Gem of the Ocean
About the Show
Gem of the Ocean is the ninth play in August Wilson’s groundbreaking ten-play cycle that chronicles each decade of twentieth-century African American experience. This sparkling, multi-faceted, allegorical Gem tells the story of Citizen Barlow who comes to Aunt Ester’s Pittsburgh home on an evening in 1904, the night before her 287th birthday, seeking healing from Aunt Ester and sanctuary from the local constable. Aunt Ester sends Citizen–and the audience–on a harsh yet poignant spiritual journey, underscored by the songs and echoes of a slave ship’s prisoners.
