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Gus Edwards (Playwright)

Gus Edwards an African American playwright who has made a reputation in the American and African theatre with works that addresses the lives and conflicts of disenfranchised characters living outside the mainstream of their social environment. The production of his first two plays The Offering (1977) and Black Body Blues (1978) signaled a change in black theatre writing and he is credited with leading the charge away from the so-called “get whitey” plays that were so popular at the time, toward investigations of the black psyche that were more objective and nuanced.

In describing his works critics have evoked names like Beckett, Ibsen, O’Neil, Pinter and even surrealist filmmaker Luis Bunuel. But Edwards cites British author W. Somerset Maugham as his primary influence and his collaborations and friendship with Douglas Turner Ward as his most important artistic connection.

Biography

Augustus “Gus” Edwards was born in St. Johns, Antigua; then part of the British Virgin Islands, on March 8, 1939. At age six his parents Charles and Muriel Edwards moved him to St. Thomas, American Virgin Islands where he grew up and was educated at the Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School. In 1959 he moved to New York City where he studied acting at HB Studios under the tutelage of William Hickey (Prizzi’s Honor) and later filmmaking at the New York Institute of Photography with Jim Pasternak. During the1960s and 70s he was quite active as an actor with the off-off Broadway theatre movement, appearing in such places as The Judson Poet’s Theatre and Café La Mama. All the while he was writing short plays that were being performed in various basement and storefront theatres.

His professional breakthrough came in 1977 when Douglas Turner Ward, artistic director and guiding light of the famed Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) selected two of his plays for production in the same season. About this Ward said: “In Gus Edwards, The NEC is introducing a unique talent, a playwright of great originality. Edwards’ territory is the outer boundaries of the black experience. He portrays people isolated from the mainstream African American life, functioning on the borderline of existence, yet depicts them with such compelling intensity and ferocious eloquence until they command our primary attention.”

Since that time the NEC has produced more plays by Gus Edwards than any other author on their roster.

In 1984 he was selected as the Playwright-in-Residence at Arizona State University. Later he became a tenured professor there teaching Ethnic Theatre and Film Theory courses. He continues writing plays that are regularly produced in theatres (mostly African American theatres) around the country. He has also authored or co-edited several books about African American Theatre and has written for television as well. Mr. Edwards is now retired from ASU and holds the title of Professor Emeritus. His latest play Two Old Black Guys Just Sitting around Talking was premiered in May 2010 at the Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul, Minneapolis.

Notable Works

Plays 2010 – Two Old Black Guys Just Sitting Around Talking 2002 – A Fool Such As I 2002 - Caribbean Babylon 1999 - Black Woman’s Blues 1994 - Confessional 1991 - Louie and Ophelia 1990 - Lifetimes on the Streets 1979 - Old Phantoms 1978 - Black Body Blues 1977 - The Offering

Television

Go Tell It on the Mountain (co-writer) The NEC: A Theatre of Excellence (PBS-American Masters) co- writer

Publications

2010 - The Offering and other plays 2006 – Black Heroes in Monologues 2004 – Advice to a Young Black Actor 2002 – Black Theatre: Ritual Performance in the African Diaspora (co-editor) 2002 – 50 African American Audition Monologues 2002 – More Monologues on Black Life 1997 – Monologues on Black Life 1995 – Classic Plays from the NEC- an anthology. (co-editor) Also short plays in: Best American Short Plays 1995-1997- H.Stein & G. Young, editors Lucky 13 – R. Shuttleworth editor – 1995 Center Stage – E.J.Ostrow, editor-1981