7
I n c i t e / I ns i ght
W i n te r 20 1 9
The Huntington Theatre Company
was one of Wilson’s creative
homes. Colleagues of mine still
speak today of the time he spent
here, and how it impacted them
as artists and administrators. We
have produced all 10 of Wilson’s
Century Cycle plays. We’ve also
produced his one-man show,
How I Learned What I Learned.
Nine years ago the Education
Department joined the National
August Wilson Monologue
Competition, and we now run the
Boston Regional August Wilson
Monologue Competition for
students in the Greater Boston
area. For the Huntington’s 30th
anniversary season (the year we
completed the Century Cycle here
with our production of Ma Rainey’s
Black Bottom) our Codman
Summer Theatre Institute took
a hiatus from Shakespeare, and
instead presented A Tribute to
August Wilson which included
scenes from all 10 of his plays.
2019
Boston
Regional
Finalists of
the Huntington
Theatre’s August
Wilson Monologue
Competition.
August Wilson is in our DNA
here at the Huntington Theatre
Company, and the Education
Department is committed to
honoring his legacy, sharing
his work with our students and
teachers, and celebrating the
artistic and personal relationships
so many of our colleagues had
with him. I firmly believe August
Wilson should be in the DNA of
any company working with young
people in much the same way
we include Shakespeare, Ibsen,
Simon, Mamet, Miller, etc.
It’s easy for me to speak about
Wilson’s importance and
legacy. It’s even better when
our students prove the value
of his work each year as they
participate in the August Wilson
Monologue Competition. We have
grant-funded residencies in a
number of Boston Public Schools
and students who participate
represent all kinds of learners.