Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History putting on August Wilson play “Seven Guitars”

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Twenty years ago, director Jerome Preston Bates brought nine of famed playwright August Wilson’s plays to Augusta. Now, he is back and directing theatrical readings of Wilson’s work—all thanks to the Lucy C. Laney Museum.

“I’m learning a lot. We’ve got several Broadway people here, so to get it from the pros, some tips from them is a lot of fun,” said Jonathan Simmons, an actor.

August Wilson is a monumental figure in the African American playwriting scene. He created ten plays, one for each decade.

“With someone as monumental as him and someone as monumental as Lucy Laney and the museum that honors her being able to collaborate, I think it is just awesome,” said Niranjini Jones, an actress.

The Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History is performing a theatrical reading of the play Seven Guitars.

“It is an honor to be a part of what is essentially my first August Wilson play. It feels like home just the way that August wrote about us naturally; the first time I read the script, it felt like I had read it a million more times,” said Tarika Holland, an actress.

The museum asked the well-known director to once again bring the plays back to Augusta.

“We were the first city in the county to do nine of his plays back in 2004. It’s an everyman story,” said Jerome Preston Bates, the director and an actor. “It’s an everywoman story. It’s love, and laughter, and joy and family, and community.”

Actors say they hope the people who come to watch will feel connected with the play.

“There’s a lot of good themes. There’s a lot of good morals that you can pick out of this,” said Niranjini Jones, an actress. “So, I feel like if you really sit back and listen to it, just about anybody can come and see it and take home something from it.”

One of the actors is playing the same character that he did when it first came to Augusta. After his time on Broadway, he is able to bring his experiences to the reading.

“I hope that people will take away the depth and the breath of August Wilson and his crystal-clear vision of the African American Experience,” said Russell Joel Brown, an actor.

The play will be at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History on August 21st at 6 p.m.

Another theatrical reading will be on November 4th for August Wilson’s Eighth play, King Hedley II.

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