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Top 10 Amazing Facts about August Wilson

August Wilson (1945-2005) was an American playwright and one of the most significant voices in contemporary theatre. He is known for his ten-play cycle, called the “Pittsburgh Cycle,” which chronicles the African American experience throughout the 20th century. Wilson was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and grew up in a working-class African American family. He dropped out of school at the age of 15 and educated himself by reading in libraries. He began to write poetry and plays in his 20s, and his first play, “Jitney,” was produced in 1982.

August Wilson is remembered fondly as one of America’s most influential writers who revolutionized theatre with his groundbreaking works exploring African American identity and experience over the course of the 20th century. Through trial and error, he taught himself how to write despite dropping out before finishing high school. Wilson received numerous awards and honours for his work, including two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama for “Fences” and “The Piano Lesson.” He also received a Tony Award for “Fences” and was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1999. Wilson’s legacy continues to inspire and influence contemporary American theatre.

 

1. August Wilson was a High School Drop-Out

August Wilson, one of America’s most celebrated playwrights, did not have a formal education beyond high school. After dropping out of school in the 10th grade, he educated himself by spending countless hours at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, where he read extensively on a wide variety of subjects. Wilson once said, “I spent more time at the Carnegie Library than I did in school. I became addicted to the library, it was my Harvard.” Through his self-education and his passion for writing, Wilson went on to become a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, with works such as “Fences,” “The Piano Lesson,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” among his many accomplishments.

While Wilson did not have a formal education, his experiences and self-education played a significant role in shaping his writing and worldview. In fact, his lack of formal education was something that he took great pride in, as he believed it allowed him to approach his work from a unique perspective and to tell stories that might not have been told otherwise. Despite his lack of formal education, Wilson was a prolific and successful writer. He wrote a total of 10 plays, each of which was set in a different decade of the 20th century and focused on the African American experience.

2. Before Success August Wilson Worked     Odd Jobs

August Wilson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, worked a variety of odd jobs before becoming a successful writer. He held many jobs, including working as a dishwasher, a gardener, a cook, a short-order cook, a porter, a telemarketer and a chauffeur. In fact, Wilson’s experience with different jobs and the people he met while working them would later inform much of the subject matter of his plays, which often explored the lives of working-class African Americans. Wilson’s experiences also gave him a deep understanding of the struggles and challenges faced by people in different jobs, which he was able to portray in his writing with great empathy and insight.

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3. August Wilson Changed his Name

He was born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in 1945 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Then changed his name to August Wilson when he was 15 years old after becoming interested in philosophy and mysticism. He also did so to distance himself from his father, who he had a complicated relationship with and who had abandoned the family when Wilson was a child.

Wilson also adopted the name “Wilson” as a tribute to his mother, Daisy Wilson, who had raised him and his siblings on her own after his father left. In interviews, Wilson stated that he felt a strong connection to his mother’s side of the family and wanted to honour her by taking her last name. Wilson’s name change was a way for him to assert his own identity and separate himself from the troubled family history he had inherited.

4. August  Wilson Received Many Awards and Honours

August Wilson received numerous awards and honours throughout his career as a playwright. Here are some of the most notable ones:

• Two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama: Wilson won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice, for “Fences” in 1987 and for “The Piano Lesson” in 1990.
• Tony Award for Best Play: Wilson’s play “Fences” also won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1987.
• National Humanities Medal: In 1999, Wilson was awarded the National Humanities Medal by the President of the United States for his contributions to American theatre.
• Drama Desk Award: Wilson received a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play for “Jitney” in 2001.
• New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award: Wilson won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play for “Seven Guitars” in 1996.
• American Theatre Hall of Fame: Wilson was posthumously inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2005.

These are just some of the many awards and honours that August Wilson received for his contributions to American theatre. His plays continue to be produced and studied around the world, and his legacy as a writer and a cultural figure remains significant.

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5. There is an Award named for August Wilson

The August Wilson awards, also known as the August Wilson Monologue Competition, is an annual national competition that celebrates the work of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, August Wilson. The competition is open to high school students from participating cities across the United States. The August Wilson Monologue Competition was founded in 2007 by Kenny Leon, a Tony Award-winning Broadway director, and Todd Kreidler, a playwright and former dramaturg for August Wilson. The competition is produced by True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and is sponsored by Delta Air Lines, The Shubert Organization, and Jujamcyn Theaters, among others.

The competition consists of three rounds: local, regional, and national. Participants perform a monologue from one of August Wilson’s ten-play cycle, which chronicles the African American experience throughout the 20th century. The monologues are judged on the student’s understanding of the text, the emotional depth of their performance, and their ability to connect with the audience. The winners of the national competition receive college scholarships, cash prizes, and the opportunity to perform their monologue on a Broadway stage. In addition to the competition, the August Wilson Education Program offers workshops, study guides, and other resources to help educators teach August Wilson’s work in the classroom.

6. He is the Author of  The Pittsburgh Cycle 

August Wilson is known for writing a cycle of ten plays, collectively called “The Pittsburgh Cycle” or “Century Cycle,” which chronicle the lives and struggles of African Americans in the 20th century. Each play is set in a different decade and explores themes of race, family, identity and the African American experience. The ten plays in the Pittsburgh Cycle, in order of the decades they are set in, are:

• “Gem of the Ocean” (1900s)
• “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” (1910s)
• “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (1920s)
• “The Piano Lesson” (1930s)
• “Seven Guitars” (1940s)
• “Fences” (1950s)
• “Two Trains Running” (1960s)
• “Jitney” (1970s)
• “King Hedley II” (1980s)
• “Radio Golf” (1990s)

Wilson received numerous awards and accolades for his plays, including two Pulitzer Prizes and a Tony Award.

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7. August Wilson Pushed for Social Justice

 

He was committed to social justice and his plays often explored the experiences of African Americans and the systemic injustices they faced in the United States. His works not only shed light on the struggles of African Americans, but also gave voice to their experiences and celebrated their resilience, culture, and contributions to American society. Many of Wilson’s plays were set in the 20th century and dealt with issues such as racial segregation, poverty, discrimination, and the effects of racism on African American families and communities. He often wrote about the lives of working-class African Americans, showing the struggles they faced and the dignity with which they lived their lives.

His plays were also known for their powerful and poetic language, which captured the rhythms and music of African American speech. Apart from being a playwright, Wilson was also a vocal advocate for social justice. He supported causes such as affirmative action, education, and the arts and he spoke out against police brutality and other forms of oppression. Wilson was deeply committed to social justice, and his work reflects his belief in the power of the arts to promote positive change. He founded the August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh, which is dedicated to celebrating and preserving the African American experience.

8. His plays have been Adapted for Screen

Several of August Wilson’s plays have been adapted for film. Fences (2016) film adaptation was directed by Denzel Washington and starred Washington and Viola Davis, who both won Academy Awards for their performances. The film is based on Wilson’s play of the same name, which explores themes of race, family and betrayal. Another work done by Denzel also was Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) was released on Netflix and starred Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman. The film is based on Wilson’s play about a recording session in 1920s Chicago and addresses themes of exploitation, racial tension and artistic ownership.

Lloyd Richards directed The Piano (1995) Lesson based on Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which explores themes of family, heritage and the legacy of slavery. Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (1988) was a television adaptation of Wilson’s play and was part of PBS’s “American Playhouse” series. The play explores themes of identity, migration and community. The film starred Danny Glover and Louis Gossett Jr. These are just a few examples of the many film adaptations of August Wilson’s plays.

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9. His plays have had a Worldwide Footprint

August Wilson’s plays have been produced and performed around the world. Wilson’s plays have been performed in major theatres in the United States, including on Broadway, and have also been produced in theatres in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Some of his most famous plays include Fences, The Piano Lesson and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Wilson’s work has been recognized with numerous awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama, a Tony Award for Best Play, and several New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards. His plays have been influential in shaping American theatre and have been widely celebrated for their powerful depictions of the African American experience.

10. Pittsburg was Important to August Wilson

August Wilson was born on April 27, 1945, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh was an important setting for many of his plays, which often explored the lives and experiences of African Americans in the city. Wilson grew up in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, which was a predominantly Black neighbourhood at the time. He dropped out of high school in the 10th grade, but later educated himself by reading extensively at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Wilson went on to become a successful playwright, winning numerous awards and critical acclaim for his work. Wilson passed away on October 2, 2005, in Seattle, Washington, where he had lived for many years. However, he remained closely associated with Pittsburgh throughout his life, and the city continues to celebrate his legacy as one of its most famous and accomplished native sons.