The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University continues its 2025-26 season with August Wilson's Seven Guitars.

Directed by Billicia Charnelle Hines, associate dean of strategic initiatives and co-artistic director of the Black Theatre and Dance Collective, performances run Oct. 31-Nov. 9 on the STAGE at the Hilberry Gateway.

Set in Pittsburgh's Hill District in 1948, Seven Guitars begins just after the funeral of blues musician Floyd "Schoolboy" Barton. As friends gather to remember him, their stories unfold in a world shaped by hardship, resilience, and the rhythms of the blues. The play is the fifth in Wilson's monumental American Century Cycle, chronicling the African American experience decade by decade.

Second-year MFA acting student Joey Taylor takes on the role of Hedley, an eccentric older man whose visions and frustrations reflect a lifetime of struggle.

"Hedley has to be the most complex character I have ever had the privilege to play," Taylor said. "At face value, Hedley may be seen as just a crazy older man. I hope to show how very complex he is and how the struggles he has faced in life have influenced who he is as a person at this point in his life."

To capture Hedley's voice, Taylor immersed himself in the blues and jazz traditions. "Seven Guitars as a whole is a blues song," he said. "The way the dialogue, monologues, and story flow is a nod to the blues."

Returning to Wayne State a decade after earning her BFA, alumna Bréon LaDawn plays Ruby - a strong-willed woman searching for independence and stability. For LaDawn, the role is both a challenge and a homecoming.

"This year marks a full decade since I graduated, and in many ways, it feels like a homecoming," she said. "It's a moment to remember where I first dissected the world around me, explored myself as both a person and an artist, and planted my roots in this craft. Stepping into this role after 'leaving the nest' and exploring the world feels truly kismet."

For LaDawn, Ruby's allure and survival instincts make her both magnetic and complicated.

"Giving her grace as a divine woman, embracing both her power and femininity while balancing the survival skills she's developed in life, makes her feel very relatable. We've all met someone like her," LaDawn said. "This opportunity to build and craft on the academic schedule adds more time to really color this character. It's showing me where I have grown as a person, as a woman and artist, as well as where I can carve and refine."

Don't miss the chance to experience August Wilson's Seven Guitars live on stage. With powerful performances from Wayne State students and alumni, this production brings the rhythm of the blues and the richness of Wilson's storytelling to Detroit audiences.

Tickets available now at onstage.wayne.edu.

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The College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts is home to today's aspiring artists, performers, technicians, scholars, dancers, debaters, entrepreneurs, and communication professionals who all represent the college's legacy of excellence in our respective fields.

The college serves students majoring in 17 undergraduate programs, 10 graduate programs, and three graduate certificates through its departments: the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History, and Design, the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance, and the departments of communication and music.

From debate to dance, jazz to journalism, and fashion design to center stage, our students create captivating performances, inspire artistic and academic excellence, and conduct innovative research on behalf of our Detroit community.