August Wilson's 'Jitney' has found a new audience in Italy, where the play is being translated and performed for the first time. This international tour, featuring a cast of Black Italian actors, brings the story of Pittsburgh's unlicensed cabs to the Hill District, where Wilson was born and raised. The play's themes of fathers and sons, love and jealousy, and the working-class experience are universal, but the Black experience in Italy is very different from that in the United States. The translation, by Angela Soldà, seeks to honor the spirit of the original while incorporating some Italian slang. The play's look and sound are also being reimagined, with minimalist sets, stylized costumes, and video projections, creating a new interpretation that challenges the traditional naturalistic sets and dialogue of Wilson's works. This translation and adaptation of 'Jitney' raises a deeper question: How can we bring the essence of a play from one culture to another while preserving its original meaning and impact? The success of this translation and tour could cement Wilson's work as a modern classic, inspiring a new generation of theatergoers and artists.
