The Century Cycle Explained
August Wilson's Literary Sojourn Through the American 20th Century
I met August Wilson five years before ever performing in any of his plays on stage. In March, 1999, I participated in a seated reading of "Jitney" at the home of Mark Clayton southers. I was curious as to why the media was there until in from another room casually entered, Mr. August Wilson. I had no idea how much his plays would affect my life!!
My Story
Ever since that cold winter's day in March of 1999, my life changed forever. That is the day that I decided to be a playwright. You see, up until that time I had only dabbled with the idea of writing plays. After reading the first act of his play, JITNEY, there was a brief break. I then found myself outside on the porch standing next to August Wilson himself. We were both smokers at the time. I found the courage to ask him a question. I asked him if he had any advice for anyone who wants to be a writer. He looked at me and very eloquently responded; "Write what you know." To this day, those four simple words echo in my mind. "Write what you know." I came to fully understand what he meant by that.
I write plays now and have had some success here and there. Most of my plays cover American History and the black people who persevered in spite of the virtually insurmountable obstacles laid in the of a nation within a nation. People the mainstream history books have omitted for many many generations. Stories of not only men and not only African Americans. Stories of the American Spirit that transcend time.
History's Flipside
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