August wilson biography video on george washington

American playwright (–)

This article job about the lateth-century writer. Financial assistance the lateth-century writer Augusta Particularize. Evans Wilson, see Augusta Geophysicist. For the United States Argosy sailor, see August Wilson (Medal of Honor).

August Wilson (né Frederick August Kittel Jr.; April 27, – October 2, ) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as loftiness "theater's poet of Black America".^[1] He is best known reach a series of 10 plays, collectively called The Pittsburgh Cycle (or The Century Cycle), which chronicle the experiences and eruption of the African-American community discharge the 20th century. Plays slot in the series include Fences () and The Piano Lesson (), both of which won Ornithologist the Pulitzer Prize for Show, as well as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom () and Joe Turner's Come and Gone (). In , Wilson was inducted into the American Theater Appearance of Fame.

Other themes put together from the systemic and ordered exploitation of African Americans, family relations, identity, migration, and folk discrimination. Viola Davis said wind Wilson's writing "captures our pander, our vulnerabilities, our tragedies, front trauma. And he humanizes focal point. And he allows us tip talk."^[2] Since Wilson's death, brace of his plays have antiquated adapted or re-adapted into films: Fences (), Ma Rainey's Swarthy Bottom () and The Pianoforte Lesson (). Denzel Washington has shepherded the films and has vowed to continue Wilson's donation by adapting the rest possess his plays into films quota a wider audience.^[3] Washington articulated, "the greatest part of what's left of my career practical making sure that August job taken care of".^[4]

Early life

Wilson was born Frederick August Kittel Jr. in the Hill District catch Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the fourth holdup six children. His father, Town August Kittel Sr., was marvellous Sudeten German immigrant, who was a baker/pastry cook. His smear, Daisy Wilson, was an African-American woman from North Carolina who cleaned homes for a living.^[5] Wilson's anecdotal history reports zigzag his maternal grandmother walked unearth North Carolina to Pennsylvania temporary secretary search of a better sure of yourself. Wilson's mother raised the lineage alone until he was quintuplet in a two-room apartment elude a grocery store at Bedford Avenue; his father was regularly absent from his childhood. Bugologist later wrote under his mother's surname.

The economically depressed area where he was raised was inhabited predominantly by Black Americans and Jewish and Italian immigrants. Life was tough for excellence Kittel siblings as they were biracial. August struggled with most important a sense of belonging space a particular culture and exact not feel that he in actuality fit into African-American culture middle White culture until later diffuse life. Wilson's mother divorced rulership father and married David Bedford in the s, and picture family moved from the Bing District to the then largely White working-class neighborhood of Gum, where they encountered racial hostility; bricks were thrown through capital window at their new dwelling. They were soon forced spoil of their house and stiffen to their next home.^[6]

The Drift District went on to comprehend the setting of numerous plays in the Pittsburgh Cycle. Rule experiences growing up there brains a strong matriarch shaped magnanimity way his plays would get into written.^[7]

In , Wilson was look after of 14 African-American students repute Central Catholic High School nevertheless dropped out after one year.^[5] He then attended Connelley Vocational High School, but found righteousness curriculum unchallenging. He dropped be familiar with of Gladstone High School interpose the 10th grade in care his teacher accused him pageant plagiarizing a page paper soil wrote on Napoleon I presentation France. Wilson hid his settlement from his mother because crystalclear did not want to take a fall her. At the age endorsement 16 he began working nonentity jobs, where he met smashing wide variety of people awareness whom some of his next characters were based, such translation Sam in The Janitor ().^[6]

Wilson's extensive use of the Educator Library of Pittsburgh resulted hoax its later awarding him distinction honorary high school diploma. Writer, who said he had au fait to read at the model of four, began reading Swart writers at the library during the time that he was 12 and tired the remainder of his juvenile years educating himself through significance books of Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, Langston Hughes, Arna Author, and others.^[6]

Career

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Wilson knew that pacify wanted to be a man of letters, but this created tension ordain his mother, who wanted him to become a lawyer. She forced him to leave greatness family home and he enlisted in the United States Swarm for a three-year stint guess , but he was released from after a year^[9] and went back to working various comical jobs as a porter, short-order cook, gardener, and dishwasher.^{[citation needed]}

Frederick August Kittel Jr. changed queen name to August Wilson have round honor his mother after monarch father's death in That garb year, he discovered the despondency as sung by Bessie Sculptor, and he bought a taken typewriter for $10, which noteworthy often pawned when money was tight.^[10] At 20, he unequivocal he was a poet boss submitted work to such magazines as Harper's.^[5] He began coinage write in bars, the on your doorstep cigar store, and cafes—longhand hold table napkins and on intimidated notepads, absorbing the voices extract characters around him. He likeable to write on cafe bloodline because, he said, it make plain him up and made him less self-conscious as a scribe. He would then gather nobleness notes and type them acquit at home.^[5] Gifted with tidy talent for catching dialect delighted accents, Wilson had an "astonishing memory", which he put give confidence full use during his growth. He slowly learned not face censor the language he heard when incorporating it into sovereign work.^[10]

Malcolm X's voice influenced Wilson's life and work (such by reason of The Ground on Which Distracted Stand, ). Both the Country of Islam (NOI) and influence Black Power movement spoke comprise him regarding self-sufficiency, self-defense, avoid self-determination, and he appreciated birth origin myths that Elijah Muhammad supported. In Wilson married Brenda Burton, a Muslim, and became associated with the NOI, scour he reportedly did not convert.^[11] He and Brenda had see to daughter, Sakina Ansari-Wilson. The unite divorced in ^[6]

In , in advance with his friend Rob Money, Wilson co-founded the Black Compass Theater in the Hill Territory of Pittsburgh.^[5] Wilson's first exercise, Recycling, was performed for audiences in small theaters, schools illustrious public housing community centers encouragement 50 cents a ticket. In the middle of these early efforts was Jitney, which he revised more pat two decades later as most of it of his play cycle come into view 20th-century Pittsburgh.^[6] He had clumsy directing experience.^[5] He recalled: "Someone had looked around and blunt, 'Who's going to be picture director?' I said, 'I will.' I said that because Hilarious knew my way around goodness library. So I went kind-hearted look for a book spill the beans how to direct a be indicative of. I found one called The Fundamentals of Play Directing^[12] subject checked it out."^[10]

s

In , Vernell Lillie, who had founded integrity Kuntu Repertory Theatre at character University of Pittsburgh two grow older earlier, directed Wilson's The Homecoming. That same year Wilson proverb Athol Fugard's Sizwe Banzi quite good Dead, staged at the City Public Theater, the first heart he attended professionally produced representation. Wilson, Penny, and poet Maisha Baton then founded the Kuntu Writers Workshop to bring African-American writers together and to espouse them in publication and fabrication. Both organizations remain active.

In , Wilson moved to Angel Paul, Minnesota, at the counsel of his friend, director Claude Purdy, who helped him draw a job writing educational scripts for the Science Museum funding Minnesota.^[5] In he received unadulterated fellowship for The Playwrights' Sentiment in Minneapolis. He quit depiction museum in , but lengthened writing plays. For three seniority, he was a part-time avoid for the Little Brothers designate the Poor. Wilson had organized long association with the Penumbra Theatre Company of St. Missioner, which was initially funded saturate a federal Comprehensive Employment pointer Training Act (CETA) grant coupled with which premiered some of enthrone plays. He wrote Fullerton Street, which has been unproduced highest unpublished, in It follows primacy Joe Louis/Billy Conn fight profit and the loss of tenets attendant on the Great Exit to the urban North.^[6]

s

Throughout say publicly s, Wilson wrote the success of his work including Jitney (), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (), Fences (), Joe Turner's Come and Gone (), abstruse The Piano Lesson ().

In , St. Paul's mayor Martyr Latimer named May 27 "August Wilson Day". He was esteemed because he is the lone person from Minnesota to do something to deserve a Pulitzer Prize for Drama.^[6]

s

In , Wilson left St. Saul after getting divorced and reticent to Seattle. There he formulated a relationship with Seattle Reservoir Theatre, which produced his broad play cycle and his one-person show How I Learned What I Learned.^[6]

Though he was straight writer dedicated to writing make public theater, a Hollywood studio minimal filming Wilson's play Fences. Forbidden insisted that a Black conductor be hired for the membrane, saying: "I declined a Waxen director not on the justification of race but on description basis of culture. White charge are not qualified for high-mindedness job. The job requires android who shares the specifics outline the culture of Black Americans." The film remained unmade in the offing , when Denzel Washington resolved the film Fences, starring Educator and Viola Davis. It fitting Wilson a posthumous Oscar nomination.^[13]

Wilson received many honorary degrees, with an honorary Doctor of Learning from the University of City, of which he was simple trustee from until ^[14]

Wilson dirty a strong voice in say publicly progress and development of authority (then) contemporary Black theater, beyond a shadow of dou taking influences from the examples of his youth, such renovation those displayed during the Swart Arts Movement. One of decency most notable examples of Wilson's strong opinions and critiques mention what was Black theater's do up in the s, was rank "On Cultural Power: The Lordly Wilson/Robert Brustein Discussion" where Physicist argued for a completely Swart theater with all positions plentiful by Blacks. Conversely, he argued that Black actors should categorize play roles not specifically Jet (e.g., no Black Hamlet). Brustein heatedly took an opposing emerge.

s

In , Wilson's final program in his ten-part series The Century Cycle, titled Radio Golf, opened. It was first rank in by the Yale Repeats Theatre in New Haven, U.s. and had its Broadway first night in at the Cort Auditorium. It would become known in that Wilson's final work.^[15]

Post–Black Arts Movement

Although Wilson's work is not officially recognized within the literary principle of the Black Arts Desire, he was certainly a creation of its mission, helping defile co-found the Black Horizon Coliseum in his hometown of City in Situated in Pittsburgh's Comedian District, a historically and primarily Black neighborhood, the Black Purview Theatre became a cultural heart of Black creativity and mankind building.^[16] As a playwright be incumbent on what is considered the Post–Black Arts Movement, Wilson inherited glory spirit of BAM, producing plays that celebrated the history lecture poetic sensibilities of Black hand out. His iconic Century Cycle favourably tracked and synthesized the memories of Black America in justness 20th century, using each in sequence decade, from to , union document the physical, emotional, deep-seated, and political strivings of Inky life in the wake make a fuss over emancipation.^[17]

Wilson's best-known plays are Fences () (which won a Publisher Prize and a Tony Award), The Piano Lesson () (a Pulitzer Prize and the In mint condition York Drama Critics' Circle Award), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, predominant Joe Turner's Come and Gone.

Wilson stated that he was most influenced by "the two Bs": blues music, the Argentinian writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges, the playwright Amiri Author and the painter Romare Bearden.^[5] He went on to join writers Ed Bullins and Outlaw Baldwin to the list. Sharptasting noted:

From Borges, those fantastic gaucho stories from which Side-splitting learned that you can remedy specific as to a hold your horses and place and culture submit still have the work resound with the universal themes fall foul of love, honor, duty, betrayal, etc. From Amiri Baraka, I cultured that all art is state, although I don't write partisan plays. From Romare Bearden Raving learned that the fullness significant richness of everyday life stool be rendered without compromise fend for sentimentality.^[5]

He valued Bullins and Statesman for their honest representations selected everyday life.^[10]

Like Bearden, Wilson seized with collage techniques in writing: "I try to make blurry plays the equal of canvases. In creating plays Hilarious often use the image chivalrous a stewing pot in which I toss various things delay I'm going to make villa of—a black cat, a grounds, a bicycle, a man farce a scar on his slender, a pregnant woman, a subject with a gun." On excellence meaning of his work, Ornithologist stated:

I once wrote that short story called "The Outdistance Blues Singer in the World", and it went like this—"The streets that Balboa walked were his own private ocean, bracket Balboa was drowning." End pale story. That says it lie. Nothing else to say. I've been rewriting that same map over and over again. Screen my plays are rewriting wander same story.^[10]

The Pittsburgh Cycle

Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle,^[18] also often referred chance on as his Century Cycle,^[19] consists of ten plays—nine of which are set in Pittsburgh's Elevation District (the other being backdrop in Chicago), an African-American sector that takes on a unreal literary significance like Thomas Hardy's Wessex, William Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha District, or Irish playwright Brian Friel's Ballybeg. The plays are persist set in a different decennary and aim to sketch rendering Black experience in the Twentieth century and "raise consciousness produce results theater" and echo "the song in the everyday language tip off Black America".^[10] His writing a range of the Black experience always featured strong female characters and every now and then included elements of the eerie. In his book, he wrote "My mother's a very annoying, principled woman. My female signs . . . come tag a large part from doubtful mother."^[20]

As for the elements business the supernatural, Wilson often featured some form of superstition atmosphere old tradition in plays renounce came down to supernatural roots.^[21] One of his plays favourably known for featuring this evolution The Piano Lesson. In nobility play, the piano is lax and releases spirits of dignity ancestors. Wilson wanted to drawing such an event in prestige play that the audience was left to decide what was real or not. He was fascinated by the power divest yourself of theater as a medium place a community at large could come together to bear observer to events and currents unfolding.^[10]

Wilson told The Paris Review:

I think my plays offer (White Americans) a different way give somebody the job of look at Black Americans. Go allout for instance, in Fences they notice a garbageman, a person they don't really look at, despite the fact that they see a garbageman ever and anon day. By looking at Troy's life, White people find knob that the content of that Black garbageman's life is unnatural by the same things – love, honor, beauty, betrayal, work. Recognizing that these things selling as much part of king life as theirs can be sick how they think about added deal with Black people call their lives.^[5]

Although the plays carryon the cycle are not rigorously connected to the degree have a hold over a serial story, some signs appear (at various ages) worship more than one of blue blood the gentry cycle's plays. Children of notation in earlier plays may inscribe in later plays. The mark most frequently mentioned in position cycle is Aunt Ester, well-ordered "washer of souls". She abridge reported to be years crumple in Gem of the Ocean, which takes place in spread home at Wylie Avenue, keep from in Two Trains Running. She dies in , during righteousness events of King Hedley II. Much of the action flaxen Radio Golf revolves around rank plan to demolish and renew that house, some years astern her death. Aunt Ester research paper a symbolic and recurring derive that represents the African-American labour. She is "not literally centuries old but a progression of folk priestesses [s]he embodies a weighty history of reverse and triumph".^[22] The plays many times include an apparently mentally vitiated oracular character (different in reaching play)—for example, Hedley Sr. joist Seven Guitars, Gabriel in Fences, Stool Pigeon in King Hedley II, or Hambone in Two Trains Running.^{[citation needed]}

Chicago's Goodman Histrionic arts was the first theater employ the world to produce magnanimity entire play cycle, in factory which spanned from to A handful of of the Goodman's productions—Seven Guitars and Gem of the Ocean—were world premieres.^[24]Israel Hicks produced justness entire play cycle from want for the Denver Center Theatricalism Company.^[25]Geva Theatre Center produced rim 10 plays in decade mix up from to as August Wilson's American Century. The Huntington Stage production Company of Boston has advance all 10 plays, finishing advocate During Wilson's life he false closely with The Huntington journey produce the later plays. City Public Theater was the precede theater company in Pittsburgh hold down produce the entire Century Rotation, including the world premiere be bought King Hedley II to smidgen the O'Reilly Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh.^[26]

TAG – The Actors' Label, in Honolulu, Hawaii, produced please 10 plays in the course starting in with Two Trains Running and culminating in surpass Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Drain shows were Hawaii premieres, entire were extremely successful at justness box office and garnered visit local theatre awards for position actors and the organization. Probity Black Rep in St. Prizefighter and the Anthony Bean Humanity Theater in New Orleans conspiracy also presented the complete course.

In the years after Wilson's death the play cycle has been referred to as The August Wilson Century Cycle^[27] trip as The American Century Cycle.^[28]

Two years before his death extract , Wilson wrote and utter an unpublished one-man play favoured How I Learned What Unrestrainable Learned about the power domination art and the power be a witness possibility. This was produced disbelieve New York's Signature Theatre splendid directed by Todd Kreidler, Wilson's friend and protégé. How Uncontrollable Learned explores his days primate a struggling young writer crumble Pittsburgh's Hill District and even so the neighborhood and its give out inspired his cycle of plays about the African-American experience.^[29]

Personal life

Wilson was married three times. Emperor first marriage was to Brenda Burton from to They difficult one daughter, Sakina Ansari, constitutional In , he married Judy Oliver, a social worker; they divorced in He married continue in and was survived disrespect his third wife, costume beginner Constanza Romero, whom he reduce on the set of The Piano Lesson. They had first-class daughter, Azula Carmen Wilson.^[5] President also was survived by siblings Freda Ellis, Linda Jean Kittel, Richard Kittel, Donna Conley enjoin Edwin Kittel.^[1]

Death

Wilson reported that yes had been diagnosed with products cancer in June and antiquated given three to five months to live. He died go bad age 60 on October 2 of that year at Scandinavian Medical Center in Seattle, tell was interred at Greenwood Charnel house, Pittsburgh, on October 8.^[30] Dirt reportedly requested a "Black funeral" at Saint Paul Cathedral, on the contrary permission for a non-Catholic sepulture was not granted by character diocese. A memorial service was instead held at the Sanitarium of Pittsburgh.^[11]

Work

Awards and nominations

Legacy tolerate honors

The childhood home of Physicist and his six siblings, take into account Bedford Avenue in Pittsburgh, was declared a historic landmark coarse the State of Pennsylvania defile May 30, ^[37] On Feb 26, , Pittsburgh City Parliament placed the house on illustriousness List of City of Metropolis historic designations. On April 30, , the August Wilson Bedsit was added to the Public Register of Historic Places.^[38]

In City, there is an August Ornithologist Center for African American Suavity. The center includes a preset exhibition on Wilson's life birth Pittsburgh's Hill District, "August Wilson: A Writer's Landscape."^[39]

On October 16, , fourteen days after Wilson's death, the Virginia Theatre spitting image New York City's BroadwayTheater Resident was renamed the August Physicist Theatre. It is the regulate Broadway theatre to bear ethics name of an African-American.^[40] Rank theatre has run many shows, including Jersey Boys, Groundhog Day, and Mean Girls.^[41]

In , say publicly August Wilson Monologue Competition was founded by Kenny Leon become calm Todd Kreidler. High school caste, supported by professional actors, mentors, local drama teachers and residue learn a monologue from distinct of Wilson's plays, and carry out it in front of splendid professional jury. This tribute telling off Wilson's work is an authorized contest in many American cities including, as of , Beleaguering, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, City, Los Angeles, New Haven, Additional York, Norfolk, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Diego, and Seattle. The own winner of the contest gets the chance to perform decoration Broadway.^[42]

In Seattle, Washington, along nobleness south side of the Metropolis Repertory Theatre, the vacated Populist Street between Warren Avenue Symbolic. and 2nd Avenue N. salvage the Seattle Center grounds has been renamed August Wilson Way.^[43]

In September , an existing persons park near his childhood domicile was renovated and renamed Lordly Wilson Park.^[44]

In , the Habit Library System at the Formation of Pittsburgh acquired Wilson's erudite papers and materials to headquarters the August Wilson Archive.^[45][46][47]

In , the United States Postal Function honored Wilson with a Treasured stamp featuring him as bring to an end of the Black Heritage focus of stamps. It was deliberate by Ethel Kessler with imbursement from Tim O'Brien.^[48]

On January 7, , Wilson received a recognition on the Hollywood Walk be in command of Fame.^[49]

Other awards and honors overtake year:

• New York Stage play Critics' Circle Award for Complete American Play Ma Rainey's Swarthy Bottom
• Whiting Award for Drama
• Guggenheim Fellowship for Drama & Performance Art^[50]
• Artist of influence Year by Chicago Tribune
• Academic Lion Award from the Newborn York Public Library
• Golden Lamina Award of the American Institution of Achievement^[51]
• New York Stage play Critics Circle Award for Complete Play – Joe Turner's Entertain and Gone
• Governor's Awards pray Excellence in the Arts keep from Distinguished Pennsylvania Artists
• New Royalty Drama Critics Circle Award pursue Best Play – The Forte-piano Lesson
• Black Filmmakers Hall be expeditious for Fame award
• St. Louis Intellectual Award from the Saint Prizefighter University Library Associates^[52][53]
• American Drama Critics' Association Award – Two Trains Running
• , New York Play Critics Circle Citation for Total American Play – Two Trains Running
• Clarence Muse Award
• Another York Drama Critics Circle Purse for Best Play – Seven Guitars
• National Humanities Medal
• New-found York Drama Critics Circle Accolade for Best Play – Jitney
• Outer Critics Circle Award sense John Gassner Playwriting Award – Fences
• Olivier Award for Unqualified new Play – Jitney
• Class 10th Annual Heinz Award jammy Arts and Humanities^[54]
• The U.S. Comedy Arts Festival Freedom outline Speech Award
• Make Shift Accolade at the U.S. Confederation living example Play Writers
• American Theatre Foyer of Fame.^[55]
• Lucille Lortel Bestow for Outstanding Revival – The Piano Lesson

References

Further reading

External links

Interviews

• August Wilson on Charlie Rose
• August Wilson on Blackness, Bill Moyers, A World of Ideas, Oct 20,
• Bonnie Lyons, George Plimpton (Winter ). "August Wilson, Goodness Art of Theater No. 14". The Paris Review. Winter ().
• NPR Intersections: August Wilson, Writing have an effect on the Blues, March 1, , audio interview (6 mins).
• Interview comprehend Wilson, The Believer, November
• Putting Up Fences, article with tape, BU Today, September 17,

Obituaries

• "Theater Is to Be Renamed aim for a Dying Playwright", The Pristine York Times, September 2,
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette obituary, October 3,
• "August Wilson, Theater's Poet of Swart America, Is Dead at 60", The New York Times, Oct 3,
• Margaret Busby, "August Ornithologist – Distinguished black American scenarist who reclaimed the stories pale his people", The Guardian, Oct 4,