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Spoken word and poetry contest winners mark Wilson’s birthday
The August Wilson Center for African American Culture announced the winners of its 2008 August Wilson Poetry & Spoken Word Contest. The contest was part of a weekend-long celebration marking what would have been playwright August Wilson’s 63rd birthday on April 27, 2008.
High school students from five counties in southwestern Pennsylvania (Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland) were invited to create poems and spoken word pieces inspired by Wilson’s life and work.
Each of the winners will receive a $1,000 prize. The winners are:
Allegheny County
Rhonda M. Dinkins, 17, of Pittsburgh, Senior, Schenley High School
Beaver County
Maggie Dietrich, 16, of Freedom, Junior, Freedom Area High School
Butler County
Dillon Schwertz, 16, of Renfrew (Winner of 2007 August Wilson Essay Contest), Sophomore, Knoch High School
Washington County
Brooke Minae Beck, 16, of Canonsburg, Junior, Canon-McMillan Senior High School
Westmoreland County
Jessica Orlowski, 18, of New Kensington, Senior, St. Joseph High School
| WORDSMITH APPRENTICES—Board member Karen Farmer White introduces the winners of the 2008 August Wilson Poetry & Spoken Word Contest during festivities sponsored by the August Wilson Center For African American Culture. From left: Rhonda M. Dinkins, Maggie Dietrich, Dillon Schwertz, Brooke Minae Beck and Jessica Orlowski.
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At the second annual August Wilson Birthday Celebration, “An Evening with Alfre Woodard,” held at the Byham Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh April 26, the winners read their poems on stage, in front of four-time Emmy Award-winner Alfre Woodard.
“August Wilson’s plays as well as his life have motivated many people to succeed over what are seemingly insurmountable odds,” said Neil Barclay, the center’s president and CEO. “Our judges found that these young awardees had an incredible understanding of August Wilson’s life, and inspired all of us with their own words.”
Before he became an award-winning playwright, Wilson (1945-2005) was first a poet. In 1965, he purchased his first typewriter for $20 and began to write poetry. In the late 1960s, he became part of a group of poets, educators and artists who formed the Centre Avenue Poets Theater Workshop in Pittsburgh.
Raised in Pittsburgh and self-taught, Wilson became a prolific playwright best known for his “10-Play Cycle,” all but one set in his native Hill District.
He won Pulitzer Prizes for “Fences” in 1987 and “The Piano Lesson” in 1990. “Fences” also won a Tony Award.
The poems went through a blind judging process, and were judged on four criteria: style, grammar, creativity and content.
To be selected as a winning entry, the poems had to demonstrate an outstanding understanding of Wilson’s life and/or work, and a high level of creative expression. Entries were judged by staff of the August Wilson Center, community volunteers, members of the poetry community, and relatives and former colleagues of Wilson.
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