By Hazel Scott/ASU
The Alabama State University Department of Theatre and Dance, in collaboration with the Wetumpka Depot Players, will present August Wilson’s powerful American drama, “Seven Guitars,” directed by Nicolas Johnson.
Performances are scheduled for October 15–17 and October 22–24, 2026, at 7 p.m., with matinee performances on October 18 and 25 at 2 p.m. All performances will take place at the Wetumpka Depot Players, 300 South Main Street, Wetumpka, Alabama.
Set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District in 1948, “Seven Guitars” begins and ends with the funeral of one of its central characters, unfolding through flashbacks that reveal the events and choices that led to the tragedy.
The play follows blues musician Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton as he returns home from a successful recording session with renewed ambition. Determined to rebuild his life, reclaim the love he left behind and pursue a future on his own terms, Floyd confronts the hopes, disappointments and unresolved tensions that have shaped his relationships.
The play offers a powerful portrait of a community navigating dreams, love, loss and the realities of Black life in postwar America. Through music, memory and deeply personal relationships, Wilson explores masculinity, ambition, artistry, friendship and the enduring weight of dreams deferred.
“Seven Guitars” is the 1940s installment of August Wilson’s acclaimed Pittsburgh Cycle, a decade-by-decade collection chronicling African-American life in Pittsburgh throughout the 20th century. Blending humor, music and heartbreak, Wilson examines what people are willing to risk in pursuit of the lives they imagine for themselves.
The production gives audiences an opportunity to experience the enduring work of one of America’s most celebrated playwrights while showcasing the artistic talents of Alabama State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance in collaboration with the Wetumpka Depot Players.
Tickets are $20 and are available at wetumpkadepot.com.