Denzel Washington to Bring All of August Wilson's Century Cycle Plays to the Screen
(© Joan Marcus)
Oscar and- Tony winner Denzel Washington will bring all 10 of August Wilson's Century Cycle plays to the screen through a new partnership with the cable network HBO. Washington will produce one film a year over the next decade, he revealed during a conversation at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
First up is Fences, which Washington will direct in 2016. He will also star in the film alongside Viola Davis, both reprising their 2010 Tony-winning performances as Troy Maxson and Rose. The films are presented in cooperation with the August Wilson Estate.
Wilson's Century Cycle explores the African-American experience throughout the 20th century, with each play being set in a different decade. The full list of plays that Washington will bring to the screen is Gem of the Ocean (1900s), Joe Turner's Come and Gone (1910s), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (1920s), The Piano Lesson (1930s), Seven Guitars (1940s), Fences (1950s), Two Trains Running (1960s), Jitney (1970s), King Hedley II (1980s), and Radio Golf (1990s). With the exception of Jitney, all of Wilson's cycle has been seen on Broadway.
