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August Wilson ([portrait of august wilson])

August Wilson's 20th Century: Jitney

At a ramshackle taxi depot, the men who drive gypsy cabs, or "jitneys," strive to find honor and accomplishment in a harsh world. When the station owner's estranged son returns from prison, their reunion unleashes two decades of brutal, raw emotion.

About the Program | Reviews | Watch and Listen | Additional Resources | Related Events

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About the Program

Artists:
  • August Wilson , playwright
"One of the most important voices in the American theater"
--The New York Times

Jitney (1970s)
Directed by Gordon Davidson

At a ramshackle taxi depot, the middle-aged men who drive unlicensed gypsy cabs, or "jitneys," strive to find honor and accomplishment amidst a landscape of diminishing opportunity. When the station owner's estranged son returns from 20 years in prison, their reunion unleashes two decades of brutal, raw emotion.
--Running Time: 2 hours, 9 minutes, with one intermission--

CASTING
Youngblood: Anthony Mackie
Turnbo: John Beasley
Fielding: Anthony Chisolm
Doub: Eugene Lee
Shealy: Afemo Omilami
Philmore: Montae Russell
Becker: Paul Butler
Rena: Roslyn Ruff
Booster: Hassan El-Amin

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An American icon, August Wilson depicted the human condition like no other playwright of his time. His legacy lives on through his crowning achievement: a cycle of 10 plays chronicling the African American experience, each set in a different decade of the 20th century. Crafted over nearly 25 years, these works garnered Wilson myriad accolades, including a Tony Award and two Pulitzer Prizes. Bringing them together for the first time ever, the Kennedy Center presents staged readings of all 10 of Wilson's masterpieces, frequently dubbed "The Pittsburgh Cycle," as all but one are grounded in the city of his youth.

More than 30 stars of stage and screen join Artistic Director Kenny Leon and six other acclaimed directors for this historic month-long celebration (March 4–April 6, 2008). Complemented with costumes, lighting, and scenery, the plays will be performed in chronological order--collectively revealing Wilson's sweeping vision of the challenge and glory of being black in America.

All events and artists subject to change without prior notice.

Group of 20 or more? Group Sales offers special terms and discounts for most performances.

Watch and Listen

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Additional Resources

About the Kennedy Center Theater Series

August Wilson 20th Century Festival Page

Cast and Company

Artist:
Frederick Wilson

Reviews and Articles

August Wilson’s 1900s to Be a Cycle Onstage
The New York Times, February 20, 2008 “Cal Hoffman will be spending his vacation at the theater. Mr. Hoffman, who lives in New York, plans to visit Washington for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ presentation of August Wilson’s 20th Century, a full month of staged readings of Wilson’s 10-play cycle chronicling the lives of African-Americans in the last century, a play for each decade. Read More...

Related Events

August Wilson's 20th Century: Gem of the Ocean  Mar 4 - 30, 2008

August Wilson's 20th Century: Joe Turner's Come and Gone  Mar 6 - 30, 2008

August Wilson's 20th Century: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom  Mar 9 - Apr 1, 2008

August Wilson's 20th Century: The Piano Lesson  Mar 12 - Apr 2, 2008

August Wilson's 20th Century: Seven Guitars  Mar 14 - Apr 3, 2008

August Wilson's 20th Century: Fences  Mar 16 - Apr 4, 2008

August Wilson's 20th Century: Two Trains Running  Mar 20 - Apr 5, 2008

August Wilson's 20th Century: King Hedley II  Mar 23 - Apr 6, 2008

August Wilson's 20th Century: Radio Golf  Mar 28 - Apr 6, 2008

This event has already closed.

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