Jitney

Pittsburgh 1977

In the midst of the steel industry crisis, for which the city is known worldwide, five drivers, Becker, Youngblood, Turnbo, Fielding and Doub, struggle to get by. Clinging nostalgically to the past, while seeing only the dark outlines of an uncertain future on the horizon.

In the early decades of the twentieth century, an alternative form of transport to buses and licensed taxis emerged in the predominantly African American neighborhoods of U.S. cities: the “jitney”. In those neighborhoods, taxis did not circulate; they were too expensive and they refused to pick up Black passengers. The “jitneys” operated outside the boundaries of the law, but provided job opportunities for people like our five protagonists, while also offering an essential service to the community.

August Wilson, the most prolific and influential African American playwright of all time, is being translated for the very first time into another language (Italian) and staged with an entirely Black Italian cast.

The stage set is minimal and abstract, designed to focus the gaze on what is said and how it is said, on the shades of meaning enriched by the actors’ double roles, on the cinematic side lighting, and on the projections displayed on two vertical, smartphone-like screens.

When Booster, Becker’s son, is released after twenty years in prison for murder, a cathartic journey begins, intertwining the language of the street with the syncopated rhythms of jazz and with the classical language of tragedy.

Experience the Fall Duo and Save

This fall, join us for two unforgettable productions.

Purchase tickets to Tank Stranger and Jitney in the same online order and use promo code FALLDUO20 to receive 20% off your Jitney tickets.

Offer valid through August 31, 2026. Discount applies to Jitney tickets only when tickets to both Tank Stranger and Jitney are purchased in the same online transaction using promo code FALLDUO20. Subject to availability. Cannot be combined with other offers.