Theatreworks Silicon Valley’s production of “How I Learned What I Learned,” a one-man show by and about August Wilson, is scheduled to open this week in Mountain View.
Steven Anthony Jones stars in the memoir, directed by Tim Bond and co-conceived by Todd Kreidler.
“I’m not trying to be August Wilson,” Jones said of portraying Wilson in his early days, before he was a successful playwright. “I’m simply taking the words that he has given us from the stories and trying to tell those stories with as much authenticity and honesty as I can.”
Bond, a close friend of the late Wilson, guides the audience through a story of self-discovery and self-love, exploring what it means to be a Black man in America.
“You learn about the first jobs that he took, about his encounters with racism in the workplace, and how he overcame those,” Bond said, “and you learn lessons from him about the things he experienced and how they shaped him as an artist.”
Bond added that, “There’s a lot of research that goes into this (play). I think August, in his incredibly funny, warm and big-hearted way, kind of helps bring us together to realize that we’re all Americans and have shared history – a history that can help us move forward as a nation.”
Bond noted that it took the production crew many tries to find a smooth process to design the sets the way they wanted. While Bond really wanted to mirror Wilson’s original play layout, it took a lot of creativity to put the play together.
“All of our designers greatly respect August,” Bond said. “We wanted to recreate one of August’s libraries, so I got our projection designer and a video designer to put different images and textures onto a wall of books.”
Wilson, who died in 2005, received Pulitzer Prizes and Emmy awards for his work on Broadway in the 1990s and early 2000s. Some of his most notable work includes, “The Pittsburgh Cycle,” “Gem of the Ocean” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”
Bond is excited to be directing “How I Learned What I Learned,” which Wilson completed in 2002 and first performed the following year.
“He came to visit me once in the ’90s when I was working for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, explaining ideas for a new project,” Bond said. “In just half an hour, he would have basically told me the entire play, with fresh ideas pouring out of his head. August was a genius. I mean, an absolute genius.”
Jones also has previous experience with Wilson’s work and is delighted to be portraying the playwright.
“I believe that August Wilson was the greatest writer in American theater,” Jones said. “It’s really an honor to do his work, explore the characters, and live in the world he’s created. It’s a wonderful and incredible artistic experience.”
“How I Learned What I Learned” is scheduled to preview today through Friday, open Saturday and run through Feb. 3 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.
For times, tickets and more information, visit theatreworks.org.
