Congo Square's HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED Begins Tomorrow
HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED follows August Wilson's journey as a Black writer from Pittsburgh to one of the most celebrated American playwrights of the 20th century.
By: A.A. Cristi Apr. 19, 2024
Broadway In Chicago and Congo Square Theatre have announced the Chicago premiere of August Wilson's autobiographical show, HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED, begins tomorrow Saturday, April 20.
“We are thrilled to celebrate our 25th anniversary season with the production of August Wilson's incredibly intimate memoir HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED,” Ericka Ratcliff, Artistic Director, Congo Square Theatre Company said. “Congo Square was founded on a commitment to create and produce works by and for people of color. Honoring one of our greatest playwrights alongside this unique partnership with Broadway in Chicago allows Congo Square to connect August Wilson's work to a whole new generation of audiences.”
“Broadway In Chicago is proud to work with Congo Square Theatre Company to present HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED,” Lou Raizin, President, Broadway In Chicago said. “It is important to have the opportunities to showcase our local companies on a larger scale enriching a broader audience with their artistry.”
HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED follows Wilson's journey as a young Black writer from Pittsburgh to one of the most celebrated American Playwrights of the 20th century. Written three years before his death, the one-man show recounts numerous stories from the author's long career and the lessons they taught about what it means to be a Black artist in America.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED are currently available and range in price from $45.00 to $65.00 with a select number of premium seats available. Individual tickets are available by visiting www.BroadwayInChicago.com or going to any Broadway In Chicago venue box office. Groups of 10 or more may book now by calling (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com .
ABOUT CONGO SQUARE THEATRE COMPANY
Congo Square Theatre Company is an ensemble dedicated to producing transformative work rooted in the African Diaspora. Congo Square is a haven for artists of color to challenge and redefine the theatrical canon by amplifying and creating stories that reflect the reach and complexities of Black Culture and is one of only two African American Actors' Equity theater companies in Chicago. Founded in 1999 with a mission to provide a platform for Black artists to present work that exemplified the majesty, diversity, and intersectionality of stories from the African Diaspora, Congo Square's guiding principles are radical generosity, radical community, and radical expansion.
Congo Square has risen to become one of the most well-respected African American theaters in the nation. Previously mentored by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson, Congo Square's August Wilson New Play Initiative has cultivated talents such as playwright Chadwick Boseman (Marvel Studio's Black Panther), who penned the 2006 Jeff nominated play Deep Azure, Lisa Langford who's play How Blood Go was premiered by Congo Square in 2023, and playwright Lydia Diamond, who penned the massively successful Stick Fly, a critically acclaimed play that explores race, class, and familial friction. Stick Fly ultimately ran on Broadway and is currently being developed into a full-length series for HBO with Alicia Keys serving as a producer. Congo Square also produced the widely praised Seven Guitars, which won top honors for best ensemble, best direction, and best production at the 2005 Joseph Jefferson Awards. This would earn the theater company the distinction of being the first African American theater company to receive such an honor.
Congo Square's Samuel G. Roberson Next Up Fellowship celebrates young playwrights by providing resources for college and high school aged students to enhance their writing and identity as a playwright. Each selected fellow not only has their ten-minute play workshopped into a full-length play with Congo Square, but they also receive a yearlong writing mentorship with playwright, Kristiana Rae Colón. The 2023-24 Fellow is Maria D. Smith.
Congo Square's Community Engagement and Education programs bring the impact of theater to young audiences. Its outreach programs, CORE (Curriculum Objectives Residency Enrichment), and CAST (Congo After School Theater), present and teach theater arts by providing classroom and after-school residencies that provide Teaching Artists to build upon already established Chicago Public Schools literature and art curriculums. CORE and CAST impact students, schools, and community organizations located on the South and West sides of Chicago.
For more information on Congo Square's 2023-24 Season, visit www.congosquaretheatre.org.
ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop, including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, Auditorium Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.
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