Staying Fit
August Wilson
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One of this award season's biggest critical darlings is Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which is set in the world of 1920s blues musicians and features Oscar winner Viola Davis, 55, and the late Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman in his final role. The film, which is playing in select theaters now and will be released on Netflix on Dec. 18, is based on a play by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson.
You may know Ma Rainey, but do you know that it's part of a larger cycle of plays that Wilson wrote — the Pittsburgh Cycle — between the late 1970s and his untimely death in 2005? Each of the 10 plays in the series offers a glimpse into the Black experience during a different decade of the 20th century. Following everyday folks, from formerly enslaved people to trash collectors, jitney drivers to Ivy League-educated developers, the plays run the gamut from bawdy comedies to Greek-inspired tragedies. Here's a decade-by-decade guide to this epic theatrical series, complete with ways you can engage with them at home, including film adaptations, online clips, and Black-owned independent bookstores where you can buy the scripts.
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The 1900s: Gem of the Ocean (2003)
The Plot: Set in 1904 in Pittsburgh's Hill District, this symbolism-rich play introduces one of Wilson's most indelible creations, the formerly enslaved Aunt Ester, who is said to be 285 years old. From her home at 1839 Wylie Avenue, Ester offers sanctuary to troubled folks looking to cleanse their souls, and she leads them on a poetic journey of spiritual reawakening to the mythical City of Bones. Phylicia Rashad, 72, earned a Tony nod for the 2004 Broadway production, which was also nominated for best play.
How to Experience the Play at Home: Watch a clip of Rashad from PBS’ American Masters.
The 1910s: Joe Turner's Come and Gone (1984)
The Plot: It's 1911, and Seth and Bertha Holly's Pittsburgh boardinghouse plays host to a rotating cast of characters taking part in the early days of the Great Migration, during which the descendants of enslaved African Americans began their move toward new lives in the industrial North. Among those passing through is Herald Loomis, a strange man who's searching for his wife. The original 1984 Broadway production starred Delroy Lindo, 68, and Angela Bassett, 62.
How to Experience the Play at Home: Consider buying the play script from a Black-owned shop, such as The Tiny Bookstore, located in the Pittsburgh suburbs.
The 1920s: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (1982)
The Plot: The only play in the Pittsburgh Cycle not set in Pittsburgh, this music-filled work takes place on a sweltering day in a Chicago recording studio in 1927, as Ma Rainey — based on a real singer nicknamed “The Mother of the Blues” — records an album with her bandmates. Filled with jokes, stories and memories, the play offers a commentary on the ways Black recording artists were often exploited by the music industry. Over the years, Ma Rainey has been played by Theresa Merritt (Aunt Em in The Wiz), Whoopi Goldberg (65) and West End legend Sharon D. Clarke (54).
How to Experience the Play at Home: Watch the new cinematic adaptation, directed by two-time Tony winner George C. Wolfe, available on Netflix Dec. 18.
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