Glamazons,
I realized yesterday – while conversing with my friend Jennifer who works at New York Public Radio – I’m a real art nerd. My father is a musician, my mother is a painter (and they both write) so I grew up around the arts. I’d always go to New York City as a child with my Dad to see plays, and I’ve never stopped. Even now, my favorite pastime is seeing a weekend play on or off-Broadway.
So imagine my delight when Lincoln Motor Company invited me to an intimate conversation with Taraji P. Henson, Phylicia Rashad, S. Epatha Merkerson and Ruben Santiago-Hudson about one of my all time favorite playwrights, August Wilson. I can’t believe I was in the same room sitting across from these theater icons discussing a playwright I’ve followed my whole life!
During the conversation, the legends spoke about why they love August and why it’s such an honor to perform his work as part of the “August Wilson American Century Cycle” recording. #WilsonCycle is a series of live dramatic readings of all 10 plays from “August Wilson American Century Cycle,” recorded at The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space on WNYC and WQXR. They’ll also be available as live video web casts here.
Here are some excerpts from our conversation:
Taraji Henson on how August Wilson’s work is timeless and appeals to countless generations:
“When [Ruben] directed The Piano Lesson, my son was in town visiting me. He’s a part of the new generation, but they’re just out-of-touch. I love my son to death but they’re just out-of-touch! We [had a] thirst for it when we were coming up especially going to an HBCU, you get militant. You put the hat on, you become a Black Panther instantly! [laughs] I take him [to the play] and I’m nervous because I’m like he’s going to be looking at me like, why did you bring me to see this old time play and I don’t understand anything that’s going on. I find myself watching him, and I was tickled because he laughed at all the right times, he got it! He thoroughly enjoyed himself…even at times the play gets slow and becomes wordy, he was paying attention. That’s how you know you have incredible work. August Wilson will stand the test of time.”
Phylicia Rashad on the language in August Wilson plays:
“I had a conversation with James Earl Jones and he told me that his father said to him, early in his career, never forget how you spoke as a child. Never forget this way of speaking. Meaning the way August Wilson has written. The day will come when people will have forgotten this speech, and you won’t be able to teach it to them. When I was auditioning for “Gem of the Ocean,” there were young actors who graduated Juilliard and Yale, who came to audition for the role of Citizen, and they could not speak the language. They were so far from the rhythms, it had been trained out of them. So what am I saying is trained out of them? Improper speech, the lyricism, the poetry, the “grandmother” in your speech.”
After we spoke, we sat for the live reading of August Wilson‘s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.” It was incredible to witness! Even though it was an audio recording, by seeing it live, you were able to see the actors cry, laugh, talk with their hands, make emotive expressions and really lose themselves in the characters.
The play is set in the beginning of the 20th century and follows freed slaves who moved to North. It delves into heavy issues like families broken by the slave trade and the deep and painful trauma former slaves experience from the horrors of slavery. Though it hinges on the black experience in language and context, it explores universal themes like religion, love, family, redemption, independence and survival – that anyone can relate to.
The play was powerful, painful, comical, heart-wrenching and effervescent all at the same time. I am so grateful to Lincoln Motor Company for inviting me to see it.
Check out more pictures below:
The cast of “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”
The cast and directors of “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”
The set at The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space for the “August Wilson American Century Cycle” recording
Get more information on the “August Wilson American Century Cycle” recording here.
OH! And I wore an H&M floral dress and JustFab coral shoes (worn here) for the event:
What an amazing experience!
Kisses,
Glamazon Jessica