Radio Golf

Content Warning: This section of the guide addresses racism.

Harmond Wilks is the protagonist of Radio Golf. Over the course of the play, Harmond undergoes a transformative journey as he confronts The Moral Complexities of Urban Development and The Importance of Preserving Historical Memory.

At the start of the play, Harmond is an idealistic real estate developer who hopes to become the first Black mayor of Pittsburgh. His campaign is closely tied to a redevelopment project aimed at transforming the economically disadvantaged, historically Black Hill District into a modern, upscale neighborhood called Bedford Hills. Harmond believes this plan will bring progress and prosperity to the area, embodying the theme of The Tension Between Personal Ambition and Communal Solidarity: “This is 1997. Things have changed. This is America. This is the land of opportunity. I can be mayor. I can be anything I want” (21), he declares. Harmond celebrates Black achievements, for example planning to rename the neighborhood’s medical center after Sarah Degree, the city’s first Black nurse. He has a passion for golf, which he sees a tool for success. Harmond follows the campaign his wife Mame has meticulously planned, and therefore appears to be a man with everything mapped out for him.