August Wilson's "Gem of the Ocean" from A.C.T. February 28, 2006

What does freedom feel like? A Tony Award nominee for best play in 2005, August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean delves into the magical awakening of Citizen, a man seeking a new life at the bustling home of 287-year-old Aunt Ester. Ester, the fiery and spiritual matriarch of a tight-knit group of local characters, sets Citizen off on a journey that gives testament to the incredible complexity of what it really means to be free.

Ruben Santiago-Hudson, whose 2002 hit Lackawanna Blues was recently adapted by HBO Films, directs this new A.C.T. production. No stranger to Wilson's oeuvre, Santiago-Hudson originated the role of Caesar in Broadway's Gem of the Ocean and received the 1996 Tony Award for his performance in Wilson's Seven Guitars.

About Geary Theater:

The Geary Theater, built in 1909, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a San Francisco City Landmark. The theater's neo-classical brick and terra cotta facade on Geary Street opens to a monumental 1,500 seat auditorium trimmed with ornamental stenciling and gilded plaster.

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