Playwright

August Wilson has explored the African American

experience with the seven plays that he has written.

"The Piano Lesson" and "Fences" may

be the more famous of his plays, but all of them include

important themes in any person's life. In his play,

"Jitney", Wilson explores the late 1970's and

the struggle between fathers and sons.

"jitney" is an unlicensed cab system that

covers a regular route according to a flexible schedule.

Becker, the hard working manager of the jitney, operates

the service out of a building slated to be torn down. In

dealing with all of the men working at the station and

their struggles, Becker must also deal with his son,

Booster, who has just been released from prison for the

murder of his girlfriend.

Directing

the play will be Kenny Leon, considered to be one of

America's leading theater visionaries. He has directed a

lot of Wilson's work before and is nationally recognized

for his insight into the pieces. "In this play,

Wilson explores some of the emotional issues between

fathers and sons, much like the struggle in

"Fences". In "Jitney", the son

desperately needs to be reconciled with his father, but

the two men have a hard time understanding and accepting

each other," Leon said.

Leon has

assembled a fine cast for the play, including John

Lawhorn as Becker. Lawhorn is an internationally

acclaimed music director and a veteran of several Wilson

plays that have been performed at the Alliance. The cast

also includes Taurean Blacque as Shealy. Blacque has

performed both on and off Broadway and is best remembered

as Detective Neal Washington on Hill Street Blues.

Wilson

started writing "Jitney" in 1979. He put the

piece aside after completing a first version and went on

to write the six plays that have won him two Pulitzer

Prizes and a Tony Award. Wilson has returned to Jitney

several times over the years to refine it. The play is

scheduled to open at New York's Second Stage Theatre in

April 2000.

Jitney

starts this Thursday, Oct. 7 and runs through Oct. 31.

Performances are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and

Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. There will be two

Saturday matinees, Oct 16, 23, and 30 at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $15-$40 and may be purchased at the Woodruff

Arts Center Box Office or by calling 404-733-5000. The

Alliance Theater is located at the Woodruff Arts Center,

corner of Peachtree and 15th Street in Midtown Atlanta.

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