South Coast Rep Ends Season with August Wilson's JITNEY, Now thru 6/10

August Wilson's Jitney, a play about a ragtag group of drivers of gypsy cabs-known as jitneys-closes out SCR's 2011-2012 season, with an all-star cast led by Charlie Robinson, who last wowed SCR audiences in another Wilson hit, Fences. Ron OJ Parson, who has previously directed Jitney at St. Louis Black Rep, directs the show, which runs on the Segerstrom Stage from tonight, May 11 – June 10.

"Jitney is a visceral play that succeeds on the strength of the ensemble," said SCR Artistic Director Marc Masterson. "I am particularly proud of the fine actors and designers who have assembled at SCR for this production under Ron's direction."

Jitney is one of a group of plays-known as the Pittsburgh Cycle-that Wilson wrote about the African-American experience in each decade of the 20th century. Set in 1977 Pittsburgh, Jitney depicts the end of an era, as urban renewal threatens to board up Becker's (played by Robinson) jitney station. But Becker has other things to worry about, as his son, Booster (Montae Russell) is about to be released from prison after 20 years. Turnbo (Ellis E. Williams, LA Ovation Award winner, Distant Fires), a longtime jitney driver-and gossip-spends his days between drives meddling in the lives of the fellow drivers, including Youngblood (Larry Bates, Topdog/Underdog) a Vietnam War veteran, his girlfriend, Rena (Kristy Johnson, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Court Theatre) and Shealy (Rolando Boyce, Topdog/Underdog, Madison Repertory Theatre), a numbers-taker who uses the jitney station as his base.

Rounding out the cast is David McKnight, (Desire Under the Elms, The Odyssey Theatre) who plays Fielding, a longtime driver with a few demons of his own to deal with, James A. Watson, Jr. as Doub, a level-headed Korean War veteran, and Philmore, a hotel doorman and jitney passenger, played by SCR regular Gregg Daniel.

Shaun Motley will serve as scenic designer, Brian Lilenthal is lighting designer, Vincent Olivieri is sound designer, and Dana Woods is costumer designer.

Laurie Smits Staude is honorary producer. Media partners are PBS SoCal and OC Jewish Life.

Following its run on the Segerstrom Stage, Jitney will travel to The Pasadena Playhouse, where it runs from June 21 – July 15, closing out their 2011-2012 season.

Shows start at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday nights, with matinees starting at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Opening night is Friday, May 18. Can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Prices range from $20 to $68.

South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the Folino Theatre Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available off Anton Blvd. on Park Center Drive.

Wednesday, May 23, and Tuesday, May 29. Discuss the play with members of the cast following the performance. Free.

"INSIDE THE SEASON:" Saturday, June 9, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. A two-hour interactive session featuring set tours and Q&A's with creative personnel. Tickets: $12. (Tickets to the showare sold separately.)

Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, founded in 1964 by David Emmes and Martin Benson and now under the leadership of Artistic Director Marc Masterson and Managing Director Paula Tomei, is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theatres in the United States. SCR is committed to theatre that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its wide array of education and outreach programs. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theatre, SCR is renowned for its extensive new-play development program, which includes the nation's largest commissioning program for emerging and established writers and composers. Each year, it showcases some of country's best new plays in the Pacific Playwrights Festival, which attracts theatre professionals from across the country. Of SCR's more than 460 productions, one-quarter have been world premieres, whose subsequent stagings achieved enormous success throughout America and around the world. Two SCR-developed works have won Pulitzer Prizes, and another eight were named Pulitzer finalists. In addition, SCR works have won several OBIE Awards and scores of major new-play awards. Located in Costa Mesa, California, SCR's Folino Theater Center is home to the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio. Today, SCR produces 13 shows and eight public readings each season.

To post a comment, you must register and login.