What's it about,' I asked, and he said, 'It's about a guy selling watermelons,' ... I said, 'You're gonna put a black man on stage selling watermelons?' And August said, 'He's trying to buy some land.

What I learned as an actor was the only way you could really do August Wilson's work, you had to leave an ounce of your essence on that stage, ... Otherwise it was impossible.

When I read 'The Piano Lesson,' I realized it encompassed the entire African-American experience, ... August Wilson's legacy is as important as Martin Luther King's legacy, as important as Malcolm X's legacy and as important as Nat Turner.

I left thinking August's lost his mind, ... When I read 'The Piano Lesson,' I realized it encompassed the entire African-American experience. August Wilson's legacy is as important as Martin Luther King's legacy, as important as Malcolm X's legacy and as important as Nat Turner.