August Wilson suffering from terminal cancer
Nico on Aug 26 2005 at 7:25 pm | Filed under: General Theatre
Just in case you don’t know who August Wilson is, if you remember the play Fences, performed at the Dundas in 1998, you may get some idea. In brief, he’s the greatest living African-American playwright (perhaps the greatest African-American playwright, bar none).
Anyway, he’s suffering from terminal cancer. He’s been given under 6 months to live.
Wilson completed his epic ten-play cycle of plays earlier this year with Radio Golf. More can be found here:
With Radio Golf, now playing at the Center Theatre Group’s Mark Taper Forum through Sept. 18, Wilson completed his ten-play cycle, which chronicles the African-American experience in the past century decade by decade. The 1990s-set work involves real estate developers who look to tear down the home of recurring Wilson character Aunt Esther.
The other plays in Wilson’s grand undertaking (in order of decade which the drama is set) include Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, Fences, Two Trains Running, Jitney and King Hedley II. All have played Broadway, except for Jitney, which was an Off-Broadway hit. All of the Broadway productions were nominated for a Tony Award for Best Plays. Fences won the prize.
Wilson has won two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama, for Fences and The Piano Lesson.
“I’m glad I finished the cycle,” Wilson told the Pittsburgh paper.
I’ve seen five plays of his cycle. Broadway productions of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”, The Piano Lesson”, “Fences”, “Two Trains Running” and the Off-Broadway production of “Jitney”. A brilliant writer who made important contributions to american theatre and to theatre around the world. It’s a sad day for theatre but we should be thankful for what he has given us and what he leaves behind for generations of actors, directors and audiences to come.
I have always admired August Wilson for his willingness to reveal and revel in truths. We will be forever applauding his talents and contributions to the growth and experience of humanity. He has been unearthing our buried stories so that present and future generations see, hear, feel, and taste a fuller measure of real lives and times upon which today’s successes and failures are built.