Two Trains Running program - Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company

By August Wilson
Directed by Mark Clayton Southers
August 9th – 30th 2025
Madison Arts Center in the Carter Woodson Redwood Theater

We return to this August Wilson classic, which we last presented in 2008 (when the production was listed among the top ten plays of the DECADE by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).

Set in the turbulent 1960s, Memphis Lee fights for fair compensation when his only property, his restaurant, is targeted for demolition by the City in the name of urban renewal. Memphis is not alone in his fight for justice, fair wages and love as his employees and regulars face changes in the Hill District we still struggle with today.

Two Trains Running will be presented as part of August Wilson’s American Century Cycle Experience, three August Wilson classics, all running in August 2025 at Madison Arts Center and August Wilson House.

Fences Program

Ma Rainey Program

Cast

Memphis	Art Terry
Sterling	Manny Walker
Wolf	Boykin Anthony
Risa	Amira Jackson
Hambone	Loaf Thomas
Holloway	Brian Vincent Starks
West	Sheldon Ingram

Setting

XXX.

About the Cast

Boykin Anthony (Wolf) is a native of Pittsburgh, PA. He is an award-winning actor, writer, and director, known for his work in stage, television, and film. He is also the voice of Sheetz, having done hundreds of voice-overs for the company.

Sheldon Ingram (West) Two Trains Running is Sheldon’s first performance in an August Wilson play, and he calls it a wonderful privilege. This marks his second play for Pittsburgh Playwrights, previously playing Bendoo Ojabe in Art of Wise. Sheldon started his journey into acting in January, 2021, studying in three acting programs in New York and Los Angeles. His studies began with HB Studio in New York, before moving on to Andrew Wood Acting Studios in Los Angeles, and then the New York Academy for Performing Arts. Those studies included film, television, scene study, character analysis, Shakespeare, and movement. Sheldon also studies Techniques of Modern Realist Acting under his acting coach, Tom Kibbie in Cork, Ireland. Sheldon’s first acting role was in the Netflix film The Deliverance, directed by Academy Award-nominated director Lee Daniels. Sheldon landed two roles: the demon voice and a gynecologist. Sheldon’s other television and film credits include guest starring on Law & Order SVU, Lifetime movies Gaslit by My Husband and A Rose for Her Grave, as well as the lead role in the independent film House of Tears. His theater work includes A Soldier’s Play, by On Cue Productions, Norfolk, Va., Chicken and Biscuits, by New Horizon Theater Company, and Three Blind Mice, by the Becoming Arts Collective, both in Pittsburgh.

Amira F. Jackson (Risa) is a Pittsburgh native and interdisciplinary artist. Her artistic background is heavily rooted in screenwriting, directing, acting, and visual arts! Some of her favorite productions she’s been in are: Call Me By Any Other Name: A queer deconstruction of Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet), We are proud to Present… (Black Woman #6), Chicago (Emcee), and last but certainly not least, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s JaJa’s African Hair Braiding (Marie). Amira is so happy to be performing in her hometown and hopes you all enjoy the show!

Brian Vincent Starks (Holloway) has worked as the Marketing and Community Outreach Liaison for the Pittsburgh Public Theater, responsible for print and digital collateral distribution at events in the city, Allegheny County and online groups. While attending Peabody High School, Brian was given an apprenticeship by the Pittsburgh Black Theater Dance Ensemble where he excelled as a featured dancer of ballet, modern, ethnic, jazz, tap and Dunham. He has an extensive acting resume including film and television roles on New York Undercover and All My Children. He’s been featured in American Express, Kodak, K-Mart and Allegheny Health Care commercials. Brian has also starred in stage productions of The Wiz in Connecticut, To Kill a Mockingbird at the New Hazlett Theater, and August Wilson’s Two Trains Running, A Raisin in The Sun and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Harlem at the Pittsburgh Public Theater. He worked as Mayor Ed Gainey’s point photographer when Mayor Gainey was a PA State Legislator and is still called upon as a photographer for special political events.

Brian has been a mentor all his adult life, starting as the founding member of The Mechanical Wizzards Breakdancing group in the early 80s. He formed the group, training young men and women from the community in Chicago and Pittsburgh. The group became very successful, performing at entertainment venues across the country. At the Pittsburgh Public Theater, Brian has led tours and mentored at-risk youth by sharing how acting and the arts is a positive outlet for expression and growth that can transfer to other areas of their lives. He adds that arts can be a positive prevention from negative influences in an effort to bring hope and inspiration to youth.

Brian continues to teach the art of Hip Hop Breakdancing to youth in the community. Through his GoodStar Consulting, LLC., Brian and his partners were recently awarded the August Wilson Archive Community Artist-Scholarship. The award allowed youth ages 12-18 to combine an assortment of August Wilson monologues and scenes with Hip Hop music and dance choreography creating a visual experience. Last, but certainly not least, Brian provides community service to actively assist elderly living in senior homes with transportation and life care support. He is a proud father of three (Jonathan, Jocelyn and Cullen) and grandfather of six and counts his life a living testimony from God—to be a blessing of community service and loving support to others.

Art Terry (Memphis)

Loaf Thomas (Hambone) is thrilled to return to the stage with Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, marking his first theatrical performance in over a decade. He has appeared in Robert Johnson: Trick the Devil with New Horizon Theater, and in a production for the Black and White Festival. A seasoned entertainer, Loaf has been performing stand-up comedy for over 20 years with notable appearances on BET Comic View. With Loaf’s roots in both comedy and theater, he’s excited to bring his energy and passion back to the theatrical stage.

Manny Walker (Sterling) AKA BrothaMans is from the East Side of Pittsburgh. He is a self-taught songwriter, producer and poet, with musical theatre and marching band (drumline) background. He uses energy-infused rap lyrics & soulful emotional melodies to create a sense of creative duality to his music. While balancing the many responsibilities of being a recording artist, engineer and CEO of Man Made Studios, BrothaMans has found his way back on stage, acting and singing earlier this year in Javon Johnson’s Sanctified. You can find Manny’s music streaming on all platforms including YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music as “BrothaMans”.

Creative Team & Staff

Playwright	August Wilson
Director	Mark Clayton Southers
Stage Manager	Krystal Waller
Assistant Stage Manager	Ashley Southers
Assistant Stage Manager	Destiny Nwafor
Costume Designer	Cheryl El-Walker
Assistant Costume Designer	Jameelah Platt
Sound Designer	Wayne Gaines
Lighting Designer	Latrice Lovette
Assistant Lighting Designer	Ava Bosley
Prop Master	Sarah “Gracie” Jackson
Props	Austin Sills
Scenic Designer	Mark Clayton Southers
Scenic construction	Marcus Carl Southers, Darnell Chambers & Matt Southers
Scenic painter	TBD
Hair & Makeup	Cheryl El-Walker

About the Creative Team

Mark Clayton Southers (Director, Scenic Designer)

Destiny Nwafor (Assistant Stage Manager)

Ashley Southers (Assistant Stage Manager)

Latrice Lovette (Lighting Designer)

Krystal Waller (Stage Manager) is a recent graduate from the University of Louisville with an MFA in Performance/Theatre Arts. She has been captivating audiences since the age of 4, where she began as a dancer. Some of her most recent roles include: Clyde (Clyde’s), Escalus (Romeo and Juliet), Balthazar/2nd merchant (The Comedy of Errors), Adrian (The Tempest), Black Mary (Gem of the Ocean), Lou Bessie (The Old Settler), Jasmine (Fairview), and Nan (Gloria). Krystal also received a B.A. in Africana Studies with a minor in Theatre Arts from the University of Pittsburgh in April of 2020. She is committed to centering Black, female voices and uplifting Black feminist stories through a sociohistorical lens with her theatrical work. In her master’s thesis, she created a Black Femme performance praxis that decenters the White gaze while empowering Black women to tell their stories through their authentic voices. Additionally, she assistant-directed UofL’s 2024 production of Miss Holmes. Krystal is immensely grateful that her career has journeyed back home to the Steel City, where her passion for Black storytelling began.

Wayne Gaines (Sound Designer) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Wayne is a skilled designer/technician with over 25 years of experience in audio/visual design and production for television programs, commercials, radio, theatres, feature films, documentaries, arena/auditoriums and churches. He began his career in sound design and technology with Braddock Films in Pittsburgh, PA. Among his credits is the award-winning documentary, Struggles in Steel. He is also the 2006 Onyx Award winner for his sound design for Seven Guitars, the 2007 winner for Sarafina, and the 2008 winner for Good Black Don’t Crack, all productions staged by Kuntu Repertory Theatre of Pittsburgh, PA. Waynes has worked with Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater on Ubuntu Holiday and most recently Sanctified. Wayne is pleased to be working with us again.

Jameelah Platt (Assistant Costume Designer) is an interdisciplinary artist with a background in Fine Art, Cinema History, and Archival Studies. She holds a BFA from Point Park University, where she focused on cinema production design and visual storytelling. Her creative practice is rooted in cultural ornamentation, historical research, and the preservation of Black narratives through visual art and design.

Jameelah has collaborated on student film productions including LEECH, Next Time Around, and Breakdown Boogie, and contributed to Joe Turner’s Come and Gone with the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company. She is also a member of Women of Visions, Inc., the longest-running collective of Black women visual artists in the United States. Through the collective, she has exhibited work at Red Dot Miami 2024, a curated contemporary art fair held during Art Basel Miami, as well as the Carnegie Museum of Art in 2022.

Cheryl El-Walker (Costumes, Hair, Makeup & Special Effects) is an award-winning costume designer and makeup artist who is also a veteran stage actor from Pittsburgh. She is the resident costume/makeup artist for the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company. Her creative work in various venues has earned her several Onyx awards from the African American Council of the Arts (AACTA): Best Make-up Artist (2007); Best Costume for a Musical for Christmas Is Coming Uptown (2008); Best Leading Actress for Freeman (New Horizon Theatre, 2008); Best Costume Design for a Play (Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012) and the PPTCO 2012 Legacy Award. In 2013, Cheryl debuted another one of her skills and received PPTCO’s Theater Festival in Black and White Award for Best Director. Most recently, Cheryl handled costumes, makeup and hair for Sanctified, Dinah and Radio Golf in PPTCO’s 2024 and 2025 seasons, while also performing in the first two, and appeared in The Nacirema Society for New Horizon. Cheryl is an alumna of Point Park University and is pleased to announce that she has done costume, makeup and special effects for all ten August Wilson plays.