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American Masters August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand
Premieres nationwide Friday, February 20, 9-10:30 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) in honor of the 70 th anniversary of Wilson’s birth, 10 th anniversary of his death and Black History Month
Film Interviewees (in alphabetical order)
Dwight Andrews , music direction for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom , Fences , Joe Turner’s Come and Gone ; music and musical direction on Gem of the Ocean and numerous plays; officiate at August Wilson’s funeral
Lou Bellamy , met August Wilson when he moved to St. Paul, Minn., and acted in and directed a number of his early works; directed and acted in numerous productions of Wilson’s American Century Cycle including Fences , Two Trains Running and Radio Golf
Robert Brustein , dean of Yale School of Drama (1966-1979); founded the Yale Reparatory Theatre in 1966; theatre critic
Julia Burley , friend of August Wilson’s mother; Charley Burley’s widow
Rocky Carroll , actor , played Lymon in original Broadway production of The Piano Lesson and originated the role of Harmon in Radio Golf
Anthony Chisholm , actor, played Wolf in the original Broadway production of Two Trains Running , Fielding in the original production of Jitney and Elder Barlow in original Broadway cast of Radio Golf
Viola Davis , actor, played Vera in original Broadway productions of Seven Guitars and King Hedley II
Charles Dutton , actor, played Levee in the original Broadway production and revival of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom , Boy Willie in original Broadway and Hallmark Hall of Fame productions of The Piano Lesson , originated the role of Harold Loomis in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Dr. Harry Elam , Freeman-Thornton Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Olive H. Palmer Professor in the Humanities, Professor of Drama, and Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education at Stanford University; scholar
Freda Ellis , August Wilson’s sister
Kimberly Ellis , August Wilson’s niece and Freda Ellis’ daughter
Paul Ellis , August Wilson’s nephew and Freda Ellis’ son
Laurence Fishburne , actor, played Sterling in the original production of Two Trains Running
Samuel Freedman , The New York Times columnist; August Wilson’s friend
Laurence Glasco , Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh
Paul Carter Harrison , director and scholar
Stephen McKinley Henderson , actor, played Turnbo in the original production of Jitney and Stoolpigeon in the original Broadway production King Hedley II
James Earl Jones , actor, played Troy in the original Broadway production of Fences
Ella Joyce , actor, played Risa in the Yale and regional theatre productions of Two Trains Running
Todd Kreidler , August Wilson’s long-time assistant; co-writer and director of How I Learned What I Learned
Marion McClinton , August Wilson’s friend from St. Paul, Minn., director of the original production of Jitney and the original Broadway production of King Hedley II
S. Epatha Merkerson , actor, played Bernice in the original Broadway production of The Piano Lesson
Suzan-Lori Parks , Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright and screenwriter
William Partlan , directed Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Fences at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Conference
Phylicia Rashad , actor, played Aunt Ester in the original Broadway production of Gem of the Ocean
Christopher Rawson , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Theater Critic
Frank Rich , former theatre critic
Constanza Romero , August Wilson’s widow and costume designer; designed costumes for The Piano Lesson , Seven Guitars , Gem of the Ocean and How I Learned What I Learned
Amy Saltz , directed Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and Seven Guitars at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center
Ruben Santiago-Hudson , actor, played Canewell in the original Broadway production of Seven Guitars and Citizen in Gem of the Ocean
Sandra Shannon, Ph.D. , August Wilson scholar and author
Michele Shay , actor, played Louise in Seven Guitars
Jacqui Shoholm Purdy , Claude Purdy’s widow and August Wilson’s friend from St. Paul, Minn.
Sala Udin , August Wilson’s childhood friend; part of the Kuntu Repertory Theatre; activist