Yale Repertory Theatre

August Wilson premiered six of the ten plays that comprise his epic American Century Cycle at Yale Rep, all of which are featured here. In addition to the new production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Yale Rep has also produced revivals of The Piano Lesson (2011) and Seven Guitars (2016).

6 of the 10 plays in Wilson’s American Century Cycle had their World Premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre.

Theresa Merritt in the 1984 World Premiere of August Wilson’s ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’.

Courtney B. Vance, Mary Alice, Russell Costen, James Earl Jones, and Ray Aranha in the 1985 World Premiere of August Wilson’s ‘Fences’.

Kimberleigh Burroughs, Cristal Coleman, Charles S. Dutton, and Ed Hall in the 1986 World Premiere of August Wilson’s ‘Joe Turner’s Come and Gone’.

Samuel L. Jackson and Sharon Washington in the 1987 World Premiere of August Wilson’s ‘The Piano Lesson’.

Scene from the 1990 World Premiere of August Wilson’s ‘Two Trains Running’.

James A. Williams, Michele Shay, and Richard Brooks in the world premiere August Wilson’s ‘Radio Golf’, directed by Timothy Douglas.

A scene from the 2011 Yale Repertory production of August Wilson’s ‘The Piano Lesson’.

Danny Johnson, Stephanie Berry, André De Shields, Rachel Leslie, Billy Eugene Jones, and Wayne T. Carr in August Wilson’s ‘Seven Guitars’ directed by Timothy Douglas.

’Seven Guitars’ originally premiered in 1995 at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.