Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
The most successful African-American playwright of his time August Wilson is a dominant presence on Broadway and in regional theaters throughout the country. Herrington traces the roots of Wilson's drama back to the visual artists and jazz musicians who inspired award-winning plays like Ma Rainey's Come and Gone Fences and The Piano Lesson . From careful analysis of evolving playscripts and from interviews with Wilson and theater professionals who have worked closely with him Herrington offers a portrait of the playwright as thinker and craftsman.
Synopsis
A probing and provocative look at the work of the most successful African-American playwright of our time, indeed of any time.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 167-172) and index.
Table of Contents
Process of playwriting: introduction --August arrives: a brief biography --Four "B's": August Wilson's inspiration --Consequence of tolerance: the development of "Ma Rainey's black bottom" --Problematic practice: August Wilson at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Playwrights Conference --Complexity of conflict: the development of "Fences" --Cultural connection: the development of "Joe Turner's come and gone" --Final knockout: August Wilson at the Yale Repertory Theatre and on the road to Broadway --Jitney: August Wilson's round trip --"I ain't sorry for nothin' I done": conclusion.