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. The miss firecracker contest comedy fc theatre arts. Theatre arlingtons production of the miss firecracker contest was a pleasant way to start my weekend as i attended opening night this past friday. Pulitzer prize winner beth henleys the miss firecracker contest runs through may. 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. Brookhaven, mississippi, is the setting for the story of carnelle scott, who dreams of winning the fourth of july pageant so she can shed her hot tamale label and leave town in a crimson blaze of glory. Fiu department of theatre presents the miss firecracker contest.
Its heroine, carnelle, is an irrepressible young woman who thinks that winning the local beauty contest will restore her soiled. It moved to a larger offbroadway house, the westbank theater. She is soon joined by her cousin elain, who has just left her rich but boring husband, and her cousin delmount, who has just been released from a mental institution. The miss firecracker contest broadway tickets, news, info.
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. The miss firecracker contest by beth henley, paperback. The miss firecracker contest by fiu theatre department at. The excitement and anticipation of the shows kickoff to a threeweek run was apparent in the audience and on stage. The miss firecracker contest, with hunter as a young woman hellbent on rehabilitating her tarnished reputation by becoming a beauty queen, closed in.
Scott directed at south camden theatre company in 2016 bringing our audience the miss firecracker contest. This is not new material, but henley replaces some of the painful sincerity with. The tale of carnelle scott, a young woman with bright red hair, who dreams of escaping her humdrum exis tence in rural mississippi. Mar 18, 2020 the miss firecracker contest by beth henley performances april 21 at 5. The miss firecracker contest beth henley the miss firecracker contest by beth henley the play. The miss firecracker contest, along with other beth henley plays, is characterized as a southern gothic. 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. Construction worker willow gregory entered the annual miss firecracker beauty contest on a dare and shocked everyone by winning. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished. Miss firecracker is the streamlined title of the film version of beth henleys play the miss firecracker contest. But she just knows that one opus by johann sebastian bach. The miss firecracker contest is a play about appearances.
The characters are frequently given peculiar names, like a woman named popeye, and strange backstories to go. Lucky penny blasts off with the miss firecracker contest. In this essay, holm looks at how henley treats the theme of appearance in this play. Janine oneill leaves everything shes got on the stageincluding her bloomers in. It stars holly hunter, mary steenburgen, tim robbins, alfre woodard, and scott glenn. 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. Both charming and irreverent, the miss firecracker contest is a wistful take on southern beauty culture and the reallife facades it so eloquently symbolizes. 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. A scene from the miss firecracker contest by beth henley, directed by abby illig. Jan 23, 2015 join the executive producer of germantown community theatre dr. Im sure its just cause the judges think shes some sort of concert pianist.
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. 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. This hilarious comedy begins in a small mississippi town of brookhaven a few days before the fourth of july. Willow gregory entered the miss firecracker contest on a dareand won. Includes dinner at jennys steak house chicago ridge, and a ticket to the miss firecracker contest. Miss firecracker to open on broadway the new york times. Waking up in a strangers bed with no memory was on her mind. The effects of appearances in these characters pasts continue to haunt them and direct their choices and thoughts. Jul 20, 2019 the miss firecracker contest, along with other beth henley plays, is characterized as a southern gothic. The miss firecracker contest south camden theatre company. Mar 14, 2017 the miss firecracker contest has been given a sweet and affecting staging. March 10 march 26, 2017 the miss firecracker contest written by beth henley. Apr 16, 2014 the miss firecracker contest is reynoldss favorite henley comedy, and several of henleys plays have shown at new stage. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will.
The miss firecracker contest is reynoldss favorite henley comedy, and several of henleys plays have shown at new stage. Kaye, a lawyer, has written and directed productions in washington, d. It got a production at the manhattan theatre club offbroadway in 1984 directed by stephen tobolowsky, who was henleys romantic partner at the time. Firecracker will be chosen to represent linton in the freedom festival parade on july 4. Stein as carnelle scott, tori sicklick as popeye jackson in a scene from the miss firecracker contest, written by beth henley. Michael miles as he takes us behind the scenes of their upcoming production of the miss firecracker contest.
Tamblyn will play carnelle scott, a lonely young woman in mississippi who hopes that persevering in the patriotic pageant of. In miss firecracker, the playwright beth henley has taken such a contest, the fourth of july pageant in yazoo city, miss. Miss firecracker is a 1989 american comedy film directed by thomas schlamme. The miss firecracker contest play monologues stageagent. Lois kerschen, critical essay on the miss firecracker contest, in drama for students, thomson gale, 2005. She received a best actress oscar nomination for her work in the latter.
May 04, 2009 the problematic thing about henleys work, and the script for the miss firecracker contest is a good example, is that it comes from a school of playwriting in the late 1970searly 1980s that doesnt hold up particularly well. The miss firecracker contest uses the themes of outer and inner appearances to guide these characters journeys toward a realization of true beauty. Catherine dybiec holm, critical essay on the miss firecracker contest, in drama for students, thomson gale, 2005. Selected monologues from the miss firecracker contest including video examples, context and character information. How to clean your sash most pageant girls will tell you that one of. Its heroine, carnelle, is an irrepressible young woman who thinks that winning the local beauty contest will restore her soiled reputation and make. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contest hoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation and allow her to leave town in a blaze of glory. The miss firecracker contest has been given a sweet and affecting staging. Maybe i should go on and get your measurements off you right now if ya dont mind. She enters the miss firecracker contest, the local 4th of july beauty pageant, and puts her.
The miss firecracker contest directed by zach thomas wood for additional information visit. Appearances, literal and figurative, drive the lives and the motivations of these characters. 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. Holm is a fiction and nonfiction writer and editor. 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 play is set in the small southern town of brookhaven, mississippi, and tells an archetypical story of a young woman trying to reinvent herself. Carnelle interacts with her zany group of relatives and friends on her path to victory and the salvation of her tarnished reputation. 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. 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. Jun 29, 2012 the miss firecracker contest, with hunter as a young woman hellbent on rehabilitating her tarnished reputation by becoming a beauty queen, closed in 1985. 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 place is the small mississippi town of brookhaven, the time a few days before the fourth of july. Holly hunter plays a mississippi girl whose sole reason for being is to enter.
May 12, 2015 a scene from the miss firecracker contest by beth henley, directed by abby illig. How to clean your pageant sash pageant sashes, miss tennessee, pageant tips. Written in 1978, the play was first performed at new stage in 1980. From the author of crimes of the heart, the miss firecracker contest is a southern gothic comedy for which henley is best known. Sharon dixon obst directs beth henleys comedy about life in smalltown mississippi. She longs to receive the respect and admiration that her cousin elain won with the community years ago. Carnelle scott known locally as miss hot tamale is rehearsing furiously for the miss firecracker contesthoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation.
See more ideas about firecracker, brookhaven mississippi and mississippi. Id like to say the embattled strollers theatre have returned to the bartell theatre in fine form, but their production of the miss firecracker contest doesnt put them in phoenixrisingfromthe. 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. Miss firecracker this is a delightful over the top crazy characterization of a small town beauty pageant held in yazoo city. Miss firecracker contest theatre department past productions. No matter who wins the miss firecracker contest, this cast comes off like winners.
After a year of tiarawearing good behavior, shes ready to cut loosebut waking up naked in a sexy strangers bed with no memory of the havoc she wreaked the night before wasnt part of the plan. Mar 26, 2017 the miss firecracker contest written by beth henley. In the miss firecracker contest, carnelle scott is a southern orphan living in brookhaven, mississippi. Add a wacky, myopic seamstress named popeye and a lusty, tubercular balloon man, and the recipe for. Scott came to us with by the water because of his passion for the plays story and the. Among the favorable reactions is a 1994 english studies article that praises the miss firecracker contest for the depths in even the most objectionable characters and the enormous toughness in some of lifes apparent losers.
Dps offers an extensive list of titles that includes many of the most significant plays of the past century. Performed at bergen county academies june 10th, 2011. 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. Join the executive producer of germantown community theatre dr. With holly hunter, mary steenburgen, tim robbins, alfre woodard. Winning the miss firecracker contest is all that stands between carnelle scott and leaving brookhaven in a blaze of glory. Twentyfouryearold carnelle is entering brookhavens. Multiple links are listed since a different versions exist and b many scripts posted become unavailable over time. Miss firecracker contest the miss firecracker contest by beth henley. The miss firecracker contest 1984 offbroadway tickets. 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 tickets in nassau bay, tx.
Few think she can win, even her closest friends and relatives e. Hmm, i suppose that talent part of the contest will count quite a bit. Carnelle scott, also known as miss hot tamale, has hopes of winning the miss firecracker contest to atone for her past. The unexpected arrival of her cousin elain, a former miss firecracker winner, complicates matters, as does elains eccentric brother. The problematic thing about henleys work, and the script for the miss firecracker contest is a good example, is that it comes from a school of playwriting in the late 1970searly 1980s that doesnt hold up particularly well. The miss firecracker contest is a southern literature play written by beth henley. 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. The miss firecracker contest by beth henley performances april 21 at 5.