Larry Bates, Charlie Robinson & Ellis E. Williams in August Wilson's "Jitney"
Photo: Henry DiRocco.
August Wilson’s Jitney
arrives at the Pasadena Playhouse from South Coast Repertory Theatre shucking and jiving with a slightly disco
beat as the playwright discusses Pittsburgh in the seventies. Becker (spot on Charlie Robinson) runs a jitney station: gypsy cabs that ferry locals in the black community where licensed cabs won’t
go. The pay phone rings.. and
rings.. and rings and someone, whose turn it is to drive answers “Car
Service.”
Wilson has garnered acclaim for his personal and well
written examinations of working class folks who are, coincidentally, African American. Jitney discusses
generations of characters whom we
come to truly appreciate. We sympathize, empathize and laugh, to find our hearts engaged as the plot
works out conflict and love, separation and reunion. Ellis E. Williams as Turnbo gets up into everybody’s
‘bizniss’. Meddling for a guy like this is inevitable. Generations of working class Americans are
represented here. They're just trying to make a go of life in a little business that is about
to be shut down to Urban Renewal, but not if Becker has his way. Tired of being pushed around by the establishment,
the men band together, in spite of some major personality conflicts to keep
their jitney station going.
Shaun Motley’s functional set design is perfectly fine. Trouble with fluorescent lights was a
minor distraction in otherwise successful lighting by Brian J. Lillienthal. Dana Rebecca Woods’ costumes
from the seventies brought knowing chuckles from the audience.
Director Ron OJ Parson keeps the action and intentions
focused but at over two and a half hours, the Playhouse challenges the audience
to struggle in their threadbare seats for way too long. Opening night audience was in
for the long haul, but the very real pain of the length of the show makes for less than a fun evening.
Bring a pillow.
JITNEY by August
Wilson
The Pasadena Playhouse
39 S. El Molino Avenue
Pasadena, CA
Through July 15, 2012
626 356 7529
$59.00 top
Rush Tickets One Hour before Curtain $15.00
