It is nearly impossible for a playwright to sustain a level of excellence in their work over a number years, let along reshape the very landscape of theatre itself, yet that is exactly what scribes Arthur Miller and August Wilson managed to do over their careers. Miller burst into the national consciousness early on and remained firmly entrenched there as he wrote Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, All My Sons and A View From the Bridge. August Wilson’s ten-play cycle on the black experience in America during the 20th century redefined how the theatre looks at history and provided much needed work for African-American actors throughout its twenty-year gestation. View next photo.