Broadway premiere directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson

Previews Begin: Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Opening Night: Thursday, January 19, 2017

Only one of two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson’s plays in the author’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.

Special thanks to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting Manhattan Theatre Club.

You know youʼre cool when someone congratulates you on your Tony nomination and you do the verbal equivalent of a shrug. Critically acclaimed scenic designer David Gallo, the visionary behind the world of August Wilsonʼs Jitney on Broadway, is even cooler than that. Mr. Gallo is nominated for his second Tony Award, after having won his first for The Drowsy Chaperone in 2006. He spoke with StageBuddy about the dynamic world of scenic design, having August Wilsonʼs iPod, and what keeps him coming back to the drawing board. Whatʼs the trick to balancing the artistic whole with all the details of an elaborate play world? All of the details are part of what I do. When everything clicks is when the details become much more apparent. There comes a point when it all sort of converges…the micro and macro become clear at the same time. Every design decision thatʼs to made at that point hopefully becomes apparent. It doesnʼt mean that theyʼre easy, you just know thereʼs an answer. Were there any unforeseen challenges to designing Jitney the second time around? I had specific feelings about the piece that I developed further in this Broadway version, but I think that it being a repeat produc …Read more