The flashbacks of Seven Guitars are set in the backyard of a Pittsburgh boarding house in 1948.

Seven Guitars is the only play in the American Century Cycle that begins with “a note from the playwright.” In it, Wilson explains, “I have tried to extract some measure of truth from [the characters] lives as they struggle to remain whole in the face of so many things that threaten to pull them asunder.” Seven Guitars is chock-full of such “things.” The injustice of the police force, the biased and unfair legal systems in place, insurance ponzi schemes, and institutionalized poverty are all topics of discussion. The characters of Seven Guitars confront these obstacles individually; though two characters stand out to the audience: Floyd, the ambitious protagonist whose first hit single plays consistently on radio throughout the play, and Hedley, a mentally turbulent man who spouts disparate Biblical passages, self-concocted blues lyrics, and allusions to Black leaders of bygone years. Wilson skillfully illustrates the tragic measures these two characters undergo in search for their own fated legacies.