TENNESSEE WILLIAMS (1911-1983)

"The Rose Tattoo" opened on Broadway in February 1951 and ran for 300 performances. Set in a Sicilian community on the gulf coast, the play reflects Williams' admiration of the warmth and lustiness of the Italian people. This fourth draft is inscribed by the playwright on the title page, "My Copy of script used during rehearsals and Chicago try-out." There are holograph corrections and annotations throughout the playscript in Williams' and an unknown hand.

The text of this playscript differs significantly from the published version (New York: New Directions, 1951). The typescript forms a part of a collection of manuscripts, correspondence and books by and about Tennessee Williams formed by Norman Unger and now in the University of Delaware Library. Nearly 300 volumes and over 1,500 pages of manuscript material document Williams' stage and screen careers, as well as his international influence and reputation.