The debutante ball is a fulllength comedic drama by pulitzer prizewinning author beth henley.
The miss firecracker contest south camden theatre company. The miss firecracker contest directed by zach thomas wood for additional information visit. 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. As a carpenter is she not the tearsandtiara type, and after a year of walking the straight and narrow is she ready to cut loose. 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. Crimes of the heart is a character study of three sisters, each attempting to discover her own identity. The miss firecracker contest tells the story of carnelle scott, a 24yearold woman saddled with a bad reputation a deserved one, actually.
Kirsten ehlert zestfully portrays town slutturnedbeauty pageant contestant carnelle scott in the miss firecracker contest photo by stuart. The plays setting is enhanced first by a warmly decorated and homey set and later, by. Selected monologues from the miss firecracker contest including video examples, context and character information. A scene from the miss firecracker contest by beth henley, directed by abby illig. 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. Scott directed at south camden theatre company in 2016 bringing our audience the miss firecracker contest. Visitors can come to the limelight theatre for the southern comedy, the miss firecracker contest. Miss firecracker is a 1989 american comedy film directed by thomas schlamme. At age 17, elain won the title of miss firecracker in the local beauty contest and carnelle never forgot the sight of her beloved cousin riding atop. Also set in a small mississippi town brookhaven, it follows the trials and tribulations of carnelle scott, a twentyfouryearold woman with a bad reputation in town who seeks to redeem herself by winning the. The miss firecracker contest by beth henley performances april 21 at 5. In miss firecracker, the playwright beth henley has taken such a contest, the fourth of july pageant in yazoo city, miss. The miss firecracker contest play characters stageagent. This is not new material, but henley replaces some of the painful sincerity with.
Miss firecracker to open on broadway the new york times. The miss firecracker contest characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis. This hilarious comedy begins in a small mississippi town of brookhaven a few days before the fourth of july. The miss firecracker contest 1984 offbroadway tickets. The miss firecracker contest, with hunter as a young woman hellbent on rehabilitating her tarnished reputation by becoming a beauty queen, closed in. Miss firecracker this is a delightful over the top crazy characterization of a small town beauty pageant held in yazoo city. Firecracker will represent linton in the freedom festival parade on july 4. Working against her questionable, permiscuous reputation, which crowned her miss hot tamale by brookhavens citizens, carnelles practicing her tap dance routine to the.
A small town beauty pageant sets the scene for the miss firecracker contest, a southern comedy by jacksons own beth henley. Holm is a fiction and nonfiction writer and editor. Miss firecracker contest cont 3 jen smith duration. Miss firecracker by thomas schlamme holly hunter, mary. With holly hunter, mary steenburgen, tim robbins, alfre woodard. 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. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished. Find books like the miss firecracker contest from the worlds largest community of readers. 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. See more ideas about firecracker, brookhaven mississippi and mississippi. Firecracker baby freedom contest lintonstockton chamber of commerce 159 1st street nw linton, in 47441 phone. The miss firecracker contest fizzles at rlt triangle arts and. Tessy as she enters the dressing room carrying only the tap shoes. Chicago, il 60614 312 3351650 c 2020 steppenwolf theatre company.
Tessy, the beauty contest coordinator, offers last minute encouragement. Miss firecracker contest the miss firecracker contest by beth henley. 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. Carnelle interacts with her zany group of relatives and friends on her path to victory and the salvation of her tarnished reputation. Maybe i should go on and get your measurements off you right now if ya dont mind. This article is a summary of henleys career as well as an interview with her about the creation of the miss firecracker contest. Waking up in a strangers bed with no memory was on her mind. Multiple links are listed since a different versions exist and b many scripts posted become unavailable over time. The place is the small mississippi town of brookhaven, the time a few days before the fourth of july.