August Wilson’s Seven Guitars is a dark, dramatic comedy set in the backyard of a Pittsburgh tenement in 1948. After being released from jail, Blues singer Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton is offered a record deal based on a recent recording became a surprising hit. While attempting to secure financial backing, Barton tries to persuade his girlfriend Vera to move to Chicago with him so he can escape the hardships of his past and pursue the American dream. Seven Guitars is part of The American Century Cycle.
August Wilson is a Tony- (Fences) and two-time Pulitzer-Award-Winning (Fences; The Piano Lesson) American playwright. He is best known for his Pittsburgh Cycle, ten plays, each set in a different decade, that provides a glimpse into the 20th Century Black American experience. His works explore racial discrimination, identity, migration, and race relations. Other plays include Jitney; Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone).
Guest Director Terrence Spivey is the former artistic director of Cleveland’s Karamu House, the oldest African-American theatre in the U.S. In addition to directing at Karamu House, he has directed at Weathervane Playhouse, Borderline Theatre Festival, convergence-continuum, and Ensemble Theatre. He has taught and directed at Alleghany College, Kent State, and Cleveland State University. He wrote and directed An Ocean in My Bones about the Clotilda, the last known slave ship.
Access the digital program before, during, or after the performance. No paper programs will be distributed.
