Penumbra Postpones Wilson’s Radio Gulf

St. Paul’s Penumbra Theatre announced this week that it will postpone its production of August Wilson’s Radio Gulf to next Fall. Penumbra had committed to produce all 10 of Wilson’s Twentieth Century Cycle plays over a 5 year period. With the announcement, Penumbra will continue with plans to produce each of the plays but will only take on one per season for the next few years. Radio Golf, the last play written in the cycle, is the only Wilson play that the company has not yet performed during its more than 30 years of productions. It will be the third play, following Gem of the Ocean and Fences, in this new commitment to produce all of the plays in the cycle.

As an unfortunate sign of the time, Penumbra announced that it will cut nearly 25% from its 2009 budget. It will try and maintain its financial footing for the long term while continuing its commitments to the community and the “unrestrained voice of black playwrights and artists.” In its 32nd season, Penumbra has been an important voice of the African American experience and an important part of the Twin Cities Theater community.

A quick look at what is happening at Penumbra Theatre in February and March demonstrates that Penumbra is still a very busy company.

February and March Penumbra Calendar

The Whipping Man
by Matthew Lopez; directed by Lou Bellamy
February 15 - March 8
Penumbra Theatre

A Raisin in the Sun
By Lorraine Hansberry; Directed by Lou Bellamy
March 13 - April 11
Presented by the Guthrie Theater on the McGuire Proscenium Stage

Art exhibit:

Honoring the African American Experience: Penumbra Theatre Stages August Wilson’s 20th Century Cycle
February 2 - 25, 2009
Hennepin County Government Center
300 South Sixth Street, A Level
Minneapolis, MN

Visit the Penumbra for schedules and tickets: PenumbraTheatre.org

Tickets for A Raisin in the Sun are available through the Guthrie Box Office: www.guthrietheater.org/