Denise Burse in August Wilson's Radio Golf at the Mark Taper Forum

Denise Burse, Rocky Carroll, Anthony Chisholm, John Earl Jelks and James A. Williams are currently appearing in August Wilson's Radio Golf at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, CA. through Sept. 18, 2005.

Denise Burse is currently appearing in August Wilson's "Radio Golf", the tenth and final installment of his extraordinary cycle of plays chronicling the black American experience in production at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, CA. through Sept. 18, 2005.

"Radio Golf" also features Rocky Carroll, Anthony Chisholm, John Earl Jelks and James A. Williams under the direction of Kenny Leon, who staged Wilson's "Gem of the Ocean" and the revival of "A Raisin in the Sun" on Broadway. The design team includes David Gallo (sets), Susan Hilferty (costumes) and Donald Holder (lighting).

Ending his ten-play cycle, Wilson sets "Radio Golf" in Pittsburghs Hill District in the 1990s, a time of great change for the District, pitting history and honor against the pull of political power and extraordinary financial success.

The house at 1839 Wylie Avenue, Aunt Esters refuge for the weary in "Gem of the Ocean", is about to be demolished. Harmond Wilks II, who is spearheading a move to have the area declared "blighted," and therefore eligible for redevelopment, is on the verge of becoming the citys first black mayor and owner of a local radio station. With the appearance of Old Joe, a gruffly poetic neer-do-well, the historic patina of the Hill District begins to take on a growing importance, throwing Wilks into a quandary of life-changing proportion.

Denise Burse who plays the role of Mame Wilks, last appeared on Broadway in Wendy Wassersteins "An American Daughter" at the Cort Theatre. Her Off-broadway credits include "Harriet's Return" at the Cherry Lane Theatre, "Hundred Penny Box" at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, "Robert Johnson Tricked the Devil" at the New Federal Theatre (Audelco Award), "Ground People" at the American Place Theatre (Audelco nomination, Theatre World Award) and "Hannah Davis" at the Negro Ensemble Company. Other stage credits include "Blue" at the Cincinnati Playhouse and Geva Theatre, "Fences" at the True Colors Theatre and Pearl Cleages "Flyin West" with Ruby Dee at the Kennedy Center.

Burse may be familiar to television audiences from her roles on "Law & Order", "Law & Order: SVU", "Law & Order: Criminal Intent", "Third Watch", "100 Centre Street", "Sopranos", "One Life to Live", "Cosby", "Guiding Light" and the BET/STARZ movie "Funny Valentines" with Alfre Woodard and Loretta Devine. She has appeared in the films "Angel", "Basquiat", "The Juror", "The Annihilators" and the award-winning Charles Randolph Wright's "On the One" currently entertaining film festival audiences around the country.

Anthony Chisolm, John Earl Jelks and James A. Williams, original cast members of "Radio Golf", return to reprise their roles for the Los Angeles run.

The other plays in Wilson's canon (in order of decade which the drama is set) include "Gem of the Ocean", "Joe Turner's Come and Gone", "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", "The Piano Lesson", "Seven Guitars", "Fences", "Two Trains Running", "Jitney" and "King Hedley II".

Playwright Wilson is the recipient of Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships in Playwriting, the Whiting Writers Award, and a 1999 National Humanities Medal from the president of the United States. He was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh.

Tickets for Radio Golf are $34-$52 and can be purchased by calling (213) 628-2772, online at www.MarkTaperForum.org or at the Center Theatre Group box office at the Music Center. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 7:30pm, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30pm.

Mark Taper Forum
135 N. Grand Ave.
Music Center
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Through Sept. 18, 2005