King Hedley II is the ninth play in August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle, a ten-play series chronicling African American life across each decade of the 20th century. Set in 1985 in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, the play follows King Hedley II, an ex-convict trying to rebuild his life after a seven-year prison sentence. The play explores themes of redemption, economic hardship, generational trauma, and the elusive nature of the American Dream for Black Americans. 

Lower Bottom Playaz, is Oakland’s oldest Black theater troupe, founded and led by Ayodele “Wordslanger” Nzinga, MFA, PhD. Known for their transformative and site-specific productions, they are the only company in the world to chronologically stage all ten plays in August Wilson’s American Century Cycle. Their work blends classic and contemporary Black narratives, including original pieces like Mama at Twilight: Love by Death and urban adaptations like Shakespeare in the Yard. 26 years ago they did theater on a stage in a yard in West Oakland.  They are now based at BAM House, a Black cultural center at 1540 Broadway in downtown Oakland, within the Black Arts Movement Business District.