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Mark Clayton Southers

Mark Clayton Southers is an award winning playwright, photographer, scenic designer, theatrical producer and stage director. He and his family reside in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District. He is the founder and producing artistic director of the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company where he has produced well over 125 full length and one act plays, including August Wilson’s complete ten play Pittsburgh Century Cycle. Mr. Southers is a published poet and playwright as well. His play Ma Noah was the recipient of the 2004 Theodore Ward prize at Columbia College, Chicago. His poem play Angry Black Man Poetry had a successful run at Teatr Śląski in Katowice, Poland in 2009.

Some of his favorite directing credits include Paul Robeson for the Griot Ensemble Theatre Company; Pill Hill and Freemanfor New Horizon Theatre; Almost Maine for South Park Theatre; the August in February Series for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust; Dutchman for Bricolage Theater Company; Angry Black Men Poetry for Teatr Śląski; Ma Rainey's Black Bottomfor American Stage Theatre, St. Petersburg, Florida; Gem of the Ocean for Human Race Theatre, Dayton, Ohio; and Dorothy Six, The Piano Lesson, Two Trains Running, Seven Guitars, VALU-MART and Jitney for The Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company. He’s received Best Director AACTA Onyx awards each of the past four years. His directed production of Two Trains Running was voted one of the top ten plays of the decade by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. His directed production of Jitney broke all house attendance records at The Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater and was voted in the top ten of best plays for the 2010 season by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

From 2010 to 2013, Mr. Southers served as the Artistic Director of Theatre Initiatives for the 486 seat August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

Portrait of Mark Southers.
Friday Phone Call # 31
Podcast

Friday Phone Call # 31

Mark Clayton Southers of Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company

8 June 2012

Listen to weekly podcasts hosted by David Dower as he interviews theatre artists from around the country to highlight #newplay bright spots. This week: Mark Clayton Southers of Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company and the August Wilson Center for African American Culture.