Last night kicked off the Kennedy Center’s August Wilson’s 20th Century, with the premiere of Gem of the Ocean. The Center is staging all ten of the plays of Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle, in chronological order, until April 6.

Wilson’s a big deal playwright; after his death in 2005, he became the only African-American playwright to have a Broadway theater named after him. The Pittsburgh cycle ambitiously sets out to capture a portrait of the black experience growing up in the Pennsylvania city (Wilson’s a native). Each play represents a different decade, ending with his most recent, Radio Golf, which is headed for Broadway. The Kennedy Center rounded up a team of directors and actors for the effort, many of whom have a rich history with Wilson’s works.

Keep in mind these are staged readings rather than plays — it won’t be uncommon to see an actor with a script, but the Kennedy Center is still doing scenery and costumes. Readings can help to put the focus on the language and acting without other distraction, so it’ll be interesting to see if this hybrid is as effective.

As the festival kicks off further, it’ll be possible to see all the plays in the span of about a week. We’ll be catching Seven Guitars next week; let us know what you think if you stop by any of the others.

August Wilson’s 20th Century runs through April 6 in the Terrace Theater. Tickets are available online.