Pitt library system opens August Wilson's archives to public
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Renowned playwright August Wilson is one of Pittsburgh's most famous sons. His childhood home in the Hill District has been restored as an arts center.
Many more connections to August Wilson are about to be on display in Pittsburgh.
"Anybody who calls themselves an August Wilson scholar cannot resist coming here to look at the materials that are on file here," said Dr. Sandra Shannon, the founder and president of the August Wilson Society and a nationally recognized August Wilson scholar.
Shannon is ecstatic to dive head first into the August Wilson archives.
"Whole new territory, whole new landscape for critical study of August Wilson."
"Here to for we relied on published articles, interviews, etc., but to actually look at August Wilson writing, to look at some of the unpublished scripts that I have never seen before, to imagine what must have gone through his mind during the creative process, it's fascinating."
The society's biennial colloquium is happening this year at the same time the University of Pittsburgh library system is opening Wilson's archives to the public.
"The stars aligned just so that we were having our colloquium anyway, so why not partner with the university in celebrating the opening of the archive?" Shannon said.
Shannon sees the archive as a way to expand Wilson's reach.
"Yes, he's a Pittsurgh native, Pittsburgh loves him, but as a result of the archives, I think the world would love and appreciate him even more."
And in that appreciation, she wants folks to do one thing in particular.
"I would invite people to read his plays as well. We're celebrating the man but I'm hoping the archive and all the attention that it's getting would invite people to go back to square one and read his works, read about the playwright, read about his life but read about his American century cycle," she said.
For Shannon, being able to dig into the archives during the colloquium means everything.
"When I started August was still with us, so I had him as a resource as well. He was very generous in giving me interviews. He also shared some of his unpublished scripts that are now in possession of the archives and so I feel a special spiritual sense of full circle," Shannon said.
"I am where I'm suppose to be."
August Wilson's archives are now open to the public at the University of Pittsburgh library system and the August Wilson Society's biennial colloquium begins Thursday at the August Wilson African-American Cultural Center Downtown and runs through Saturday.
