Jazz in itself is not struggling. That is, the music itself is not struggling… It’s the attitude that’s in trouble. My plays insist that we should not forget or toss away our history.
Meaning of the quote
The quote is saying that jazz music itself is doing fine, but the way people think about it is the real problem. The playwright, August Wilson, wants his plays to make sure we don't forget or ignore our history and culture. He believes it's important to respect and hold on to our past, even as we move forward.
About August Wilson
August Wilson was an acclaimed American playwright known for his powerful and poetic depictions of the African-American experience in the 20th century. His acclaimed ‘Pittsburgh Cycle’ of plays, including Pulitzer Prize winners Fences and The Piano Lesson, have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest playwrights of our time.
More quotes from August Wilson
Between speeches and awards, you can find something to do every other week. It’s hard to write. Your focus gets splintered. Once you put one thing in your calendar, that month is gone.
American playwright (1945-2005)
Suffice it to say, I’m not poor.
American playwright (1945-2005)
I know some things when I start. I know, let’s say, that the play is going to be a 1970s or a 1930s play, and it’s going to be about a piano, but that’s it. I slowly discover who the characters are as I go along.
American playwright (1945-2005)
Jazz in itself is not struggling. That is, the music itself is not struggling… It’s the attitude that’s in trouble. My plays insist that we should not forget or toss away our history.
American playwright (1945-2005)
As soon as white folks say a play’s good, the theater is jammed with blacks and whites.
American playwright (1945-2005)
Blacks have traditionally had to operate in a situation where whites have set themselves up as the custodians of the black experience.
American playwright (1945-2005)
I first got involved in theater in 1968, at the height of a social tumult. I was a poet.
American playwright (1945-2005)
For me, the original play becomes an historical document: This is where I was when I wrote it, and I have to move on now to something else.
American playwright (1945-2005)
All you need in the world is love and laughter. That’s all anybody needs. To have love in one hand and laughter in the other.
American playwright (1945-2005)