#TCG16 Plenary 1: Standing Ground
An award for John O’Neal and a stirring keynote from Anna Deavere Smith began the conference at the intersection of civil rights and theatre.
All Stories About August Wilson
The Ground on Which I Stand
African American theatre is distinct, distinguished, and fully deserving of the kind of funding and respect too often reserved for white culture and institutions.
Breaking ‘Ground’: How the Speech Came to Be and What It Set in Motion
In igniting fierce debates about casting, funding, and racial equity, August Wilson’s 1996 keynote anticipated many of the arguments we’re still having.
The Great Color-Consciousness Raiser
Why reprint a 20-year-old speech? Less to show how far we’ve come (or not) than to marvel at what a great artist still has to say to us now.
Offscript: Still Standing With Lou Bellamy and Jonathan McCrory
In this special edition of Offscript, we have a 10-minute audio recording of August Wilson delivering his seminal speech, ‘The Ground on Which I Stand,’ followed by a discussion among leaders of two black theatres, Penumbra’s Lou Bellamy and National Black Theatre’s Jonathan McCrory.
The Ground Constanza Romero Stands On
August Wilson’s widow is poised for new generations to reimagine the American Century Cycle.
The Ground Together: Responses & Reflections
A range of voices considers the impact and the lasting legacy—and a few lacunae—of August Wilson’s seminal speech.
The Distance We Have Traveled
August Wilson’s historic call to arms resonates with today’s social justice activism. But has it taken root on our stages?
Writing All the Time: Anthony Chisholm on August Wilson
The actor, who received a copy of the playwright’s famous speech in the mail, remembers it chiefly as an act of self-definition.
My Dinners With August: An Interview With Charles Johnson
In 15 years of conversation, the acclaimed author formed a long, deep bond with August Wilson over shared experiences and diverging perspectives.
