When August Wilson died in 2005 at the age of 60, his New York Times obituary described his ten plays chronicling the African-American experience in the 20th century as “a landmark in the history of black culture, of American literature and of Broadway theater.”

Together the ten plays logged nearly 1,800 performances on Broadway and won numerous awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes. Based on ease of access we have chosen to read and discuss seven of the ten plays:

Gem of the Ocean
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
The Piano Lesson
Fences
Two Trains Running
Radio Golf

Format: We will read a play each week and share our responses to the craft and content of Wilson’s playwriting. Participants will be expected to make brief presentations on topics listed in the syllabus that further illuminate each play’s historical contexts.

Resources/Expenses: The plays are available in paperback, used, for $7.00 or less on Amazon or abebooks.com. As backup, we will post links to a PDF version of each play on the LLC class page, but these are truly a last resort because they make for difficult reading. There are a very few copies in the Ocean State Library System, but not of every play.