Introduction


August Wilson
For some, August Wilson is African-American theater. His plays are the ones most likely to appear in anthologies as representative works of African-American drama. But what truly sets Wilson apart from other authors is his signature achievement of having written ten dramas documenting the African-American experience. Dubbed “The Pittsburgh Cycle,” the plays each take place in a different decade of the twentieth century. Stylistically, Wilson’s work combines seemingly disparate elements to create a uniquely poetic take on realism; his characters, for example, speak in the vernacular, but the words flow as if they were reciting verse. Sprinkled with mystical elements (such as a recurring character who is several hundred years old), Wilson’s plays portray the African-American experience as the intersection of history, poetry, and everyday life.

Essential Facts

  1. Despite spanning every decade of the twentieth century, “The Pittsburgh Cycle” plays were not written in chronological order.
  2. “Wilson” was actually the last name of August’s mother. He adopted it as his last name after the death of his father.
  3. Wilson maintained a close relationship with Seattle Repertory Theatre, which produced all ten plays of “The Pittsburgh Cycle.”
  4. The August Wilson Theatre in New York City, rechristened with his name just days after his death in 2005, is the first to bear the name of an African American.
  5. Wilson stirred controversy with what some felt were segregationist views about an African-American theater developed separately from white theater.