On June 26, 1996, legendary playwright August Wilson addressed the Theater Communications Group’s national conference at Princeton University.
The speech Wilson gave proved to be as lasting as the plays he wrote (“Fences,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “The Piano Lesson”) – and also profound and controversial.
Wilson’s speech discussed the difficulties facing African-American theater at that time (and perhaps still there today) while also challenging African-American theater artists to create opportunities for a more diverse American theater.
Fifteen years after Wilson’s death, his now-legendary speech “The Ground on Which I Stand” will be presented as part of the Pandemic Play Reading Series, with Doug Curry as August Wilson, directed by Justin Rielly.
A talk-back will follow the reading.