Wilderness Generation
By James Ijames
Directed by Taibi Magar
April 10 – May 3, 2026
A powerful, funny, and deeply human world premiere from Pulitzer Prize winner James Ijames (Fat Ham), Wilderness Generation, directed by PTC Artistic Director Taibi Magar, invites us into a family reunion layered with memory, music, and the emotional weight of what we inherit and what we choose to carry forward.
Over one summer weekend in the Tidewater South, five cousins gather at their grandmother’s home—a place steeped in family lore and unspoken truths. As laughter gives way to old wounds and long-buried secrets, what begins as a celebration becomes a reckoning.
Through razor-sharp dialogue, Ijames explores the cycles of silence and survival that define a generation raised in the shadows of trauma—and the strength it takes to imagine something different. With echoes of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, Wilderness Generation is a deeply resonant, Black Southern family drama brimming with humor, heartbreak, and healing.
Three Things to Know: 2025/26 Season
A world premiere by Philadelphia’s own James Ijames, who wrote the Pulitzer Prize–winning, Tony–nominated Fat Ham, this is a big family comedy inspired by plays such as A Raisin in the Sun, August: Osage County, and Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard.
Directed by Obie winner and PTC co-artistic director Taibi Magar, whom James has said he wanted to work with since he saw her production of Is God Is in New York in 2018.
While this is James’ PTC debut as a playwright, he last appeared on the PTC stage in 2011 as an actor in Lynn Nottage’s Ruined.
Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 2PM
This performance offers live audio description for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Through a wireless headset, audience members receive a spoken account of the visual elements of the production, including actions, costumes, and scenery.
Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 3PM
This performance includes open captioning, displaying the spoken dialogue, sound effects, and other audio elements in real time on a screen visible from select seating areas.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 1PM
This performance features live American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation by certified interpreters. Reserved seating is available to ensure optimal sightlines to the interpreters.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 12PM
This interactive workshop will explore strategies for preserving and documenting family artifacts and oral histories.
Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 6PM
This interactive pre-show presentation explores the world and stories of the Black American South through short film, oral history activities, and improv-based theatre exercises.
Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 5PM
This post-show discussion will explore the creative process behind bringing Wilderness Generation to the stage, and how we can uplift joy, resilience, and cultural memory through art.
Age Recommendation
Ages 13+