Kate Santini ‘27
Chief News Editor
The Prior Performing Arts Center was delighted to host the New York-based Acting Company to perform their adaptation of August Wilson’s Two Trains Running this past Monday. American playwright August Wilson is renowned for his “Pittsburgh Cycle,” a series of ten plays that follows the evolution of Pittsburgh’s Hill District in each decade of the twentieth century. The “Pittsburgh Cycle” artfully portrayed the Black American experience. Wilson’s plays are especially known for their authentic characters and colloquial settings. Noteworthy works from the cycle include Fences, The Piano Lesson and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Over the course of his career, Wilson was awarded numerous accolades including two Pulitzer Prizes, a Tony award, and eight New York Drama Critics Circle Awards.
Two Trains Running takes place in 1960’s America and seeks to capture the cultural rupture spurred by the Civil Rights Movement. Artistic Director of The Acting Company, Kent Gash, describes the play’s characters as existing “on the precipice in America, struggling to stake their claim to a piece of the American Dream.” Two Trains Running reveals the impact the Black Power Movement and militant Civil Rights leaders such as Malcolm X had on mainstream society. Local diner owner, Memphis West, embodies the sentiment of the older generation, by delivering diatribes advocating for quiet self-reliance and self-respect among members of the black community. The young and energetic Sterling prefers attending organized protests and championing rallying cries such as “black is beautiful” to passive resistance.
The entirety of the play takes place in Memphis’ diner and follows the impromptu conversations of seven characters over a seven day period. Each character contributes a unique perspective to these conversations. The audience watches as Risa, a headstrong waitress who has sworn off men, falls in love with the reckless yet loving Sterling. Their love story offers solace amidst the backdrop of a transformative era. Death, a recurring theme throughout all of Wilson’s works, plays its own haunting role in the narrative. Wilson sheds light on how marginalized individuals routinely die without proper recognition. This tragedy is embodied in the story of Hambone, a character left mentally handicapped after years of physical trauma, who wanders aimlessly through town, demanding to be given his “ham.” By the play’s conclusion, Hambone becomes a martyr and serves as a source of inspiration for others to demand justice in the face of inequality.
Throughout the duration of the play, the audience is immersed within the atmosphere of the 1960’s. The play features iconic hits including “What a Difference a Day Makes” by Dinah Washington, “Respect” by Aretha Franklin, and “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke. While Two Trains Running tackles serious issues of the Civil Rights Era, its unique, colloquial writing sets forth a lighthearted and humorous tone.
Kyle Frisina, the Nancy Savage Skinner ‘79 Interim Director at the Prior Performing Arts Center, compares the political messaging of Two Trains Running to the College’s relationship with the wider Worcester community. Frishna stated in an introductory note to the play that, “as the Prior lives into its identity as an institution that is, as Holy Cross itself aspires to be, truly ‘in and of Worcester,’ Two Trains Running insists on the dignity of local history, local venues, and local stories.” Frishna explained that in partnership with the City of Worcester’s Cultural Division and the Worcester Cultural Coalition, the College’s “Scholarship in Action” funds and supports local artists seeking to spotlight marginalized stories. As we approach the third week of Black History Month, it is important to hold Black-American stories close to our hearts. The College prides itself on its commitment to promoting inclusivity and cultural diversity on campus. The College urges students to explore other cultures and identities by attending upcoming events commemorating Black History Month. Be sure to stay tuned to the Prior Performing Arts Center’s schedule for the Spring 2025 season which can be accessed via https://priorperformingartscenter.holycross.edu/events/category/prior-presents/.
Featured image courtesy of The Acting Company
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