Nominated for eight Tony Awards, Seven Guitars is the story of Floyd, a Pittsburgh jazz musician struggling to get his band, his sweetheart and himself to Chicago, where he is convinced wealth and fame await him. It's the most recent in August Wilson's cycle of plays about the lives of African-Americans (mainly in Pittsburgh), crossroads of the great South/North migration of American blacks, during the 20th century.

The play closed on Broadway, Sept. 8, 1996, after a five-month run and now gets a staging at Seattle Repertory Theatre, under the direction of Jonathan Wilson, a veteran of Chicago stages and chairman of the Loyola Theatre Department.

Previewing Dec. 27 and opening New Year's Eve, Seven Guitars runs to Jan. 24 at Seattle Rep, 155 Mercer St. For tickets and information call (206) 443-2222.

Said artistic director Sharon Ott, "August Wilson is one of this country's most important writers. I'm thrilled to be able to continue Seattle Rep's relationship with him..." Wilson play previously staged at the rep include Joe Turner's Come And Gone, Fences and The Piano Lesson.

Starring in Seven Guitars are Jernard Burks, Leslie DoQui, Lou Ferguson, Cynthia Jones, Ken LaRon, Alex Morris (Floyd) and Gwendolyn Mulamba. Designing the show are Scott Bradley (set), Constanza Romero (costumes), and Chris Akerlind (lighting). Dwight Andrews provides the underscoring. Previewing Dec. 27 and opening New Year's Eve, Seven Guitars runs to Jan. 24 at Seattle Rep, 155 Mercer St. For tickets and information call (206) 443-2222.

Winner of the 1990 Tony for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Seattle Rep is now under the guidance of new artistic director Ott. Other plays in this season's line-up include:;
Steven Dietz's Private Eyes (Jan. 31-Feb. 28);
Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband (Mar. 7-Apr. 12);
Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House (Dec. 6-Jan. 17);
Athol Fugard's Valley Song (Jan. 24-Mar. 14);
Anne Galjour's Alligator Tales (Mar. 21-May 2), a recent Manhattan Theatre Club Stage II offering.