A production of “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” at August Wilson’s childhood home is among the highlights of the just-announced Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company’s 2017-18 season.
The backyard of the August Wilson House at 1727 Bedford Ave. in the Hill District was first used as a theatrical venue last year, when PPTC present the award-winning playwright’s “Seven Guitars” there. “Joe Turner” will arrive in April 2018 as the Pittsburgh company takes its second turn through the Century Cycle of plays.
The announcement Tuesday included the return of the Theatre Festival in Black and White for the summer of 2018.
Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company’s 2017-18 season:
Sept. 29-Nov. 5, 2017: “East Texas Hot Links” — Directed by Montae Russell — The play by actor/playwright Eugene Lee (Pittsburgh Playwrights’ “Two Trains Running”; Pittsburgh Public Theater’s “How I Learned What I Learned” and “Between Riverside and Crazy”) takes us to a 1955 backwoods cafe, where a celebration can’t conceal the lurking danger.
Feb. 16-March 25, 2018: “In The Heat of the Night” — Directed by Mark Clayton Southers — Matt Pelfrey’s stage adaptation of John Ball’s 1962-set novel that introduced the world to Virgil Tibbs and inspired the films and TV series.
April 27-June 3, 2018: — “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” — Directed by Monteze Freeland. Mr. Wilson’s 1911-set play takes place at a boarding house where denizens come and go. When a mysterious man named Loomis and his daughter arrive looking for his wife, an eccentric clairvoyant with a penchant for old country voodoo steps in to help.
May 31-June 10, 2018: Theatre Festival in Black and White — Festival coordinator, Cheryl El-Walker — “Energy!” is the theme of the 13th edition of one-act plays.
To get things off to a magical start, the venue at 937 Liberty Ave., third floor, will host a guest production of “David London’s Magic Outside The Box” Aug. 4-5 (8 p.m. Friday and 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday) at Pittsburgh Playwrights. The 75-minute show, featuring excerpts from his previous theatrical productions, combines magic with storytelling, comedy, puppetry, surrealism and more. Recommended for ages 16-plus. Tickets: $40 ($20 for students, artists, seniors “and wizards”; $60-$80 VIP; save 50 percent with promo code “PLAYWRIGHTS”!!!
Season subscriptions are available at www.pghplaywrights.org/subscriptions; tickets to Theatre Festival in Black and White will be sold separately.
Sharon Eberson: seberson@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1960. Twitter: @SEberson_pg.
First Published: August 1, 2017, 8:00 p.m.
