Two plays explore personal freedom

When: through Feb. 5; 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday

Where: Grand Central at Kennedy, 1120 E. Kennedy Blvd., West Building, Ground Floor, Tampa; call (813) 251-8984 or visit www.stageworkstheatre.org

Tickets: $24.50

American Stage Theatre Company will present its fifth installment of August Wilson's Century Cycle, which chronicles the African-American experience during the 20th century.

Like eight other works in Wilson's 10-play series, "Seven Guitars" is set in the playwright's hometown, Pittsburgh's Hill District ("Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" takes place in Chicago).

At the story's center is 1940s blues singer Floyd "Schoolboy" Barton. Floyd has a hit album but a bad track record. He returns to the Hill District to bring the love of his life back to Chicago and make a fresh a start. But Floyd is dead. We learn in flashbacks how and why the musician died.

The play's title is a metaphor for Floyd and the six other characters, all of whom are interconnected through Wilson's extraordinary gift of craft.

"All seven people are trying to hear their song, to live their song," said director Bob Devin Jones. "Sometimes things are in opposition to it; sometimes it's completely in harmony and in sync; sometimes it's utterly discordant. All of the characters are tied in to the theme of the play, which is, I think, having to do with the fidelity of finding your song in life and going after that."

Twelve years before Wilson's "Seven Guitars" was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, Marsha Norman won the award for "'night, Mother." The 1983 drama is about an epileptic woman (Jessie) whose insular life revolves around her controlling mother. Stageworks is producing the play under the direction of Lisa Powers Tricomi.

"The play deals with issues of personal boundaries, intimacy, my right to know everything you do. Mama is incredibly invasive," said Monica Merryman, who portrays Jessie's mom.

One evening, Jessie casually tells her mother that she's going to kill herself. She has planned her suicide to the last detail and spends her last night rationally countering her mother's pleas not to do it.

"I can't look at the role from the point of view of destructive," said Karla Hartley, who plays Jessie. So much is out of control for Jessie, between her medical condition and her narcissistic living situation. It's the only thing she can do to give herself freedom."

When: through Feb. 26; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Where: American Stage Theatre Company at the Raymond James Theatre, 163 Third St. N., St. Petersburg; call (727) 823-7529 or visit www.americanstage.org

Tickets: $29-$47, depending on date and time of performance