August Wilson’s American Century Cycle Experience
New! Three August Wilson classics, all running in August 2025:
Two Trains Running, at Madison Arts Center in the Carter Woodson Redwood Theater, August 9th – 30th.
Fences, outside at August Wilson House, August 8th – September 6th.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, at Madison Arts Center in our ground-floor cabaret space, August 15th – 24th.
Presenting Our 2025 Season
Two Trains Running
By August Wilson
Directed by Mark Clayton Southers
August 9th – 30th 2025
Madison Arts Center
We return to this August Wilson classic, which we last presented in 2008 (when the production was listed among the top ten plays of the DECADE by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).
Set in the turbulent 1960s, Memphis Lee fights for fair compensation when his only property, his restaurant, is targeted for demolition by the City in the name of urban renewal. Memphis is not alone in his fight for justice, fair wages and love as his employees and regulars face changes in the Hill District we still struggle with today.
Two Trains Running will be presented as part of August Wilson’s American Century Cycle Experience, three August Wilson classics, all running in August 2025 at Madison Arts Center and August Wilson House.
Fences
By August Wilson
Directed by Terrence Spivey
August 8th – September 6th 2025
Outdoors at August Wilson House
Set in the 1950s, Fences evokes the early rumblings of the civil rights movement. The central character is Troy Maxson, a middle-aged resident of Pittsburgh’s Hill District. The play follows Troy’s struggle to accept the generational changes that allowed his son to succeed in ways Troy never could.
Fences will be presented as part of August Wilson’s American Century Cycle Experience, three August Wilson classics, all running in August 2025 at Madison Arts Center and August Wilson House.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
By August Wilson
Directed by Ashley Southers
August 15th – 24th 2025
Madison Arts Center cabaret space
Set during a single afternoon in the recording studio of the famous blues singer Ma Rainey, this classic is the first of Wilson’s ten-play American Century Cycle, now considered a staple of American theater.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom will be presented as part of August Wilson’s American Century Cycle Experience, three August Wilson classics, all running in August 2025 at Madison Arts Center and August Wilson House.
Earlier in Our 2025 Season
Sanctified
Written and Directed By Javon Johnson
March 8th – 30th 2025
Madison Arts Center
“With laughter, hope and wisdom borne of experience, Sanctified takes us on a journey of music as a source of division to a force for joy and unity.”
– Sharon Eberson, onStage Pittsburgh
This warm and joyous musical promises great gospel music and great comedy. Sanctified celebrates the trials and triumphs of the African-American church, gospel choirs, today’s hip-hop and R&B and how music ultimately brings unity to the church and community.
Winner of six 2009 Black Theatre Alliance Awards including the August Wilson Award for Best Writing of a Play (Musical/Adaptation), Best Production (Musical or Revue), Best Direction (Musical or Revue), and Best Musical Director, Sanctified promises great music, exciting characters and a great night at the theater.
Art of Wise
By Mark Clayton Southers
Directed by Monteze Freeland
April 11th – May 4th 2025
Madison Arts Center
“This moving and debut production…looks at the time of slavery in America through fresh and unflinching eyes, and contains performances that create a kinship with characters, as well as the power to shock you out of your preconceptions.”
– Sharon Eberson, OnStage Pittsburgh
Art of Wise uncovers centuries of revisionist history through the paint strokes of two families, one owned by the other yet sharing the same name. At the story’s core, two young women’s potential friendship takes a dramatic turn, with their remarkable artworks becoming a means for one family to attain freedom. This gripping drama opens wounds of the past yet uses art to soothe through music, dance, song, and masterful illustration.
Set in 1822, this is the fifth produced play in Mark Clayton Southers’ 19th Century Collection, which includes such acclaimed works as Miss Julie, Clarissa, and John (PPTCO, 2016-2017), Savior Samuel (PPTCO, 2019), The Bluegrass Mile (PPTCO, 2023), and The Coffin Maker (Pittsburgh Public Theatre, 2024).
More Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre News
July 2025: Tressa Glover interviews Mark Clayton Southers for Yinz Are Good podcast.
April 2025: Preview of August Wilson’s American Century Cycle Experience at onStage Pittsburgh.
April 2025: Reviews of Art of Wise from Burgh Vivant, OnStage Pittsburgh, Trib Live, Pittsburgh Owlscribe (spoilers).
March 2025: Reviews of Sanctified from onStage Pittsburgh, Burgh Vivant, Pittsburgh Owlscribe.
December 2024: Radio Golf is named one of the five best productions of 2024 by the Tribune-Review.
September 2024: Check out our time lapse video of the new sign going up for Madison Arts Center’s Carter Woodson Redwood Theatre.
August 2024: Reviews of Radio Golf from onStage Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Tatler, TribLive, Burgh Vivant, Entertainment Central
July 2024: Preview of Radio Golf and more PPTCO news from onStage Pittsburgh.
June 2024: Reviews of Fishy Woo Woo from Entertainment Central, Burgh Vivant, and onStage Pittsburgh.
April 2024: Reviews of Dinah from Burgh Vivant and Pittsburgh Owlscribe, and previews from New Pittsburgh Courier and On Stage Pittsburgh.
March 2024: WQED’s Voice of the Arts podcast interviews Mark Clayton Southers on PPTCO’s 2024 season.
February 2024: We’ve added new photo galleries for our productions of Seven Guitars (2009) and Jitney (2010) as part of our website’s design refresh, plus a new production history page, improved navigation throughout, and more.
December 2023: Two of our plays in our 20th Anniversary 2023 season, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and The Bluegrass Mile, appeared in Sharon Eberson’s Best of Pittsburgh Theater 2023 at OnStage Pittsburgh, as did Karla Payne and Charles Timbers for their work on our stages! Thanks!
January 2023: Pittsburgh Playwrights names theater for actor Carter Redwood!
September 2022: Check out this Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article about our future plans at Madison Arts Center! Read Tony Norman’s November 2022 article on Next Pittsburgh. And see Pittsburgh Magazine’s March 2023 writeup with photos and video.
In 2021, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre was recognized as one of Pittsburgh’s Cultural Treasures! Read more in this in-depth article (PDF)!
Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company thanks the following for supporting our season of plays and special projects:
And our Donor’s Circle and other individual donors.
Thank you!
Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre was selected a Pittsburgh Cultural Treasure by Heinz Endowments in collaboration with the Poise Foundation, a national initiative by the Ford Foundation.
Questions? Email us at contactpptco@pghplaywrights.
Mailing address: 3400 Milwaukee St Rear, Suite #1, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Follow Us on Social Media @pghplaywrights
Slideshow photos by J.L. Martello/18ricco, Christopher Chapman Sr., Candace Michelle Perdue, Duane Rieder, Gail Manker, Joy Southers, and Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre. Ma Rainey photo by Mark Clayton Southers. August Wilson portrait by Marlon Gist.