August Wilson’s most contemporary play, RADIO GOLF is the tenth and final work in two-time Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Wilson’s historic decade-by-decade portrait of 20^th Century African-American. The play was directed by Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun, Gem of the Ocean) and starred Harry Lennix (Stomp the Yard, Fox’s “24,” NBC’s “Commander in Chief”) and Tony Award winner and Olivier Award nominee Tonya Pinkins (Jelly’s Last Jam; Caroline, or Change). Also joining the cast was Anthony Chisholm, John Earl Jelks and James A. Williams, who had been with RADIO GOLFsince the play’s world premiere in 2005.

Set in 1997 in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, RADIO GOLF could be ripped from today’s headlines, as Harmond Wilks (Lennix), a charming and powerful African-American politician, is running for the highest office of his career, with the loving support of his savvy wife, Mame (Pinkins). As Harmond steps into political prominence, the past is just a few steps behind him … and gaining fast. 

RADIO GOLF featured scenic design by Tony Award winner David Gallo, costume design by Tony Award winner Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Tony Award winner Donald Holder and sound design by Dan Moses Schreier. 

RADIO GOLF was produced by Jujamcyn Theaters, Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Margo Lion, Tamara Tunie, The Bunting Management Group, Lauren Doll, Fran Kirmser and Gordon Davidson.

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Category: Play, Drama, original, Broadway
Setting: Summer. The Hill District, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1997. The office of Bedford Hills Redevelopment, Inc., in a storefront on Centre Avenue.
1^st Preview Performance: April 20, 2007
Opening Night Performance: May 8, 2007
Final Performance: July 1, 2007
Total # of Performances: 64

Standbys: Rosalyn Coleman (Mame Wilks), Billy Eugene Jones (Harmond Wilks, Roosevelt Hicks), Cedric Young (Elder Joseph Barlow, Sterling Johnson).

Theatre Owned / Operated by The Shubert Organization (Gerald Schoenfeld: Chairman; Philip J. Smith: President; Robert E. Wankel: Executive Vice President)

Produced by Jujamcyn Theaters (Rocco Landesman: President; Paul Libin: Producing Director; Jack Viertel: Creative Director; Jordan Roth: Vice President), Margo Lion, Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Tamara Tunie, Wendell Pierce, Fran Kirmser, The Bunting Management Group, Georgia Frontiere, Open Pictures, Lauren Doll, Steven Greil, The AW Group, Wonder City, Inc. and Townsend Teague; Produced in association with Jack Viertel and Gordon Davidson

First produced in New Haven, CT in April 2005 by Yale Repertory Theatre (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director)

Written by August Wilson; Music composed & arranged by Dan Moses Schreier

Directed by Kenny Leon; Assistant Director: Derrick Sanders

Scenic Design by David Gallo; Costume Design by Susan Hilferty; Lighting Design by Donald Holder; Associate Scenic Design: Charlie Smith; Associate Costume Design: Maiko Matsushima; Associate Lighting Design: Hilary Manners; Associate Sound Design: David Bullard

General Manager: 101 Productions, Ltd.; Company Manager: Chris Morey; Executive Producer: Nicole Kastrinos

Production Manager: Aurora Productions; Production Stage Manager: Narda Alcorn; Stage Manager: Marion Friedman

Press Representative: Barlow-Hartman Public Relations; Dramaturg: Todd Kreidler; Casting: Stanczyk/Cherpakov Casting; Marketing: TMG - The Marketing Group; Advertising: SPOTCo, Inc.; Original casting by Harriet Bass; Photographer: Carol Rosegg; Vocal Coach: Erin Annarella

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“IT REALLY IS THAT GOOD! IAN MCSHANE is dazzling in Harold Pinter’s masterpiece. The fine cast also includes benchmark performances by the remarkable RAUL ESPARZA and EVE BEST, who is an absolute knockout. MICHAEL MCKEAN gives a beautifully calibrated, heartbreaking performance as the proper, dutiful Sam. And the relatively unknown GARETH SAXE and JAMES FRAIN are subperd as the dopey, brawny Joey and the disdainful, luxorious Teddy.”– Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“A CONTEMPORARY CLASSIC THAT PACKS A WALLOP! The marvelous Ian McShane not only exudes a compelling physical bravado, but handles Pinter’s razor-sharp dialogue with the dexterity of a skilled surgeon.”– Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press

“SCATHING AND EROTIC! This slippery demon of a power play feels ta least as brash and twice as unsettling as any fresh vivisection of what our pious times call family values.”– Linda Winer, Newsday

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HARRY LENNIX (Harmond Wilks) can currently be seen on both the big and small screen in Sony Picture’s 2007 box-office-smash Stomp the Yard and as Walid Al-Rezani in the critically acclaimed Fox series ‘24.’ Other film work includes Taylor Hackford’s Ray, opposite Jamie Foxx and Julie Taymor’s Titus, opposite Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange. On television, Lennix made his mark in the lead role portrayal of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. in Showtime’s “Keep The Faith Baby” for which he won a Black Reel Award and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Other television work includes “ER,” “House,” and “The Practice.” On stage, Lennix just completed performing the title role in Macbeth at the Lillian Theater of Los Angeles. Lennix played the title role in the Goodman Theater production of Malcolm X, for which he was the first distinguished recipient of an Ollie Award. Lennix received a Joseph Jefferson Citations for his work in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Lennix received a second Joseph Jefferson Citations for his work in the Chicago production of Caught in the A ct. No stranger to August Wilson’s work, he originated the role of King Hedley in the Mark Taper Forum’s production of King Hedley II. In 2001, he was part of the first American company to be invited to the Royal Shakespeare Company in the production of Cymbeline.   Lennix holds a B.S. from the acting program at Northwestern University. 

TONYA PINKINS (Mame) received the Obie, Audelco, Lortel, Garland, LA Drama Critics Awards as well as Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and NAACP nominations for her performance of Caroline in Caroline, or Change on and off Broadway, in Los Angeles and London. Other theatre credits include Jelly’s Last Jam  (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Clarence Derwent Awards), The original Merrily We Roll Along, Chronicle Of A Death Foretold, The Wild Party and Play On (Tony nomination). On television, she has portrayed Livia Frye Cudahy on ABC’s  “All My Children” for seventeen years. Other television credits include “Law and Order,” “Criminal Minds,” “Cold Case” and “Unfabulous.”  She has given sold out concerts at the Rose Room of Jazz at Lincoln Center, as well as Joe’s Pub from which she has produced two albums: Live at Joe’s Pub and Live at Joe’s Pub Too. She is the author of the highly successful book Get Over Yourself: How To Drop the Drama and Claim the Life You Deserve, published byHyperion books. Tonya is the founder of the Actorpreneur Attitude and has taught workshops at A.C.T., Old Globe in London, UC San Diego, TVI Studios Los Angeles as well as privately. In 2004, O Magazine named her “one of the ten women in America who will take your breath away.” She will appear in Disney’s upcoming film, Enchanted,opposite Patrick Dempsey.

Anthony Chisholm (Elder Joseph Barlow), John Earl Jelks (Sterling Johnson) and James A . Williams (Roosevelt Hicks) have a long history with the August Wilson canon. Each created his role in the world premiere production of RADIO GOLF at Yale Repertory Theatre in April 2005 and has appeared in all seven of the play’s resident theatre productions across the country. Anthony Chisholm appeared on Broadway in Wilson’s Two Train’s Running and as Solly Two Kings in his Gem of the Ocean alongside John Earl Jelks who made his Broadway debut as Citizen Barlow in that production. James A. Williams is making his Broadway debut in RADIO GOLF.

AUGUST WILSON (Playwright)is the author of Jitney, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, The Piano Lesson, Two Trains Running, Seven Guitars, King Hedley II, Gem of the Ocean and Radio Golf. These works explore the heritage and experience of African-Americans, decade-by-decade, over the course of the twentieth century. Mr. Wilson made his professional stage debut in his 2003 one-man show, How I Learned What I Learned. Awards include Pulitzer Prizes for Fences (1987) and The Piano Lesson (1990); a Tony Award for Fences; Britain's Olivier Award for Jitney; seven NY Drama Critics Circle Awards, and an Emmy nomination for The Piano Lesson screenplay. Mr. Wilson has received Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships, Whiting Writers Award, 2003 Heinz Award, was awarded a National Humanities Medal by the President of the United States, numerous honorary degrees, and the only high school diploma ever issued by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Alumnus of New Dramatists, member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in 1995 American Academy of Arts and Letters inductee. Wilson passed away on October 2, 2005. Two weeks later, in October 16, 2005, Broadway’s Virginia Theatre was renamed the August Wilson Theatre, marking the first time a Broadway theatre has been named in honor of an African-American. He is survived by his two daughters, Sakina Ansari and Azula Carmen Wilson, and his wife, costume designer, Constanza Romero. 

KENNY LEON (Director). Broadway credits include August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean (five Tony nominations) and the Tony Award-winning revival of A Raisin in the Sun, both featuring Phylicia Rashad; for the latter, he earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Director of a Play. Other directing credits include the Off-Broadway hit Emergence-See featuring Daniel Beaty, Blues for an Alabama Sky, and From the Mississippi Delta (Huntington Theatre). Leon is cofounder and artistic director of True Colors Theatre Company, dedicated to diversity and the preservation of African-American classics; prior to that, he was artistic director of the Alliance Theatre for more than a decade, where he produced ten world premieres, including Elton John’s Aida and Debbie Allen’s Soul Possessed. Other recent directing credits include the world premiere of Toni Morrison’s opera Margaret Garner as well as the film adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, featuring Phylicia Rashad and Sean Combs, soon to be released on network television in collaboration with Sony and ABC. He also looks forward to his upcoming collaboration with the Kennedy Center to pay homage to the great playwright August Wilson; the project will showcase all 10 of Wilson’s plays in one concentrated package under Leon’s artistic leadership. Leon has directed extensively at regional theatres throughout the country, including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, San Jose Rep, Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, Boston’s Huntington Theatre, Hartford Stage, Baltimore’s Center Stage, New York’s Public Theatre, Los Angeles’ Center Theatre Group, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Dallas Theatre Center, GA Shakespeare Festival, Arena Stage, and the Theatre of the Stars. One of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” in 2004, he received the MIT Eugene McDermott Award in addition to Martell Cognac’s “Rise Above Award,” honoring his artistry and entrepreneurial spirit, and is currently the face of Martell. Leon is a graduate and honorary Ph.D of Clark Atlanta University and was chosen as one of the “Top 20 Southerners to Watch” by London’s Financial Times.         

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