On Friday, January 30, the Chattanooga Theatre Centre opens the new year continuing its commitment to presenting August Wilson’s American Century Cycle, a ten-play series chronicling African American life across each decade of the 20th century, with the powerful and emotionally charged drama King Hedley II.
This 2001 Tony Award nominee for Best Play will headline CTC’s Circle Theatre for nine performances, running January 30 through February 15.
For performance dates and ticketing information, visit TheatreCentre.com/102ndSeason.
Set in 1980s Pittsburgh, King Hedley II follows a man fighting for survival and identity in a world shaped by violence and broken promises. Scraping for a better life, King risks everything to fund a dream while confronting family, history, and the cost of revenge.
This searing chapter of August Wilson’s American Century Cycle revisits characters from Seven Guitars and asks how the past continues to shape the present.
Guest director Etienne Easley leads the production. Easley previously shared directorial duties on the multi-vignette production Love/Sick during CTC’s 2024–2025 season as part of the Guest Director Mentorship Program. King Hedley II marks her official debut as the sole director of a full-length play.
Easley brings a deep familiarity with August Wilson’s work to the director’s chair, having previously appeared on the CTC stage in other productions from the American Century Cycle, including Fences, Gem of the Ocean, and Seven Guitars. Her transition from performer to director highlights her ongoing artistic commitment to bringing Wilson’s powerful narratives to life at CTC.
Sponsors for August Wilson’s King Hedley II include TVFCU, ArtsBuild, Tennessee Arts Commission, First Horizon, EPB, BNI–Southeast Tennessee, Food City, Come Clean Entertainment, Performing Arts League, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For more information about Chattanooga Theatre Centre, visit TheatreCentre.com.