So, you loved Fences and just watched Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. What’s next? Well, in case you didn’t know, you’ve actually just watched two whole decades worth of the black experience, as these two films make up 20% of the famous playwright, August Wilson’s, Pittsburgh Cycle, which is also known at the Century Cycle.
Back in college, I was obsessed with two playwrights named August, and they were August Strindberg and August Wilson. And while Strindberg definitely messed with my headspace with plays like Miss Julie and A Dream Play, it was August Wilson who I actually connected with, which is why I’ve read every play in the Century Cycle. So, I just wanted to give you a little history lesson of each play in chronological order, as well as which actors and actresses might be a good fit to fill in key roles, for the ones that haven’t been adapted. Denzel Washington has gone on record saying that he wants to turn every one of these plays into a movie, so I thought I might just give some suggestions on who to pick for which roles. Alright now. Let’s get started.