August Wilson

Writing

Born: 1945-04-27

Died: 2005-10-02

From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Gender: Male

Popularity: 0.1

Biography

August Wilson (April 27, 1945 – October 2, 2005) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as the "theater's poet of Black America". He is best known for a series of ten plays, collectively called The Pittsburgh Cycle, which chronicle the experiences and heritage of the African-American community in the 20th century. Plays in the series include, Jitney (1982), Fences (1984), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (1984), Joe Turner's Come and Gone (1986), The Piano Lesson (1987) and King Hedley II (1999). Two of his plays received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (Fences and The Piano Lesson), and one the Tony Award for Best Play (Fences). In 2006 Wilson was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. Since Wilson's death two of his plays have been adapted into films: Fences (2016) and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020). Actor/director/producer Denzel Washington has shepherded the films and has vowed to continue his legacy by adapting the rest of his plays into films for a wider audience by saying, "The greatest part of what’s left of my career is making sure that August is taken care of".

Awards & Nominations15 won · 23 nominated

Nominated

Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay

Fences

2017

Nominated

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

2007

Nominated

Tony Award for Best Play

2007

🏆 Won

Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards

2005

Nominated

Tony Award for Best Play

2005

🏆 Won

Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play

2002

Nominated

Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play

2002

Nominated

Tony Award for Best Play

2001

Nominated

Pulitzer Prize for Drama

King Hedley II

2000

Nominated

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

2000

🏆 Won

National Humanities Medal

1999

🏆 Won

Black Literary Hall of Fame

1998

Nominated

Tony Award for Best Play

1996

Nominated

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

1996

Nominated

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1995

Nominated

Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Seven Guitars

1995

🏆 Won

American Book Awards

1992

Nominated

Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Two Trains Running

1992

Nominated

Tony Award for Best Play

1992

🏆 Won

St. Louis Literary Award

1991

🏆 Won

Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame

1991

🏆 Won

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

1990

🏆 Won

Pulitzer Prize for Drama

The Piano Lesson

1990

Nominated

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

1990

Nominated

Tony Award for Best Play

1990

Nominated

Pulitzer Prize for Drama

The Piano Lesson

1989

Nominated

Tony Award for Best Play

1988

Nominated

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

1988

🏆 Won

Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Fences

1987

🏆 Won

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

1987

🏆 Won

Tony Award for Best Play

Fences

1987

Nominated

Tony Award for Best Play

1987

Nominated

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

1987

🏆 Won

Whiting Award (Drama)

1986

🏆 Won

Whiting Awards

1986

Nominated

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

1985

Nominated

Tony Award for Best Play

1985

🏆 Won

Guggenheim Fellowship

Acting3 titles

8.7

Movie

Writing5 titles

8.8

Series

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951 - ...Drama

7.6

Movie

The Piano Lesson

1995Drama

6.9

Movie

Fences

2016Drama

6.6

Movie

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

2020Drama

5.8

Movie

The Piano Lesson

2024Drama

Production1 title

7.6

Movie

The Piano Lesson

1995Drama

August Wilson

Biography

Awards & Nominations15 won · 23 nominated

Acting3 titles

On Broadway

Wylie Avenue Days

August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand

Writing5 titles

Hallmark Hall of Fame

The Piano Lesson

Fences

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

The Piano Lesson

Production1 title

The Piano Lesson