Award will recognize Black Theatre Troupe in Phoenix
Honor for producing complete cycle of 10 August Wilson plays in American Century Cycle
Posted 2/16/23
On Sunday, Feb. 19, August Wilson House and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will honor Phoenix’s Black Theatre Troupe for its accomplishment of producing all 10 of August Wilson’s epic American Century Cycle, becoming one of the few theaters in the country to accomplish such a feat.
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On Sunday, Feb. 19, August Wilson House and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will honor Phoenix’s Black Theatre Troupe for its accomplishment of producing all 10 of August Wilson’s epic American Century Cycle, becoming one of the few theaters in the country to accomplish such a feat.
The presentation will take place following Black Theatre Troupe’s final performance of August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” one of the 10 plays in the Cycle.
Popularly known as The Pittsburgh Cycle, Wilson’s plays are set in a different decade of the 20th Century, each reflecting different themes of African American life.
Over the past 27 years, Black Theatre Troupe has worked to produce all of plays of the American Century Cycle. Beginning in October of 1996 with its production of “The Piano Lesson,” the company has included each one of the American Century Cycle during its regular seasons including “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” (Mar/Apr 2000), “Jitney” (Mar 2003), “King Hedley II” (Feb 2005), “Ma’ Rainey’s Black Bottom” (Feb 2007), “Gem of the Ocean” (Oct 2008), “Fences” (Oct 2011), “Two Trains Running” (Oct 2012), “Radio Golf” (Sept 2014) and “Seven Guitars” (Oct 2017).
The current production of “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” marks the second time the company has produced the work and represents Black Theatre Troupe’s commitment to produce Wilson’s plays for the next generation.
The award is presented by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, co-sponsored by August Wilson House (Wilson’s childhood home in the Hill District), with the collaboration of Constanza Romero Wilson and the August Wilson Estate. It was started and is administered by Christopher Rawson, veteran Pittsburgh theater critic and August Wilson’s friend.
With this recognition, Black Theatre Troupe now joins the list of the 17 theaters in the United States to produce the full Cycle including Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul Minnesota, and Denver Center Theatre.
“August Wilson is a giant in the cannon of playwrights, and his American Century Cycle is perhaps one of the most important pieces of American literature,” Black Theatre Troupe Executive Director David Hemphill shared in a statement. “We are proud to have produced all 10 of his plays for audiences and are so honored to be recognized by his family, the Estate and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.”
