Gem of the Ocean
is a play by American playwright August Wilson. It is the first installment of his decade-by-decade, ten-play chronicle, The Pittsburgh Cycle
, dramatizing the African-American experience in the twentieth century.
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GEM OF THE OCEAN TICKETS
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Plot
The play is set in 1904 at 1839 Wylie Avenue in
Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania's
Hill District. Aunt Ester, the drama's 285-year-old fiery matriarch, welcomes into her home Solly Two Kings, who was born into slavery and scouted for the
Union Army, and Citizen Barlow, a young man from
Alabama searching for a new life. Citizen Barlow is in search of redemption. Aunt Ester is not too old to practice healing; she guides him on a soaring, lyrical journey of spiritual awakening to the City of Bones.
Characters
; Aunt Ester Tyler: a former slave and a "soul-cleanser", who is the head of 1839 Wylie Avenue. She claims to be 285 years old and acts as the benevolent, if disciplinarian, ruler of the household. She entertains the romantic ambitions of Solly. She is a recurring character in several of Wilson's plays of the Pittsburgh Cycle.
; Citizen Barlow: A young man from Alabama who comes to the house to be cleansed by Ester. He is enlisted to help construct a wall, and eventually journeys to
The City of Bones.
; Solly Two Kings: a friend of Aunt Ester. He is a former slave from Alabama who later became a conductor on the
underground railroad and a scout for the Union Army. He makes a career of gathering up dog excrement, which he calls "pure", for manure. He carries a large walking stick and is in love with Aunt Ester. His real name is Alfred Jackson, but he calls himself "Two Kings" (referring to
King David and
King Solomon), and is nicknamed Solly.
; "Black" Mary Wilkes: Ester's housekeeper and her protege in the art of Soul Cleansing. Caeser's sister. She performs most of the household tasks, but never to the satisfaction of Ester.
; Caesar Wilkes: Black Mary's brother, a policeman, baker and land-owner. He upholds the law at all costs. He practices strict capitalism and has no qualms with killing a man over a petty crime.
; Eli: Aunt Ester's caregiver, he protects the inhabitants and is constructing a wall. He was Solly's comrade in his efforts on the Underground Railroad and for The Union Army.
; Rutherford Selig: A white peddler and friend of Ester's who frequently visits the house. He sells pots, pans and other crockery.
Synopsis
1904, Pittsburgh: 1839 Wylie Street in the Hill District is the home of Aunt Ester, a 285-year-old former slave, who is a keeper of tradition and history for her people and a renowned cleanser of souls. The people who pass through her parlor and kitchen include Eli, Aunt Ester's protector; Black Mary, her housekeeper and protegé; Solly Two Kings, a former slave, conductor on the Underground Railroad and scout for the Union Army; Black Mary's brother, Caesar, a constable; Rutherford Selig, a white peddler; and Citizen Barlow, a new arrival from down South who needs Aunt Ester to help him absolve the guilt and shame from a crime he's committed.
An incident at the local mill has ignited the African-American community. A black man was accused of stealing a bucket of nails. Rather than confessing to a crime he didn't commit, he jumped into the river and drowned. This has made him a martyr to his co-workers who have gone on strike and are rioting. Caesar, the local law enforcement official, is in the middle of it. He's arrested many people and shot one.
Against this turbulent backdrop Aunt Ester launches Citizen on a spiritual journey aboard the legendary slave ship, Gem of the Ocean, to the mythical City of Bones. There, Citizen comes to understand the story of his ancestors and faces the truth about his crime and the man he wronged.
Meanwhile, somebody sets fire to the mill. Caesar comes to the house and accuses Solly of arson. Solly strikes Caesar and runs away. Aunt Ester and Rutherford Selig help Solly sneak out of the city, accompanied by Citizen Barlow. However, Caesar catches up to Solly and shoots him. When Caesar comes to Aunt Ester's to question Citizen about the incident, Black Mary renounces Caesar. Caesar leaves and Citizen takes up where Solly left off, guiding his people on their journey toward freedom.
Productions
In 2004 and 2005, the play ran at the
Walter Kerr Theatre on
Broadway and received five
Tony Award nominations. Ben Brantley of
The New York Times
wrote of the play: "A swelling battle hymn of transporting beauty. Theatergoers who have followed August Wilson's career will find in
Gem
a touchstone for everything else he has written".
Gem of the Ocean
is playing now at the
Seattle Repertory Theatre under the direction of
Phylicia Rashad, who originated the role of Aunt Ester on Broadway, as well as The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, in Ashland, Oregon.
"Gem of the Ocean" will begin playing at the
Sacramento Theatre Company in
Sacramento, California on January 21st, 2009.
"Gem of the Ocean" will begin playing at the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati in
Cincinnati, Ohio on February 4th, 2009.
"Gem of the Ocean" will begin playing at the new Amun Ra Theatre Playhouse in Nashville, Tennessee on February 5, 2009.
References