August Wilson's Seven Guitars

November 26 - December 26, 2021

It may surprise some of you that in the early years of my career at Arena Stage (24 years ago), most theater companies had a chip on their shoulder about American writers. They looked to England and Europe for their inspiration. I wanted to change that. American work is as diverse as this country is wide, and I aimed to reflect the country and Washington, D.C., at Arena Stage. We created the Mead Center for American Theater to work toward righting the wrong, the first major theater in America to focus this way.

To have a great theater, you need great artists and great writers. We started a Giants Festival to celebrate an American writer of esteem, breadth and influence. Festivals have included Arthur Miller, Edward Albee, Eugene O’Neill, Lilian Hellman, and, naturally, August Wilson. We have produced nine out of his ten-play American Century Cycle. His plays address specific American issues in an eloquent and deeply meaningful way. Wilson did not shy away from identifying how racism is a defining American characteristic. He tells deeply human, complicated stories that resonate with magic and hope. These are important stories for all Americans.

The August Wilson Festival began in 2019 with our production of Jitney. With the help of Ford’s Theatre, the August Wilson Society and other organizations across D.C., we hosted events that examined Wilson’s legacy through the lens of his enduring creative partners, including designers, writers, scholars and historians. Of course, that 19/20 season ended prematurely, and so here we are in 2021, completing the Festival with this production of Seven Guitars. The Festival is not only a celebration of Wilson’s work, but how he worked and what he left behind.

Tazewell Thompson is one of America’s best directors and I’m thrilled to have him back at Arena, directing Seven Guitars. Tazewell has a beautiful eye for direction and inspires stellar performances. He is a master in the round.

He first came to Arena in 1987 and he and Zelda Fichandler shared a special bond. He was an artistic associate with Arena between 1988 and 1991 and has directed 20 productions here over the years. He was instrumental in working with Zelda to form the foundation of the Allen Lee Hughes Fellows program. His directing credits are broad and varied, both here and everywhere. His production of M. Butterfly in the Fichandler is one of my absolute favorites. While I have known Tazewell professionally for years and years, he has also become a trusted artistic voice. His artistry and eye help me bring a show to the finish line.

Thank you for being with us at Arena as we celebrate this theatrical Giant.

Molly Smith, Artistic Director

Enduring partnerships are the lifeblood of Arena Stage. We remain committed to serving artists and audiences through effective collaborations and partnerships at the most sophisticated and professional levels. One of the ways Arena has done this is through our Giants Festivals, which have celebrated great American playwrights through mainstage productions and a variety of engaging and unique activities. They infuse our programming with necessary stories, help us to question and strengthen our values and provide masterful solutions and enrich our workplace.

We’re thrilled to be able to finally complete our Giants Festival honoring August Wilson – which began in 2019 – with this incredible production of Seven Guitars. Arena has celebrated several playwrights with Giants Festivals, including Arthur Miller, Eugene O’Neill, Edward Albee and Lillian Hellman. The partnerships have included artists through repertory performances, as we did with the Miller Festival. We embarked on significant journeys to read all or nearly all of the playwright’s works, as with the Albee and O’Neill Festivals. We have hosted numerous scholarly panels and discussions, as well as readings and performances, partnering with organizations of great minds such as George Washington University, University of Maryland, Howard University and Georgetown University. We joined forces with fellow theaters who were also producing the playwright’s works, including Ford’s Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre, as well as featuring artists that created new works inspired by these playwrights. We have had art installations such as the O’Neill As Seen by Hirschfeld. Inspired by Lillian Hellman’s cookbook, we gathered videos from local chefs making the recipes she wrote.

Hundreds of artists call our stages their home. Molly has shared her professional and personal connection to Seven Guitars director Tazewell Thompson, who also has a relationship with Arena Stage that spans over four decades. Two wonderful examples of Arena’s long-standing artistic relationships include directors such as Charles Randolph-Wright, who shares more than 25 years with Arena, including the upcoming American Prophet, and designers such as Allen Lee Hughes, the namesake of our fellowship program, with well over 40 years of friendship and artistry. There are many more and it is impossible to fit everyone into a short program note, however, at every first rehearsal we are reminded of the value and importance of having these abiding partnerships.

In Arena’s vibrant Southwest community, we are partners with the SW BID and our local ANC, among others. It was a triumph and a celebration of neighborhood to partner with the Washington Nationals on the joyous showing of Toni Stone in Nationals Park. A great example of what happens when minds and hearts are opened to unusual partnerships.

Thank you all for partnering with Arena. I hope you witness the beauty of these long collaborations with this performance of Seven Guitars.

Edgar Dobie
Executive Producer
President of the Corporation

Setting
The backyard of a house in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, 1948.

Cast
In order of appearance
Louise.............................................Roz White*
Red Carter (Nov. 26 – Dec. 23, 2021).............
Eden Marryshow*
Red Carter (Dec. 24 – 26, 2021).....................
Kevin E. Thorne II*
Canewell.................Michael Anthony Williams*
Vera/Fight Captain...........................Joy Jones*
Hedley...........................David Emerson Toney*
Floyd Barton......................Roderick Lawrence*
Announcer...............................Edmund Bradley
Ruby.................................Dane Figueroa Edidi*
Vera/Ruby/Louise Understudy...........................
Renee Elizabeth Wilson
Floyd/Red Carter/Hedley/Canewell Understudy
Kevin E. Thorne II*

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Seven Guitars runs approximately 2 hours and 55 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited. Please turn off all electronic devices. Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the theater.

Please turn off all electronic devices before the performance.
Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the theater.
Masks must be worn at all times during the performance.

Assistant Director........................Otis Ramsey-Zöe
Assistant Lighting Designer.................Tyler Dubuc
Assistant Fight Director.....................Mallory Shear
Intimacy Consultants........................Chelsea Pace,
Shaquan Pearson
Production Assistants..........................Zoe Jansen,
Dayne Sundman
Music Consultant..................N. Thomas Pedersen
Stage Carpenter..............................Hannah Martin
Props..............................................Kyle Handziak,
Alekx Shines
Light Board Operator....................Kelsey Swanson
Audio Engineer.....................................AJ Johnson
Wardrobe Supervisors.........................Alina Gerall,
Alice Hawfield
Wigs, Hair and Makeup Supervisor...Jamie Bagley
Tailoring by......................................Dawson Tailors

Cast

DANE FIGUEROA EDIDI

Ruby

JOY JONES

Vera/Fight Captain

RODERICK LAWRENCE

Floyd Barton

EDEN MARRYSHOW

Red Carter

KEVIN E. THORNE II

Floyd/Red Carter/Hedley/Canewell Understudy

DAVID EMERSON TONEY

Hedley

ROZ WHITE

Louise

MICHAEL ANTHONY WILLIAMS

Canewell

RENEE ELIZABETH WILSON

Vera/Ruby/Louise Understudy

Creative

AUGUST WILSON

Playwright

TAZEWELL THOMPSON

Director

DONALD EASTMAN

Set Designer

HARRY NADAL

Costume Designer

ROBERT WIERZEL

Lighting Designer

FABIAN OBISPO

Sound Designer

ANNE NESMITH

Wig Designer

RON PIRETTI

Fight Director

VICTOR VAZQUEZ, C.S.A.

Casting

JZ CASTING/GEOFF JOSSELSON, C.S.A. and KATJA ZAROLINSKI, C.S.A.

New York Casting

MARNE ANDERSON

Stage Manager

EMILY ANN MELLON

Assistant Stage Manager

This theater operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association.

The actors and stage managers are members of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

The scenic, costume, lighting and sound designers in LORT theaters are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE.

The Director and Choreographer are members of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union.

Arena Stage is a constituent of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theater.

Supporting Sponsorship for Arena Stage’s program is generously provided by a lifelong Washingtonian in honor of Anne Paine West, Arena Stage's longtime Director of Board and Donor Relations who retired in 2020.

Arena Stage Full Circle Society

Arena Stage Annual Fund Individual Supporters

Arena Stage Annual Fund Foundation Donors

Arena Stage Annual Fund Corporate Donors

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