Beck Center’s “August Wilson's Jitney” is a wild ride
August Wilson (né Frederick August Kittle, Jr.) is a Black American playwright referred to as “the poet of Black America”. He is best known for a series of 10 plays referred to as “The Pittsburgh Cycle” which is a peek at life in an African-American community in the 20th century. Two of the plays won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and he was inducted in the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2006. He is also the first African American playwright to have two plays running on Broadway simultaneously.
His play, “Jitney” was written in 1968 and later revised two decades later and included in The Pittsburgh Cycle collection of plays. The work is currently in production at the Beck Center for the Arts. To say the least...IT IS POWERFUL!
Joe Becker (Darryl Tatum) is the owner of Jitney Taxi Service in the poorer section of Pittsburgh in the mid 70s. He is an easy going kind of guy who tries to do what is best for his group of employees. His crew of seven part timers somehow manages to keep the business afloat against all odds. Becker has simple rules: Be Courteous. Don’t Overcharge. Keep Your Taxi Clean. Replace and Clean The Tools. No Drinking.
Members of the driving staff includes Youngblood (Aamar-Malik Culbreth), a returning unmarried Vietnam Veteran who lives with his girl friend Rena (Thailand Hodge) and their young son. Turnbo (Bryant Lyles) is in everyone’s stuff forever gossiping and causing trouble then when things get out of hand pulls a gun to threaten his potential attacker. Fielding (Royce Ruffin) is a lonely alcoholic just trying to hang onto some sense of dignity. Shealy (Kym Williams) runs a numbers racket out of the shop and is a man of fancy clothes and tastes. Philmore (Greg White) works full time at the neighborhood movie theater and fills in at the jitney from time to time. Doub (Pete Robinson) is the wizened Korea veteran who acts as peacemaker when things get out of hand (which is often). Lastly, there is Booster (Patrick D. Warner), Becker’s son who just got out of prison after serving 20 years for rape and murder.
Things take a bad turn when word comes through that the city is planning to board up their building with plans to raze the entire block in order to put up a housing project. Into this mix of events is a feud between Youngblood and Turnbo. There is also suspicion by Rena about Youngblood who is working four jobs in order to get a down payment for a surprise new house and has been shopping for the new home with Rena’s sister. Fielding gets drunk on the job and is fired by Becker. Lastly, Booster arrives after his release and suddenly 20 years of anger and frustration pour out of Becker as he unloads on his son blaming him for the death of his wife all those years ago. Each actor is perfectly cast in their role and dovetail nicely into each other’s stories. It is a slice of life in 1970s Pittsburgh.
Expertly directed by Jimmie Woody this action packed adventure rockets along at breakneck speeds. There is literally not a dull moment during the entire work. This is ensemble theater at its absolute best. Each vignette gives the audience more snippets of information enabling for ideas to form as to what is actually happening outside the taxi station. The action races to a sad climax only to end on a predictable yet satisfying note.
The stage set by Richard Morris is the perfect setting for this drama as brief pauses are exercised as the phone rings to the greeting of “Car Service” sending a driver out on a call. Colleen Albrecht handles the lighting design with different combinations to match the many moods of the play. Inda Blatch-Geib outfits the players in various vintage costumes of the 70s. Angie Hayes does a remarkable job with the sound design.
If you have never witnessed an August Wilson play you are in for a huge treat and if you have, you owe it to yourself to see this production. This two hour race of emotions grabs and holds your attention for the entire time. You not only relate, you root for various characters praying they will win out in the end. It is life, death and romance in a gripping saga. This is must see theater of the highest magnitude.
The Beck Center for the Arts production of “August Wilson's Jitney” will be on stage in the Studio Theatre, 17801 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio through May 5, 2024. for more information go to www.beckcenter.org or call (216) 521-2540.