August Wilson's 'Seven Guitars' Returns to Broadway After 30 Years

Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who won a Tony for the original 1996 production, is now directing the Broadway revival of August Wilson's 'Seven Guitars.'

Ruben Santiago-Hudson is returning to August Wilson's 'Seven Guitars' — this time from the director's chair. The revival is set to open at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, where a press event was recently held to promote the production. Santiago-Hudson won an acting Tony Award for his role in the original 1996 Broadway run of the play. At the press event, Santiago-Hudson reflected on how his relationship to the production has shifted over three decades. 'Thirty years ago, I was the young man in the room,' he said, noting the passage of time since his first involvement with the Wilson work. 'Seven Guitars' is part of August Wilson's celebrated Pittsburgh Cycle, a series of ten plays each set in a different decade of the twentieth century and exploring the African American experience. Wilson is widely considered one of the most important American playwrights of the twentieth century, and his works continue to receive major revivals on Broadway. Santiago-Hudson has become a leading interpreter of Wilson's work over the years, having directed and performed in multiple productions of plays from the cycle. His return to 'Seven Guitars' as director marks a significant generational shift in his connection to the material.

Why it matters

August Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle remains a cornerstone of American theater, and major Broadway revivals draw wide attention to his legacy. Santiago-Hudson's dual role as former cast member and current director gives the production a notable through-line spanning three decades.

What's next

The revival of 'Seven Guitars' at the Vivian Beaumont Theater is described as imminent, with the press event signaling an opening is approaching.

Key facts

• The revival of 'Seven Guitars' is being staged at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in New York City
• Director Ruben Santiago-Hudson won a Tony Award for acting in the original 1996 Broadway production
• Santiago-Hudson noted it has been approximately 30 years since he was first involved with the production
• August Wilson's 'Seven Guitars' is part of his ten-play Pittsburgh Cycle
• A press event was recently held to promote the upcoming revival

Bias & framing notes

This report comes from a single source — a column by a Village Voice writer attending a press event — and contains only a fragment of the reporting, cutting off mid-quote. The coverage is framed through a personal, first-person column format rather than straight news, which limits its factual depth and independence. No corroborating sources are available to verify details or provide additional context.

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