Wanda's Picks: Multi-Ethnic Theatre presents: August Wilson's Jitney

We open with cast from Multi-Ethnic Theatre's production of August Wilson's Jitney, running through August 31 at the Gough Street Playhouse, 1620 Gough Street (near Bush), in San Francisco. From www.wehavemet.org: "Some of the most talented Bay Area actors are people with day jobs who work in theater for sheer passion and true meaning.  Jitney, set in the 'early fall of 1977,' in the Hill District in Pitsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a play about working class men, who provide 'transportation service' to their communities. Then and now, city cabs did not venture into certain communities. This play allows MET actors to bring their real life experience to the stage. The cast is a close knit group passionately dedicated to stories about an important public service: gypsy cab rides to and from African American communities." Joining us are: BENNIE LEWIS as Becker, a well respected man who runs the Jitney Station; VERNON MEDEARIS as Turnbo, a jitney driver who is always interested in the business of others; CHARLES JOHNSON as Doub, a longtime jitney driver and Korean war veteran; CHARLES JOHNSON as Doub, a longtime jitney driver and Korean war veteran; TREVOR LAWRENCE as Fielding, a jitney driver and former tailor with a dependency on alcohol; STUART ELWYN HALL as Shealy, a numbers taker who often uses the jitney station as his base; ANTHONY PRIDE, as Philmore, a hotel doorman and recurring jitney passenger; DAVID STEWART, Becker's son, recently released from prison.

We close with a show from the archives (4/3/14) which features Joanna Haigood and cast members, Antoine Hunter and Travis Santell Rowland, speaking about Haigood's piece Dying While Black and Brown.