Phantom limbs dancing juba rites in august wilsons joe. American masters august wilson on the dialogue in his. The article focuses on the dramaturgy used by august wilson in writing the play ma raineys black bottom. August wilson granted me the following interview while he was in washington, dc, for the november 1991 premiere of two trains running at the kennedy center. Waning of blues popularity in the late 1950s the road to memphis segment titled like being black twice, in which b. Inform students that the following information will be on a quiz in the next class, and encourage them to take notes. When august wilsons play fences opened on broadway in march 1987, in a new york city in the throes of racial conflicts that seemed to. Your inheritance can consist of a pair of old brogans, some blues, an unfinished. Next trouble so hard the blues emerged from a black cultural melting pot in the american south of the 1890s, drawing on a rich mix of africanamerican spirituals, traditional songs, european hymns, folk ballads. All life, and all music, can be analyzed by an examination of its genomic structure. An interview with august wilson a ugust wilson granted me the following interview while he was in washington, dc, for the november 1991 premiere of two trains running at the kennedy center. Handy father of the blues publishes his most famous composition st louis blues.
While working a variety of jobs, wilson began to write, eventually founding, in 1968, the black horizon on the hill theater company. Wilsons blues captured the harrowing intensity of black suffering. In this first of a history based lesson series students will explore the content and forms of blues music relative to specific trends of production correlated with major events of american history and the history of those africans living in america, who created and produced the blues musical art form. August wilson teacher information packet by long wharf. Dramaturgical analysis august wilsons ma raineys black. The best way to understand the blues is to visit our blues videos page and watch and listen to the.
Creating, performing and participating in the arts music intermediate students will compose simple pieces that reflect a knowledge of melodic, rhythmic, harmonic, timbrel, and dynamic elements a. It was initially a folk music popular among former slaves living in the mississippi delta, the flat plain between the yazoo and mississippi rivers. Before investing himself in the genre of drama, his mind was enraptured in poetry. Repeated twelve bar phrase and three line stanza that. The national august wilson monologue competition was founded in 2007 by kenny leon and todd kreidler at kenny leons true colors theatre company in atlanta. The piano lesson the piano lesson august wilson context.
August wilsons dramatic project is comprised of a cycle of plays that explore some of the historical choices that have confronted african americans during the twentieth century. It originated in the rural mississippi delta region at the beginning of the 20th century. A brief history of dramaturgy write key wordsphrases underlined in lesson plan on the board. The blues are so much a part of wilsons soul that they have shaped him as a playwright. The theatre, named after pulitzerprize winning playwright august wilson 2005, is owned and operated by jordan roth of jujamcyn theaters. In addition to these creative efforts, wilson sought to strengthen and promote african american theatre. A casebook casebooks on modern dramatists, volume 15, edited by marilyn elkins, garland publishing november 1, 1999, isbn 0815336349 the dramatic vision of august wilson by sandra shannon, howard university press 1995. The theatre has 1,222 seats, and its longestrunning show was jersey boys 20052017. Since he first gained recognition with the broadway production of ma raineys black bottom in 1984, wilson was hailed by critics as one. In the context of bakers vernacular theory of the blues, august wilson s dramaturgy emerges as a blues trope that challenges white cultural hegemony.
Blues, history, and the dramaturgy of august wilson. Extremely personable and undeniably committed to his art, wilson care. Blues history blues is an american heritage, and it should be noted as such. The play establishes a foundation for the playwrights blues theology. August wilsons 10 play series is arguably one of the finest literary achievements in contemporary drama. Almost immediately after joining in the performative call to the past in the. The august wilson theatre is a broadway theatre located at 245 west 52nd street in midtown manhattan. Blues, history, and the dramaturgy of august wilson pp. With earthly animal life forms, the chromosomes that help determine shape, character, colors, mind and emotion. The importance of finding the cultural and spiritual regeneration through the blues song plays out principally. August wilson and pittsburghs hill district duquesne scholarship. Blues, history and the dramaturgy of august wilson semantic. Wilsons dramaturgy has spurred a renewed interest in african.
Is there a definitive struggle between two signature black musical traditions the blues and jazz in. Following a public debate with criticproducer robert brustein in january 1997 in new york city concerning race, culture and theatre, wilson convened a conference on african american. Blues history by michael hawkeye herman the blues the blues is a musical style created in response to the hardships endured by generations of african american people. The library of congress music division recording laborato folk music of the united states issued from the collec. For wilson the blues, rather than defining african americans through the limited discourse of american history, enable african americans to explore their liminality through the everyday. Seven years later, the university of central floridas production of. Walter, the philip and janice levin foundation, judith and burton resnick, ellen and james.
Blues, history, and the dramaturgy of august wilson created date. In this first of a history based lesson series students. The musicality inherent in his work springs, at least in part, from his passion for this art form. August wilsons century in blacks and blues us news. Before the origination of the blues, african americans voiced their feelings and interpersonal. In the 1950s the blues had grown up from country music into something we call urban blues. The dramatic vision of august wilson by scott, daniel m. Completing the twentiethcentury cycle is the first volume devoted to the last five plays of the cycle individuallyjitney, seven guitars, king hedley ii, gem of the ocean, and radio golfand in the context of wilsons entire body of work. The importance of august wilson to american theater a. August wilsons gem of the ocean a dramaturgical case study. Blues, history, and the dramaturgy of august wilson a ugust wilson s dramatic project is comprised of a cycle plays that explore some of the historical choices have confronted african americans during the twentieth century. Analysis of the piano lesson by august wilson 983 words 4 pages. August wilson s dramatic project is comprised of a cycle of plays that explore some of the historical choices that have confronted african americans during the twentieth century. August wilsons blues poetry national endowment for the.
The story of the blues began in northwestern mississippi in the late 1800s. The piano lesson august wilson context august wilson was born poor into a family of seven in pittsburgh, pennsylvania. The blues means a lot of things to a lot of people. This is a long, wideranging interview in which the playwright discusses many. The music had changed from solo, acoustic, country music to ensemble, electric city music. The national program is produced in collaboration between kenny leons true colors theatre company and jujamcyn theaters. Wilson contends that the black community currently is floundering because it has. Dramaturgical costumes poor lessings theatre almanack.
Wilson contends that the black community currently is floundering because it has failed to turn to its history. Blues, history and the dramaturgy of august wilson by. Essays and criticism on august wilson critical essays. If wilson grappled with epistemology in ma rainey, he also confronted theodicy, or the philosophical and theological question of evil, of how one could claim god to be good, allpowerful, or allknowing, while black pain persisted. At the same time, the blues spilled over into memphis. Although they were not created in chronological order, here is a brief synopsis of each play, organized by the decade each one represents. With the great migration of black workers that began around that time the blues spread around the south and the rest of the united states. August wilsons dramatic project is comprised of a cycle of plays that explore some of the historical choices that have confronted african americans during the. Wilson grew up in the hill district of pittsburgh, a lively poor neighbourhood that became the setting for most of his plays. The program is now in fourteen cities nationwide, including atlanta, boston, buffalo, chicago, dallas, greensboro. Due to the intense racism, he left school at age sixteen, opting to educate himself independently at the city library. Since april of 2018, the tony awardnominated musical, mean. This essay, mapping the blues genes, explores the first three decades of the printed history of early blues music. The piano lesson tells the story of family that struggles in the side and what do with a family heirloom that takes the form of an ornately carved upright piano.
Essays and criticism on august wilson, including the works ma raineys black bottom, fences, joe turners come and gone, the piano lesson, two trains running, seven guitars, jitney, king. How has august wilson chronicled the positive reality of the black american experience in the 20th century. Blues, history and the dramaturgy of august wilson. August wilson was taking the theater world by storm. Music was vital to playwright august wilson 1945 2005, who as a teenager honed his writing at the same time he discovered blues musicians like bessie smith. Stearns preface the house of blues has many mansions.
Together with five siblings, he was raised by his mother, daisy wilson, after his father, frederick august kittel, left her and their children. King discusses the changing appeal of blues to blacks the blues teachers guide blues as african american history e d i u g g n i w e i v t i s i v s e u l b e h t g r o. Ma raineys black bottom, a play about the legendary blues singer. Among the playwrights guiding blues sensibilities and his prominent. Wil son contends that the black community currently is floundering. Urban blues had become national music, not regional music, but it was still the music of african americans. Wilsons life was his assistant, close friend and dramaturg, said his. As harry elam recognizes, wilsons history cycle reveals an african. Gem of the ocean, the first play in his pittsburgh cycle. Blues, history, and the dramaturgy of august wilson a ugust wilsons dramatic project is comprised of a cycle of plays that explore some of the historical choices that have confronted african americans during the twentieth century. Joining director seret scotts creative ensemble are set designer shawn motley. With the publication and performance of jitney1979, ma raineys black bottom 1985, fences 1987, joe turners come and gone 1988, the piano lesson 1990, and two trains running 1992as well as several apprentice and shorter worksaugust wilson has become the bestknown. Descended from earlier work shouts arhoolies, blues is. August wilson national endowment for the humanities neh.
The blues music originally grew popular among the black population during the time when slavery was prominent in the united states. Blues is a musical art form with its own distinct musical progressions and much more. Taking his middle name as his preferred name, august wilson was born. History of the blues simple music is the hardest music to play and blues is simple music. August wilson literature, poetry, and their historical contexts. In what ways does ma raineys black bottom as a play about the blues fit into the continuity of the pittsburg century cycle. Major support for american masters is provided by aarp.
1412 1504 1328 1509 835 1664 1643 802 963 1569 533 1166 380 454 449 1263 1441 1115 886 1512 697 1258 927 402 923 692 185 1310 197 1201 694 3