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The 20th Century Cycle - August Wilson, An American Legend |
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August Wilson dedicated his life to presenting authentic representations of black American life and culture for the stage. Over the next five years, Penumbra will produce the entire cycle, giving audiences an opportunity to witness his work as interpreted by the artists who brought his work to life in a way that he had not experienced before.
Wilson said that Penumbra's production of The Piano Lesson (1993) "would become not only my favorite staging but a model of style and eloquence that would inspire my future work." That work became a decade-by-decade depiction of the dreams, disappointments and determination of African Americans over the past hundred years. What he saw at Penumbra emboldened him to broaden his own expectations:
"We are what we imagine ourselves to be and we can only imagine what we know to be possible. The founding of Penumbra Theatre enlarged that possibility."
Wilson's profound project, The 20th Century Cycle, amounts to more than ten poetic plays authentically representing black American life and culture. It is a candid album depicting American history at its most tender, tough and triumphant.
1900s Gem of the Ocean
1910s Joe Turner's Come and Gone
1920s Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
1930s The Piano Lesson*
1940s Seven Guitars
1950s Fences*
1960s Two Trains Running
1970s Jitney
1980s King Hedley II
1990s Radio Golf
*Pulitzer Prize |
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