The next installment in American Stage’s "August Wilson Cycle" – a series of plays by Wilson that chronicle the lives of African-American families living in Pittsburgh’s Hill District – is King Hedley II. The tragic drama is set in the 1980s and focuses on King Hedley, a recently released ex-con who desperately wants to put his violent past behind him so he can build a better life for himself, his wife and his mother. His immediate goal? To raise $10,000 hawking hot refrigerators so he can afford to make a down payment on a video store. A life of crime isn’t the best way to start a legitimate business and that’s not Hedley’s only problem – his wife’s pregnant and can’t seem to justify keeping the child when her husband might land back in jail at any time, and his mom is hiding a terrible secret, one that could destroy Hedley’s already shaky sense of self-worth for good. American Stage's production stars Brandii Edwards, Postell Pringle, Sharon E. Scott Kim Sullivan, Bechir Sylvain and Alan Bomar Jones; Bob Devin Jones directs. Previews Jan. 21-22, with the play to run Jan. 23-Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 3 and 8 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., American Stage, 211 Third St. S., St. Petersburg, $24 previews/$34 opening night/$31-$39 all other times ($10 student rush tickets available 30 minutes before curtain), 727-823-PLAY.
This article appears in Jan 7-13, 2009.