Photo Coverage: Meet the Cast of August Wilson's JITNEY on Broadway!
By: Walter McBride Nov. 30, 2016
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Manhattan Theatre Club's Broadway debut of August Wilson's Jitney, directed by Tony Award winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson (The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, Gem of the Ocean), will begin previews Wednesday, December 28 ahead of a Thursday, January 19 opening night at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). BroadwayWorld just met the cast and you can check out photos below!
The ensemble of nine cast members boasts seven veteran's of August Wilson plays. The cast features Harvy Blanks (Jitney in WNYC's Greene Space American Century Cycle recording, Two Trains Running at Two River Theater Company) as "Shealy;" Tony Award nominee Anthony Chisholm(Radio Golf, Gem of the Ocean, Two Trains Running, Jitney at Second Stage) as "Fielding," Obie and Theatre World Award winner Brandon Dirden (The Piano Lesson, Clybourne Park, "The Americans") as "Booster;" André Holland (Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Moonlight,"American Horror Story") as "Youngblood;" Carra Patterson (Significant Other, Wit, Straight Outta Compton) as "Rena," Michael Potts (The Book of Mormon, Aubergine) as "Turnbo;" Keith Randolph Smith (Fences, King Hedley II) as "Doub;" Ray Anthony Thomas (Jitney and Fencesin WNYC's Greene Space American Century Cycle recordings, Between Riverside and Crazy) as "Philmore;" and Drama Desk Award winner John Douglas Thompson (Joe Turner's Come and Gone at the Mark Taper Forum, Satchmo at the Waldorf) as "Becker."
Only one of the ten 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 Piano Lesson) and is proud to produce this Broadway debut. Directing is Ruben Santiago-Hudson, called "perhaps the foremost interpreter of the legendary August Wilson" by The New York Times.
Photo Credit: Walter McBride
John Douglas Thompson
John Douglas Thompson
John Douglas Thompson
John Douglas Thompson
Michael Potts and Harvy Blanks
Ray Anthony Thomas, Michael Potts, Keith Randolph Smith, Brandon Dirden, John Douglas Thompson, Carra Patterson, Andre Holland, Anthony Chisholm and Harvy Blanks
Ray Anthony Thomas; Keith Randolph Smith, Michael Potts, Brandon Dirden, John Douglas Thompson, Carra Patterson, Andre Holland, Anthony Chisholm, Harvy Blanks and Ruben Santiago-Hudson
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