WHITE CENTER, Wash. — When Acts on Stage theatre opened in 2020, the idea was to center the voices and talents of people of color and people of faith.
Their production of "Two Trains Running" by award-winning playwright August Wilson, is an extension of that mission.
"'Two Trains Running' is about self-worth. Every character is in a place of, 'This is what I'm worth and I'm not settling for less,'" explained Isiah Anderson, Jr., the show's director.
Anderson is a fixture in the Seattle theatre scene, known for his work directing Seattle's Teen Summer Musical.
Michelle Lang-Raymond served as music director and co-founded Acts on Stage Theatre.
Despite the pandemic, their virtual and in-person shows found an audience, with productions that dealt with the criminal justice system, stereotypes and with this latest production, urban planning.
"Two Trains Running" centers around an African-American neighborhood in the '60s and the owner of a beloved diner, who's trying to hold on to his business.
"It's a piece of property that the city has said has to go. We're going to buy it or take it from you," Anderson explained.
Most of the actors didn't know a lot about August Wilson before this production, but now have a heightened sense of gratitude for his work.
"It's real. It's raw. There's no cut to it. It is what it is. He (August Wilson) uses our ups and downs to show how brilliant and successful we really are," shared Craig Jackson, one of the actors in the show.
It's a reflection of the times and of resiliency, thanks to a theater making sure the story lives on.
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