Emails #1 and #2, Spring 2022 American Century Cycle
March 4, 2022
Greetings, all.
We are six days out from our first session on Jitney! I will be plowing through the text and material this weekend, searching for new or different angles for discussion (this will be my tenth session, overall, and I try to make each one fresh.)
Here is the updated syllabus portion for Jitney. I am front-loading two very important interviews, the New Yorker piece from 2001 at the “height” of Wilson’s popularity, and the Lori-Parks interview from 2005, done after Wilson had announced his terminal cancer. There is also the pdf version of the full play located on my blog. Also attached are an excellent article by Wilson scholar Alan Nadal and a study guide from the Penumbra Theatre Company that has lots of great background stuff.
Week 1: March 10, 2022 – Jitney (1979) Synopsis: Set in an unofficial taxi station threatened with demolition in 1977, Jitney explores the lives and relationships of drivers, highlighting conflicts between generations and different concepts of legacy and identity.
– Lahr Interview, 2001. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/04/16/been-here-and-gone
– Suzan Lori-Parks Interview, 2005. https://www.americantheatre.org/2005/11/01/the-light-in-august-wilson-a-career-a-century-a-lifetime/
– Harrison David Rivers. “Jitney: Wilson Becoming Wilson,” Penumbra study guide, pp. 12-44 provided.
– Racist Roots of Urban Renewal. https://www.fastcompany.com/90155955/the-racist-roots-of-urban-renewal-and-how-it-made-cities-less-equal
– Full play pdf: https://augustwilsonstudygroup.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/jitney.pdf
– YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Lvs-e_eIXZapfkM43eU0KVt5QWBxdlK
– So long, jitneys — and farewell to our connective tissue, Brian Broome: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/11/08/jitneys-unlicensed-cabs-communities-brian-broome/
– NYTimes review: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/theater/jitney-review-august-wilson.html
– DC review: https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2019/09/21/review-jitney-at-arena-stage/ (all links tested, 03042022)
The normal procedure on Thursday is that I will open about 30 minutes early (9:15 plus or minus) with music (great music from the 70’s and from artists mentioned in the play) and video clips from the playlist (I call this the Amen Corner Devotional from my Baptist Church upbringing). Once we have a quorum (or shortly after 9:45) we will begin with introductions since this is our first session. Then I will begin with a quick scene-by-scene synopsis from my reading notes (these change with every session so I haven’t bothered adding it to my blog). And we will go into the discussion where you will have the opportunity to highlight and discuss your favorite passages. This is always the fun part! And a new innovation: About 15 minutes before the end, we will do a group read of a monologue (so please be ready to volunteer to play a part!). If anyone has suggestions for a particular passage for the group read, please email me before we meet. I welcome all input.
Finally, a link to my consolidated notes from all the sessions if you really have some time to kill:
The great thing about these sessions is what I like to call course subjectives, that is, the purposes people come to the study group, the areas of expertise they bring, and perhaps most interesting, the knowledge members already have of August Wilson and his work. I can’t wait to discover the course subjectives for this Spring 2022 study group!
p.s.I will post these emails to my wordpress blog for future reference here: https://augustwilsonstudygroup.wordpress.com/
Week 2: March 17, 2022 – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (1982) Synopsis: Set in 1927 in a Chicago recording studio (the only cycle play not set in Pittsburgh), Ma Rainey examines racism in the history of black musicians and white producers, and the themes of art and religion.
– Court Theatre Company Study Guide: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiYhe7JqL72AhXHm-AKHbqpA4oQFnoECCYQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.courttheatre.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F06%2FPG_MaRaineysBlackBottom.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0rVgDDpxPznEwF52ultRSk
– The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, Walter Benjamin. https://web.mit.edu/allanmc/www/benjamin.pdf pts 1, 2, 8, 9.
– Full play pdf: https://augustwilsonstudygroup.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/ma-rainey-_1_.pdf
– ***** My blog post has lots of good links: https://augustwilsonstudygroup.wordpress.com/2018/03/08/some-links-to-background-material-for-ma-raineys-black-bottom/
– Ruben Santiago-Hudson Ma Rainey film adaptation screenplay: https://augustwilsonstudygroup.wordpress.com/ma-rainey-screenplay/
– YouTube playlist (the Ma Rainey play list is one of the best!) : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Lvs-e_eIXb3E8p4pv7MmgNPoDUlqCB7
Here is my most recent notes consolidation:
. I am re-working these notes to reverse the order, so you will see the work in progress.
Week 3: March 24, 2022 – Fences (1984) Synopsis: In 1957, Troy Maxson, a former Negro Baseball League player, is a bitter man in his 50s who works as a garbageman. His frustration and disappointments in life affect his wife Rose and son Cory.
– Freytag’s Pyramid Dramatic Structure article: https://jerichowriters.com/what-is-freytags-pyramid/
– Article on Negro Baseball leagues. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/16/sports/baseball/mlb-negro-leagues.html
https://www.mlb.com/news/negro-leagues-given-major-league-status-for-baseball-records-stats
– America’s Most Undefeated Playwright: https://theundefeated.com/features/august-wilson-is-americas-most-undefeated-playwright/
– YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Lvs-e_eIXYPmItHweBOyfAwDJ-x1qwO
– Full play pdf: https://augustwilsonstudygroup.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/fences1.pdf
– Court Theater study guide post performance questions, p. 17: https://www.courttheatre.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/PG_Fences.pdf
– Kennedy Center Theatre Guide: https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/media/theater/august-wilson--fences/
February 15, 2022
Greetings, all: Welcome to the American Century Cycle study group! I just received the study group list from OLLI and I am excited to read through these plays with you! This will be my 10th session (seven full cycle, two short courses, three in Zoom) and I'll be sharing a lot of material with you that I have accumulated over the past 9 sessions.
For starters, I am revising and updating the full syllabus. It will be ready next week. The syllabus includes links to pdf versions of the first six plays. However, I recommend you all get the hard copy of each play, usually available at your favorite bookstore or at the public library. I love the boxed set of the hardback editions but the boxed set appears to be in short supply these days. There will be plenty of time to get them one by one.
We will read the plays in the order in which each was written, beginning with Jitney. This will be included in the updated syllabus I get out next week. I'm working on a consolidation of my notes for each play over the previous sessions but I don't think it will get to production in time for our March start. In place of that, I'll share with you a link to a blog where the raw notes are stored. There is a search box where you can seek out each play or selected themes.
OK. Quick bio. I am from Greensboro, NC. I studied economics as an undergrad, economics and international relations in grad school. I got a library and information science masters after retiring. As a librarian I developed an interest in August Wilson and his plays. I met an OLLI student at the reference desk who suggested I propose this course. I'll tell you more about me when we meet on Zoom. And I look forward to hearing about you and how you came to choose this study group.
In addition to the syllabus, I'll be sending out background material each week, interviews, reviews, stuff like that.
That's about it for now. Again, welcome to the study group. Questions are welcome and I respond to all emails within 24 hours.
Best regards.