Dr. Sandra G. Shannon, Leading authority on playwright August Wilson, presents a lecture inspired by our current production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom exploring the role of Blues women, like Ma Rainey, as conveyors and preservers of Black culture.

Delve into topics such as:

• Relationship between the Blues and Black feminism
• History of the Blues as a response to slavery and Black oppression
• The cultural impact of both Wilson’s words and these topics have on issues today

As the evening closes, you will have the opportunity to engage in a dialogue about August Wilson, theatrical storytelling, and the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. The panel will include Dr. Sandra G. Shannon, Candice Handy (Director of Education of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company), and Crystian Wiltshire (Associate Artistic Director of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company).

Dr. Sandra G. Shannon is Professor Emerita of African American Literature in the Department of English at Howard University. Widely acknowledged as the leading authority on playwright August Wilson, keynotes of her expertise include:

• Founder and current President of the August Wilson Society
• Scholar-in-Residence, August Wilson African American Cultural Center
• PI, Black Seed Grant: Centering and Celebrating Wilsonian Warriors
• Fellow and Dean Elect, College of Fellows of the American Theatre

Explore her bio more online here.

We hope you left inspired to join us in our mission to bring Shakespeare and the Classics to life FOR ALL.

While we benefit from ticket sales, the majority of our operating budget comes from the thoughtful philanthropy of patrons like you. Please consider donating to support our cause.

DEIA Fund

Want to see more programs like this? Consider making a gift to our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Fund. Your support helps us become Cincinnati's Shakespeare Company, fostering a community of theater makers, patrons, supporters, and stakeholders representing Cincinnati, united in their desire for artistic excellence and unabashedly welcoming to all who wish to be a part of it. 

Riah Milton Scholarship Fund

Passionate about uplifting Black voices? Consider making a gift to the Riah Milton Scholarship fund. This Scholarship honors and celebrates the life of Riah Milton— a Black trans woman— killed in Cincinnati in June of 2020. It prioritizes students demonstrating financial need whose identities have been historically marginalized, with a particular focus on Black, transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming individuals.