Aunt Ester (Greta Oglesby) shares a quiet moment with Solly Two Kings (Anthony Chisholm) in this scene from the Goodman Theatre's world premiere production of August Wilson's "Gem of the Ocean." 
Photo: Michael Brosilow

August Wilson does a wonderful piece of writing, sort of historical fiction mixed with a touch of today and wrapped in mythology.  The tale seems a bit long at times, but the character development keeps us interested.  The sets are magnificent and lavish, and with clever lighting allows the entire play to work well within the confines of the one large room.  Diction in something other than  midwestern newscaster dialect, and that nonstandard diction is given by finely
written dialogue.  Many of us turn off dialogue that is not given in
proper midwestern dialect, but when the story is interesting we all
heed the spoken word.  Soon we meet Mr. Citizen, a mysterious young man with something to hide.  Mr. Citizen has come to confer with Aunt Ester, who is very old and has some special powers with the almighty.

Mr. Citizen needs to get his soul washed, he stole a bucket of nails and bad things happened and I'm saying more.  Mr. Wilson does
a nice job of getting us to know and appreciate his characters, all
human and some flawed.

"A man going to the city of bones deserves a drink"  remarks Solly Two Kings.  Mr. Citizen is soon to embark on a journey, and a
drink couldn't hurt.  "God don't listen to one voice, he listens to the one voice of all the people", speaks Aunt Ester.  The hypnotic journey of faith based myth carries Mr. Citizen across the minds ocean of adventure.  Christian enhanced voodoo visions of the city of bones appears before him and his fate is now changed.
 

The show is an event of human drama drawn from a one hundred
year old story of gone but not forgotten era.  Wonderful all
the way around.  "Highly recommended"  OPJ
 

Citizen Barlow (Kenny Leon) makes it to the gates of the City of Bones as Aunt Ester (Greta Oglesby) shepherds him on in. Photo:  Michael Brosilow

Black Mary (Yvette Ganier) washes Aunt Ester's (Greta Oglesby) feet while wisdom is given to her young partner.
Photo:  Michael Brosilow

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The Goodman Theatre continues its 2002-2003 season in the Albert with the world premiere of August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean, the ninth entry in his decade by decade exploration of the African American experience in the 20th century.  Directed by Marion McClinton, Gem of the Ocean begins previews April 18 and continues for performances through May 24.  Major Corporate Sponsor for Gem of the Ocean is Marshall Field’s Project Imagine.  Individual Sponsorship Partners are Ruth Davee and Harle G. Montgomery. Sponsorship Partner is Petterino’s.  Additional support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Gem of the Ocean continues the Goodman Theatre’s record of being the only theater to present all of August Wilson’s works.  The Goodman’s collaboration with Wilson began with his Pulitzer Prize-winning Fences in 1986 and most recently featured King Hedley II, the first play to appear in the new Goodman Theatre in November of 2000.  Gem of the Ocean begins the day before Aunt Ester’s 285th birthday in Pittsburgh’s Hill District.  Citizen Barlow, who believes he’s committed a mortal sin, comes to Aunt Ester to get his soul washed.  Aunt Ester gives Citizen a meal, a job, and a place to stay, and sets him on a spiritual journey that leads him on a perilous road to redemption.

August Wilson is the author of Jitney, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, The Piano Lesson, Two Trains Running, Seven Guitars, King Hedley II and Gem of the Ocean.  These works explore the heritage and experience of African Americans, decade by decade, over the course of the 20th century.  Mr. Wilson’s work has garnered many awards including Pulitzer Prizes for Fences and The Piano Lesson, a Tony Award for Fences; and seven New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards.  The cast recording of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom received a Grammy and Mr. Wilson received an Emmy nomination for “The Piano Lesson.”

Featured in the cast of the Goodman Theatre’s production of Gem of the Ocean are (listed here in alphabetical order): 

Paul Butler (Eli) has appeared at the Goodman in a number of plays, including August Wilson’s Jitney and The Piano Lesson.  He was seen as Shylock in Peter Sellars’ production of The Merchant of Venice at the Goodman, in London, Paris and Hamburg.  He was also seen as Antony to Vanessa Redgrave’s Cleopatra in London. 

Anthony Chisholm (Solly Two Kings) appeared at the Goodman in August Wilson’s Jitney and Two Trains Running, in which he also appeared on Broadway.  Also at the Goodman, he appeared in I Am a Man.  He is the recipient of both an OBIE Award and a Drama Desk Award for his previous work, and he was most recently seen in I Just Stopped By to See the Man at Steppenwolf.

Peter Jay Fernandez (Caesar) recently originated the role of Curtis Lowe in the premiere of Ben Bettenbender’s Bliss at the Rattlestick Theatre Company off-Broadway.  His other work in New York includes Thunder Knocking on the Door at Minetta Lane, and the Broadway productions of Jelly’s Last Jam and The Merchant of Venice, starring Dustin Hoffman and directed by Sir Peter Hall. 

Yvette Ganier (Black Mary) appeared at the Goodman in August Wilson’s King Hedley II, and most recently was seen in I Just Stopped by to See the Man at Steppenwolf.  She won a 2002 OBIE Award for her performance in Breath, Boom and appeared in the London, Seattle Rep and the Curran Theatre in San Francisco's production of August Wilson’s Jitney. 

Kenny Leon (Citizen) returns to the Goodman where he staged Miss Evers’ Boys.  He is the former artistic director of Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, where he staged numerous works, including August Wilson’s Jitney, Seven Guitars, The Piano Lesson and Fences, plus Crumbs From the Table of Joy, Medea, The Colored Museum, The Glass Menagerie, Angels in America, A Streetcar Named Desire and many more. 

Greta Oglesby (Aunt Ester) most recently appeared at the Goodman as Sister Boxer in The Amen Corner, which was remounted at Boston’s Huntington Theatre.  Other credits include Steppenwolf’s Goodbye Stranger and Whispering City, ETA’s God’s Trombones, Song of Sad Young Men, Goin’ to the Club, Why Can’t I Meet Your Mother, The Trials, This Far by Faith, and Union Station. 

Raynor Scheine (Rutherford Selig) created the role of Rutherford Selig in the original production of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, playing the character for over 300 performances, including over 100 on Broadway.  He is a veteran of over 100 stage productions and he recently filmed two TV pilot westerns, “Deadwood” for HBO and “Then Came Jones” for ABC.  Both will be seen this fall. 

The design team for August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean includes David Gallo (Sets); Constanza Romero (Costumes); Don Holder (Lighting); Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (Sound); and Dwight Andrews (Music Coordination, Musical Arranging, Musical Direction).

Gem of the Ocean is supported in part by AT&T, the Goodman’s 2002-2003 Sponsor of New Ventures On-Stage.  Goodman Theatre artistic development initiatives are made possible in part by the Lester and Hope Abelson Fund for Artistic Development.   American Airlines is the Official 

The Goodman Theatre’s production of Gem of the Ocean will appear in the Goodman’s Albert Theatre Friday, April 18 through Saturday, May 24, 2003.    Tickets for Gem of the Ocean are priced from $30 to $50.  Tickets may be purchased at the Goodman Theatre Box Office, 170 N. Dearborn Street, or charged by phoning (312) 443-3800 or online at www.goodman-theatre.org.  Groups of 15 or more call (312) 443-3820.  For further ticket information, call (312) 443-3800.