Show: SEVEN GUITARS
Theater: Dunbar Repertory Company
Theater Website: https://middletownarts.org/seven-guitars/
Show runs: 05/23/2026 to 05/31/2026
Through present-day scenes and flashbacks, the play reveals Floyd’s relationships—particularly with Vera, his partner, and Hedley, a mystic grappling with illness. The characters engage in deeply human conversations that reflect their realities, exploring themes of community, aspiration, and the impact of systemic oppression.
Dunbar Repertory Company’s production features James Saunders (Canewell), Mike Vails (Red Carter), Dana P. Hawkins (Vera Dotson), Chantal Lentz (Vera Dotson/Understudy), Vivette Alston (Louise), Arthur Gregory Pugh (Hedley), Kirk Lambert (Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton), and Brandi McLeain (Ruby).
Performances will run from May 23–31 at the Middletown Arts Center which is located at 36 Church Street in Middletown, NJ. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at the Middletown Arts website, or by contacting the MAC Box Office at 732-706-4100.
Dunbar Repertory Company Presents
Seven Guitars
Written by August Wilson
Directed by Mark Antonio Henderson
Set in 1940s Pittsburgh, Seven Guitars follows a blues musician chasing redemption and a second chance as love, ambition, and fate collide in August Wilson’s powerful portrait of dreams deferred.
SHOW DATES AND TIMES:
Sat, May 23 at 3 + 8 pm
Sun, May 24 at 4 pm
Sat, May 30 at 3 + 8 pm
Sun, May 31 at 4 pm
TICKETS AND SPECIAL DISCOUNTS
General Admission: $22
*Opening / Closing Special (Sat, May 23 at 3 pm + Sun, May 31 at 4 pm): $17
Group Special (10 or more): $17
Call box office at 732.706.4100 to arrange group discounts.
CAST
Canewell – James Saunders
Red Carter – Mike Vails
Vera Dotson – Dana P. Hawkins
Vera Dotson/Understudy – Chantal Lentz
Louise – Vivette Alston
Hedley – Arthur Gregory Pugh
Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton – Kirk Lambert
Ruby – Brandi McLeain
Production Stage Manager: Stephanie Schoppe
Assistant Stage Manager: Andrea Jimenez
ABOUT SEVEN GUITARS
Seven Guitars is a play by August Wilson set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District in 1948, centered around the life and struggles of the African American community. The narrative begins shortly after the funeral of Floyd Barton, a musician who dreams of success but faces numerous challenges that ultimately lead to his tragic fate. Through a mix of present-day scenes and flashbacks, the play reveals Floyd’s relationships, particularly with Vera, his partner, and Hedley, a mystic grappling with illness. The characters engage in meaningful conversations that reflect their realities, touching on themes of community, aspiration, and the impact of systemic oppression.
Seven Guitars is a part of Wilson’s ten-play cycle that captures the African American experience throughout the twentieth century. The work resonates themes of identity, loss and the complexities of dreams, making it a significant piece in American theater.
AUGUST WILSON (1945–2005) was a Pulitzer Prize–winning American playwright known for his powerful portrayals of Black life in the 20th century. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he drew deeply from the experiences of the Hill District, where he grew up.
Wilson is best known for his “Pittsburgh Cycle” (or American Century Cycle), a series of ten plays—each set in a different decade—that explore the African American experience, including works like Fences and The Piano Lesson. His writing blends rich, poetic language with themes of identity, race, history, and resilience.
Over his career, Wilson received numerous honors, including two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama, and is widely regarded as one of the most important American playwrights of the 20th century.
ABOUT THE DUNBAR REPERTORY COMPANY
Known to residents of Central New Jersey as “Monmouth County’s African American Theater Company”, Dunbar Repertory Company is committed to its mission of perpetuating an appreciation of cultural diversity and celebrating African American culture through LIVE literary readings, main stage theatrical productions, education programs and services.
NOTE: Tickets are General Admission. Seating is first-come, first-served. If you require accessible seating, please call the Box Office at 732.706.4100 and we will happily accommodate you and reserve your seat!
SHOW DATES AND TIMES:
Sat. May 23 at 3 pm* + 8 pm
Sun. May 24 at 4 pm
Sat. May 30 at 3 pm + 8 pm
Sun. May 31 at 4 pm
*price : $22 | $17 for Opening/Closing Performances and Groups of 10 or more
Theater Address: 36 Church Street Middletown, New Jersey 07748 (Map It)
Theater Phone: (732) 706-4100
Theater Amenities:
Price:
Purchase tickets online: https://mac.ticketspice.com/dunbar-rep-seven-guitars
