Dutton and Merkerson to Bring Wilson Show to New York?

The New York Post reports that Charles S. Dutton and S. Epatha Merkerson may be bringing their tribute to the late great playwright August Wilson to a New York theatre.

On Sunday, July 23rd, the two Tony Award-nominees traveled to Waterford, CT for the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center's tribute to Wilson; they performed scenes from a number of his plays.  The celebration also featured the introduction of the August Wilson Endowed Fellowship; the Fellowship will guarantee that each year's National Playwrights Conference includes at least one dramatist of color.

"I have rarely been at anything, whether in the commercial theatre or the non-profit theatre, where people weren't only anxious to see it in New York but were eager to put money in it. It's just a great piece of theatre and it is something that should be widely seen," stated Broadway producer and O'Neill Center board chairman Tom Viertel (Sweeney Todd, Hairspray).  Dutton, who is interested in performing the show in New York, stated that he plans to request rights from Wilson's widow and estate handler Constanza Romero.

Wilson, who died of liver cancer on October 2nd, 2005, is considered to have been one of the major modern playwrights.  His groundbreaking 10-play chronicle of the African-American experience in the 20th century encompassed Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fences, Two Trains Running, Jitney, King Hedley II and Radio Golf.  Six were developed at the National Playwrights Conference.

Dutton received Tony Award nominations for his work in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and in The Piano Lesson. The actor was seen on the TV series "Roc" and "Equal Justice," and his many film credits include Secret Window, Against the Ropes, Gothika, Cookie's Fortune, A Time to Kill, Alien 3 and No Mercy. He also had a recurring role on Showtime's "The L Word" last season.

Merkerson, who has been seen on "Law and Order" for the past 13 years, received a Tony nomination for her performance in Wilson's The Piano Lesson.  She has also appeared on Broadway in Tintypes, and Off-Broadway in Birdie Blue, F***ing A, Three Ways Home, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, The Harvesting and more.  She is an Emmy Award-winner for her performance in the HBO adaptation of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's Lackawanna Blues.

Visit www.oneilltheatrecenter.org for more information on the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center.