August Wilson's Radio Golf Is Broadway Bound

By Ernio Hernandez
and Kenneth Jones
10 Oct 2005

The late August Wilson.
The late August Wilson.
photo by David Cooper

Radio Golf, the final known play by Pulitzer Prize-winner August Wilson, will find a Broadway home in the 2006-07 season.

Jujamcyn Theaters president Rocco Landesman — who helped bring Wilson's previous work Gem of the Ocean to Broadway and will anoint the Virginia Theater with the late playwright's name on Oct. 16 — "will produce a Broadway production of Radio Golf, the 10th and final play in Wilson's cycle, next season," according to a statement.

Landesman's collaborators Gordon Davidson, the former artistic director of Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, and Jujamcyn Theaters creative director Jack Viertel are on board to champion the play.

"Gordon and I are prepared to do this," Viertel told Variety. "Broadway is the plan."

Radio Golf debuted at Yale Repertory Theatre and has also played at the Center Theatre Group's Mark Taper Forum. The work will also be staged by Seattle Repertory Theatre and Baltimore's Centerstage with plans for Chicago's Goodman Theatre, and a possible Boston run, in the works.
With Radio Golf, Wilson ended his 10-play cycle which chronicles the African American experience in the 20th century, decade by decade. The 1990s-set play involves real estate developers who look to tear down the home of recurring Wilson character Aunt Esther.

The epic cycle (in order of decade which the drama is set) includes Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, Fences, Two Trains Running, Jitney, King Hedley II and Radio Golf.

All of the aforementioned works have played on Broadway with the exception of Jitney — which enjoyed an Off-Broadway run at Second Stage Theatre then transferred to a commercial run at the Union Square Theatre — and Radio Golf. All the Broadway productions received Tony Award nominations for Best Play with Fences taking home the prize. Wilson also garnered the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for that work and The Piano Lesson.