August Wilson House celebrates America’s greatest playwright with substantial insider interviews, with leading August Wilson actors, directors and artists, national and regional. Hosted and moderated  by Chris Rawson, 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.

Rico Parker has strong spiritual ties to the work of August Wilson. He has acted in only three of the plays, but in “King Hedley II,” he played one of the most difficult, complex lead roles in unusually difficult circumstances. Hear his thoughtful responses to the personal connections that make such work possible.

Each previous edition can be viewed via the links below:

1) Oct. 19 ATA Featuring Eugene Lee and Wali Jamal

3) Nov. 16 ATA Featuring Mark Clayton Southers

4) Dec. 7 ATA Featuring Ruben Santiago-Hudson

6) Jan 18 ATA Featuring Stephen McKinley Henderson

12) April 19 ATA featuring James Williams

17) Oct 4 ATA Featuring Narda E. Alçcorn 

21) Dec 06 ATA Featuring Todd Kreidler(2)

24) Feb 7 ATA Featuring Mark Clayton Southers(2)

25)Feb 21 ATA Featuring Jerome Preston Bates

31) June 20 ATA Featuring Brenden Peifer and Melessie Clark

32) August 22 Featuring Jonathan Berry and Chuck Timbers

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.

Actors Talk August Presented by August Wilson House: Rico Parker