America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland

America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland

Tennessee Williams, one of America's most renowned playwrights, had a deep connection to the cities of New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. These cities served as the backdrop for many of his most famous works, providing the settings and characters that would come to define his unique style of storytelling. In many ways, these cities were not just settings for Williams, but characters in their own right, each with their own distinct personalities and quirks.

New York, with its bustling energy and relentless pace, was a city that Williams knew well. It was here that he first found success as a playwright, with his breakout play "The Glass Menagerie" premiering on Broadway in 1945. New York's vibrant theater scene provided Williams with a platform to showcase his talent, and he quickly became one of the city's most celebrated playwrights. The city's skyscrapers and crowded streets served as the perfect backdrop for Williams' exploration of the human condition, with characters struggling to find their place in a world that seemed to be constantly changing.

San Francisco, with its bohemian spirit and laid-back vibe, was another city that held a special place in Williams' heart. It was here that he found refuge from the pressures of New York, retreating to the city's foggy hills and colorful neighborhoods to find inspiration for his work. San Francisco's eclectic mix of artists, writers, and misfits provided Williams with a rich tapestry of characters to draw from, and many of his plays were set against the backdrop of the city's iconic landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

And then there was New Orleans, perhaps the city that held the most significance for Williams. Born and raised in the Big Easy, Williams drew heavily on his experiences growing up in the city for many of his plays, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning "A Streetcar Named Desire." New Orleans' sultry heat and vibrant culture permeated Williams' work, with its colorful characters and rich history serving as the perfect backdrop for his exploration of desire, loneliness, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world.

But what about the rest of America? In Williams' eyes, these cities were mere shadows of the vibrant, complex worlds he had created in New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else was Cleveland, a bland and unremarkable placeholder for the real drama and passion that could only be found in the cities that Williams knew and loved. For Williams, these three cities were not just settings for his plays, but living, breathing entities that shaped the lives of his characters and the stories they told.