No other American playwright has completed such an ambitious oeuvre than August Wilson, who wrote a series of ten plays celebrating African American life in the 20th century, one play for each decade. Now a new authoritative biography has been written exploring the history of the playwright himself by author and theater critic Patti Hartigan. She interviewed Wilson many times before his death, tracing his ancestry back to slavery and his life from his childhood in Pittsburgh (where nine of the plays take place) to Broadway. She also interviewed scores of friends, theater colleagues and family members, and conducted extensive research to tell the story of a writer who left an indelible imprint on American theater and opened the door for future playwrights of color. 

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 Copies of August Wilson are available for purchase through the Mark Twain Store; proceeds benefit The Mark Twain House & Museum. Books will be shipped after the event. We regret that we are NOT able to ship books outside the United States as it is cost-prohibitive to do so. 

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 About the Author: Patti Hartigan is an award-winning theater critic and arts reporter who spent many years on the staff of The Boston Globe. She divides her time between the Boston area and Charlottesville, VA. 

 About the Moderator: Taneisha Duggan is a theater producer and director based in Middletown, CT. 

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 Programs at The Mark Twain House & Museum are made possible in part by support from CT Humanities; the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts; Ensworth Charitable Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee; the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s United Arts Campaign; The Hartford; The Mark Twain Foundation; The National Endowment for the Humanities; and Travelers.