Jitney Revival
Two hours and 25 minutes, with one intermission
Jitney - 2017 Broadway History , Info & More
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (Broadway)
261 W. 47th St. New York, NY 10036
Only one of the plays in two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson's masterful The American Century Cycle has never been seen on Broadway- until now. Set in the early 1970s, this richly textured piece follows a group of men trying to eke out a living by driving unlicensed cabs, or jitneys. When the city threatens to board up the business and the boss' son returns from prison, tempers flare, potent secrets are revealed and the fragile threads binding these people together may come undone at last.
MTC has a long history of co-producing works by this legendary playwright: King Hedley II, Seven Guitars and The Piano Lesson, and is proud to produce this Broadway debut. Directing is Ruben Santiago-Hudson, one of Wilson's finest interpreters.
Jitney - 2017 - Broadway Cast
PREVIEW Jitney - 2017 - Broadway
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FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Jitney
‘Jitney’, ‘Under The Radar’ Reviews: August Wilson’s Genius Shone Through From The Start
9 / 10
My own is Jitney, which until now was the only drama in the cycle not to have been seen on Broadway (though it had a celebrated run off-Broadway in 2000). That's been rectified with a superb production under the direction of Ruben Santiago-Hudson, a strong Wilson hand, that has opened at the Manhattan Theatre Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Set (and written) in the 1970s, Jitney was the first play in the cycle. It's the work of a young playwright not yet fully in command of his prodigious gifts, yet already confident in voice and in the creation of characters who are as specific to their place and time as they are universal in their flaws, hopes and dreams.
August Wilson’s Jitney review at Samuel J Friedman Theatre, New York – ‘piercing drama’
6 / 10
Written in 1979 and first staged in 1982, the eighth play in Wilson's Pittsburgh cycle has never been performed before on Broadway. It collects the stories of these men at all stages of life who congregate in this ramshackle station. Ruben Santiago-Hudson's at times over-bright production saunters to a jazz score with the voices of colourful characters who reminisce, gossip, and argue.
Jitney History
Other Productions of Jitney
| 2000 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2000 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2017 | Broadway |
Manhattan Theatre Club Original Broadway Production Broadway |
| 2019 | US Tour |
National Tour US Tour |
Jitney - 2017 Broadway Awards and Nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Play | John Douglas Thompson |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Costume Design for a Play | Toni-Leslie James |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Director of a Play | Ruben Santiago-Hudson |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music in a Play | Bill Sims Jr. |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Jitney |
| 2017 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Set Design for a Play | David Gallo |
| 2017 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | John Douglas Thompson |
| 2017 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play | Jitney |
| 2017 | New York Drama Critics Circle Awards | Special Citation | Ruben Santiago-Hudson |
| 2017 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Jitney |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design of a Play | Toni-Leslie James |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Play | Ruben Santiago-Hudson |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Play | Jane Cox |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play | John Douglas Thompson |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | August Wilson's Jitney |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Scenic Design of a Play | David Gallo |
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