Theater: Jitney

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Of all August Wilson's chronicle of African-American life in the 20th century, Jitney is the recent. His plays are several prize winners. They are even endowed with international recognition. He is recognized as one of the nation's greatest living playwrights. Jitney without doubt is a masterfully written play. August Wilson 's good use of 20th Century is with his earlier successes such as Fences, The Piano Lesson, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as well as the most recent Seven Guitars. He is indefinitely a language master. His characters speak the truth, yet he is successful in enabling it sound like poetry. Jitney has its take in Pittsburgh's Hill district in the year 1977.

Becker (Paul Butler) is into running an unlicensed cab service. He simultaneously with his drivers run "jitneys" throughout Pittsburgh which is often not much than bus fare. They are faced with an utter reality of their headquarters which are torn down because of an urban renewal. His son's pending release from prison after 20 years is the reason for which Becker is fighting for survival. As is common in all of August Wilson plays, there are an array of unforgettable characters. They comprise Becker's remorseful son Booster (Keith Randolph Smith), Shealy (Willis Burks II), the happy-go-lucky numbers runner, Doub (Barry Shabaka Henley), the practical idealist, Youngblood (Russell Hornsby). Even is the Vietnam vet who tries to make something of his life, Turnbo (Stephen McKinley Henderson) who is the busybody of the group, Fielding (Anthony Chisholm) who is a former tailor who turned alcoholic jitney driver, and Rena (Michole Briana White), Youngblood's girlfriend who simply tries to survive with a child in the city.

For subsequent part of the play, Wilson makes Jitney a quiet character study who is at the same time comic, touching as well as an engrossing portrait of life in the Hill District. It is so carefully portrayed that we really are forced to care about the characters and are always in an anxiety to what is to happen to them. The bottom then falls out. Wilson is at the realization of the the play running too long and is after the decision to end it in the quickest manner possible. The end though is disappointing. The plays ends in a way which makes no sense.

David Gallo's set, Donald Holder's lighting, and Rob Milburn's sound create a time which is masterful. The saving grace of the production is a continuously excellent ensemble that acts especially Paul Butler as Becker, Anthony Chisholm as Fielding, Stephen McKinley Henderson as Turnbo, Russell Hornsby as Youngblood, and Keith Randolph Smith as Booster. The play is to be seen as for the technical elements and the excellent acting and not merely for consistent story.