Jitney

"Jitney" is the August Wilson play that takes place inside an unlicensed taxi station in Pittsburgh's Hill District during the 1970s. The drivers working there navigate unstable employment and the constant threat of neighborhood redevelopment. It is part of Wilson's famous Century Cycle, which documents the African American experience decade by decade.

The play is set in 1977, a time when Pittsburgh's Hill District was facing severe urban renewal and neighborhood decay. The plot centers heavily on the city's plans to board up and demolish the jitney station where the characters work. This impending demolition serves as a major source of tension for the drivers.

Becker is the older, respected manager of the jitney station who tries to keep the peace among his volatile drivers. He is also dealing with the return of his estranged son, Booster, who has just been released from a 20-year prison sentence. Their fractured relationship forms the emotional core of the play.

"Jitney" represents the 1970s entry in August Wilson's ten-part Century Cycle, also known as the Pittsburgh Cycle. Although it was actually the first play Wilson ever wrote, it was one of the last to be officially produced on Broadway, finally premiering there in 2017. It explores the themes of gentrification, black working-class struggle, and family dynamics.