The State Of . . . Us: One Last Time

This past Friday at the Goodman Theater here in Chicago (Yes. Rich lives in Chicago) I saw an excellent performance of the last play in August Wilson’s 20th century cycle, “Radio Golf.” One last time, Wilson puts on display the flaws of and the choices faced by African-Americans in the last decade of the 20th century.

Harmond Wilks wants to redevelop the “blighted” area of the Hill District, building a high-rise apartment building with a ground floor filled with chain stores. He and a partner, Roosevelt Hicks, along with Harmond’s wife Mame, craft a plan to bring industry and economy back to the area, a bold step to revitalize the aging and decrepit neighborhood. Harmond’s development plan runs hand in hand with his plans to become Pittsburgh’s first black mayor. All three aim to grab a piece of the white American pie. But not everyone in the neighborhood sees redevelopment as the panacea it seems and as deeds, history, and family secrets are revealed to Harmond, things begin to fall apart, his center can not hold.

The State Of . . .Us. As with most of Wilson’s plays, the characters symbolize different segments of African-American society and even pieces of the set are given larger meaning. A poster of Tiger Woods next to a poster of Martin Luther King is a statement on African-American values. Wilson touches on the “nigger/negro” debate so masterfully that you will reexamine how you view yourself and those you once thought of as “nigger.” Other topics include female dependence/independence and gentrification. All of this is wrapped up in a story about how a man deals with his rich past while trying to reach new heights. Just like African-Americans now. How do we incorporate our rich and deep history into our future?