Thursday, February 14, 2013

My Life in the Theater: GEM OF THE OCEAN





August Wilson wrote GEM OF THE OCEAN a year or two before he died. It is part of his cycle of plays about the lives of African-Americans throughout the 20th century and actually is the first in the cycle despite being written near the end of Wilson's life. It is set 1904 in Pittsburgh and concerns a woman who is a healer and the man who comes to her for healing. The Cyngnet Theater in Old Town (the oldest section of San Diego) put on a very fine production and any faults lay in the somewhat didactic text. My favorites are PIANO LESSON and FENCES. But it is nice to see another piece of the 12-play cycle.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Patti - It's interesting that this play is part of a cycle, rather than what in books we'd call a standalone. I should look these plays up.

George said...

I'm with you on FENCES and THE PIANO LESSON. I haven't seen GEM OF THE OCEAN, but I will when it comes to down.

pattinase (abbott) said...

It was less concrete, more surreal than later ones. Still well worth seeing.