Actors Talk August Presented by August Wilson House: Brandon Dirden

This is a virtual-only program via City of Asylum @ Home. 

August Wilson House celebrates America’s greatest playwright with substantial insider interviews with leading August Wilson actors, directors, and artists—regional and national. Hosted and moderated by Chris Rawson, a veteran Pittsburgh Post-Gazette theater critic who chronicled Wilson’s career and became a friend. The goal is to capture the memories, anecdotes, and insights of those who know Wilson’s epic American Century Cycle from the inside. 

About the Actor: 

Brandon Dirden has an almost-complete August Wilson ten-play cycle, having been in six and directed three, from regional theater to Broadway. Brandon met August when he was young and had a supportive relationship with him for many years. For this program, Brandon insightfully digs into Levee (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Boy Willie (The Piano Lesson), Booster (Jitney), and other characters he’s played.

Previous Editions of the Actors Talk August Series:

1) Oct. 19, 2020: Eugene Lee and Wali Jamal

2) Nov. 2, 2020: Montae Russell

3) Nov. 16, 2020: Mark Clayton Southers

4) Dec. 7, 2020: Ruben Santiago-Hudson

5) Jan. 4, 2021: Eileen J Morris

6) Jan. 18, 2021: Stephen McKinley Henderson

7) Feb. 1, 2021: Phylicia Rashad

8) Feb. 15, 2021: Todd Kreidler

9) Mar. 1, 2021: Leland Gantt

10) Mar. 15, 2021: Derrick Sanders

11) Apr. 5, 2021: Yvette Ganier

12) Apr. 19, 2021: James Williams

13) May 3, 2021: David Gallo

14) May 17, 2021: Kenny Leon

15) June 7, 2021: Russell Andrews

16) Sept. 13, 2021: Jack Viertel

17) Oct. 4. 2021: Narda E. Alçcorn 

18) Oct. 18, 2021: Kim Sullivan

19) Nov. 4, 2021: Ron Himes

20) Nov. 15, 2021: Timothy Douglas

21) Dec. 6, 2021: Todd Kreidler (2)

22) Jan. 10 2022: Sala Udin

23) Jan. 24, 2022: George C. White

24) Feb. 7, 2022: Mark Clayton Southers (2)

25) Feb. 21, 2022: Jerome Preston Bates

26) Mar. 7, 2022: Ekundayo Bandele

27) Mar. 21, 2022: Chuck Smith 

28) Apr. 4, 2022: Ron OJ Parson

29) Apr. 18, 2022: Kim Staunton

30) May 2, 2022: Charles Dumas

31) June 20, 2022: Brenden Peifer and Melessie Clark

32) Aug. 22, 2022: Jonathan Berry and Chuck Timbers

33) Oct. 3, 2022: Russell Hornsby

34) Nov. 7, 2022: Rico Parker

35) Nov. 21, 2022: Ben Cain

August Wilson House (AWH) is Wilson’s Hill District childhood home at 1727 Bedford Ave. Restored as an arts center, it promotes his artistic and cultural legacy while nurturing the artists of the future. AWH sponsors a wide range of programs including the annual Hill District Block Party/Community Festival, backyard productions in collaboration with Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater, Writing Workshops starting in late 2022, AWH Fellowships in collaboration with Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh, August in the Schools, several oral history projects, monthly Reading Roundtables, and other programs centering on community engagement.