AUGUST WILSON'S 20TH CENTURY CYCLE
at Seattle Repertory Theatre

Each of August Wilson’s plays is part of a cycle of ten dramas about African-American life in each decade of the 20th century. All except Ma Rainey take place in the playwright’s home neighborhood, the Hill District, in Pittsburgh.

Gem of the Ocean (set in 1904) Former slaves and men born into freedom meet in the parlor of Aunt Ester, a central figure in the neighborhood. (Seattle Rep, 2007)

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (1911) Released from the bondage of a bounty hunter, Herald Loomis turns up in a boardinghouse to look for his missing wife. (Seattle Rep, 1986)

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (1927) In a recording studio, the blues diva and her most gifted musician strain against the racial caste system and one another. (Seattle Rep, 2005)

The Piano Lesson (1936) A brother and sister battle over whether to keep or sell a piano that represents their troubled family history. (Seattle Rep, 1993)

Seven Guitars (1948) A blues musician’s unexpected hit song alters the lives of his sidemen, friends, and lover. (Seattle Rep, 1998)

Fences (1957) Father and son battle over the prospect of an athletic scholarship. (Seattle Rep, 1986)

Two Trains Running (1969) Amid the regulars at a neighborhood lunch counter, a newly released convict tries to reassemble his life. (Seattle Rep, 1990)

Jitney (1977) In the dingy office of a gypsy cab company, the owner and his ex-con son clash over their shared history. (Seattle Rep, 2002)

King Hedley II (1985) Returning after seven years in prison to a neighborhood devastated by Reaganomics, King Hedley II tries to re-establish himself and to understand his past. (Seattle Rep, 2000)

Radio Golf (1997) Two golf-loving real-estate developers plan to destroy the former home of Aunt Ester, a major figure in the Hill District neighborhood. (Seattle Rep, 2006)

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