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The Hill District

The Hill District is a 1.4-square-mile section of Pittsburgh that has been predominantly African American since the 19th century. This small strip of Pittsburgh is where a majority of the Century Cycle Plays are located. To understand more, read to explore where these plays come from!

Preview image for Gem of the Ocean Plot Summary

Gem of the Ocean Plot Summary

Spoiler alert! A brief overview of Gem of the Ocean. 

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From the Director: Chip Miller

Director Chip Miller on the significance of memory, history, and ancestral connection in August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean and the other plays of Wilson's Century Cycle.

A man stands in the foreground as water falls on his head; another person stands staring forward in the foreground, a magic aura around them

Behind the Curtain: Spotlight on Aunt Ester

Over the course of approximately 26 years, Wilson wrote one play for each decade in the 20th century. At the center of this tapestry stands Aunt Ester, the character which Wilson himself deemed the most significant in his plays.

A full-color scale model of the scenic design for Gem of the Ocean, with scale-sized figures of people in the exposed interior of a house.

The Century Cycle

Beginning in 1904 with Gem of the Ocean and ending in 1997 with Radio Golf, August Wilson's 10-play American Century Cycle charts the lived experience of African Americans throughout the 20th century. Learn more about each of these plays and their connection to one another. 

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Reviews of Rent

"With a story based on Puccini's 19th-century opera La BohèmeRent tells the story of angsty young adults struggling to pay their rent and worrying about a cyber arts studio coming to their impoverished neighborhood." -Deseret News

Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).

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