August Wilson's Jitney Wins the 2017 Tony Award for Best Play Revival

August Wilson's Jitney has won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. The win was announced at the Tonys ceremony on June 11 at Radio City Music Hall. The other nominees in the Best Play Revival category were The Little Foxes, Present Laughter and Six Degrees of Separation. Jitney began previews on December 28, 2016 and opened on January 19, 2017 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. The limited engagement closed on March 12.

Manhattan Theatre Club Artistic Director Lynne Meadow recognized Jitney's late playwright in her acceptance speech. "August Wilson wrote ten plays, one for each decade of the twentieth century to chronicle African-American life and culture," said Meadow. "Jitney is a shining example of his brilliance and his poetry, his deep insight into the human heart and his belief in the importance of coming together in community to overcome adversity and to celebrate our shared humanity."

Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson and co-produced by Grammy winner John Legend, Jitney is 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.

The cast included John Douglas Thompson, André Holland, Anthony Chisholm, Brandon Dirden, Harvy Blanks, Carra Patterson, Michael Potts, Keith Randolph Smith and Ray Anthony Thomas.

Check out highlights from Jitney below!