CRITICS' PICKS STAGE.

A powerful play: When August Wilson wrote ``Jitney'' in the late 1970s, he was not yet a national theater icon but an aspiring playwright on a hugely ambitious quest: to dramatize the African-American experience as it unfolded in each decade of the 20th century. Set in the author's native Pittsburgh, ``Jitney'' is Wilson's `70s installment of that epic cycle, and it tells the explosive, if surprisingly humorous, story of a group of black cab drivers whose business is about to be bulldozed in the name of progress. But it's also the story of a painful conflict between a morally upstanding father and a son who paid a terrible price for returning a racist slap, and now must move on with his life. While ``Jitney'' doesn't attain the lyrical eloquence and historical scope of Wilson's later masterpiece, ``Joe Turner's Come and Gone,'' you'd be hard pressed to find a better cast than the one assembled for the Mark Taper Forum's sparkling new production, which runs through March 19. Insight by insight and line by staccato line, the cast and director Marion McClinton make the case that ``Jitney,'' if not a great play, can be great theater. Call [phone].

- Reed Johnson 

ANIMAL CRACKERS: Generations of children and adults who've been charmed by Richard Scarry's endearingly anthropomorphic animals will have no trouble recognizing characters like Lowly Worm, Huckle Cat and Billy Dog. Chances are they've been exposed to them through books, TV programs, computer software or all of the above. But if you're eager to divert your youngsters' attention from virtual reality to the real thing, consider taking them to the live, stage version of ``Richard Scarry's Busytown'' playing Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre. Written by Karen Abbott, this adaptation of the ``Busytown'' animated TV series was developed by the Omaha Theater Company, one of the oldest and largest children's theater troupes in the nation, and features the aforementioned characters (among others) plus music, fast action, audience participation and lots of bouncing beach balls. Tickets are $15. Call [phone].

- Reed Johnson

MUSIC

Sealed with a song: For more than two decades, Frank ``Son'' Seals has delivered some of the best examples of electric Chicago blues available.

Seals sings and plays guitar with rough, gruff intensity, performing every song like his life depended on it. His swaggering repertoire tells the story: ``Cold Blood,'' ``On My Knees,'' ``Hot Sauce,'' ``Help Me, Somebody.''

Seals appears Saturday at California State University, Los Angeles' Luckman Fine Arts Complex as part of the Chicago Blues Part II event, sharing the bill with Sugar Blue and the Delgado Brothers with John ``Juke'' Logan.

Grammy-winning harp virtuoso Sugar Blue is best-known for his signature riff and solo on the Rolling Stones hit, ``Miss You.'' He has played with musicians ranging from Willie Dixon to Stan Getz to Frank Zappa to Bob Dylan.

Hard-rocking local outfit the Delgado Brothers is known for a funky mix of rhythm and blues. Logan, co-host of KLON-FM's Friday night ``Rhythm and Blues Revue,'' will join the quartet, singing and playing harp.

The Luckman Complex is at 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles. Show time is 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $25. Information: [phone].

- Fred Shuster

FILM

Giving his best: Whatever its flaws, ``The Hurricane'' triumphs due to Denzel Washington's championship performance. Yes, the scenario has its hokey moments and the veracity of the whole thing has been called into question by some who were there, but Washington's portrayal of Rubin ``Hurricane'' Carter - the boxer who spent two decades in prison for murders he did not commit - is arguably the greatest of his career.

The middle-age actor lost some 40 pounds and trained for more than a year to convincingly play the young fighter. Even more impressive, though, is how Washington charts Carter's inner evolution from seething anger to hopeless desperation to one of the most persuasive depictions of spiritual enlightenment ever filmed.

The movie's strenuous heart-tugging and self-righteousness may or may not work for you. But Washington's is truly an act you won't want to miss.

- Bob Strauss

TELEVISION

Weill away the hours: Yes, we know it's pronounced ``vile,'' not ``while,'' but isn't that a more acceptable pun than ``Get Weill''?

Kurt Weill's music is revisited in a winning retrospective in, of all places, the Museum of Television of Television and Radio beginning this weekend.

Two absorbing programs of the German composer's dissonant stylings are available this weekend: A German TV version of ``The Three-Penny Opera,'' written in 1928 but set here in the gangland `30s, will be screened at 2 p.m. today and Sunday. Rolf Boysen gives sort of a German impersonation of Edward G. Robinson in his portrayal of famed thug Mack the Knife. Another European production, ``September Songs,'' screening at 2 p.m. Saturday, Thursday and Feb. 19, offers visually arresting interpretations of Weill's songs as performed by Lou Reed, Elvis Costello and the Brodsky String Quartet, P.J. Harvey, William S. Burroughs and Nick Cave, all ingeniously shot inside an airplane hangar.

A variety of other programs will be offered through March 19; the museum's tribute to Lucille Ball is likewise continuing. The museum is at 465 N. Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, and will answer all questions at [phone].

- David Kronke

CAPTION(S):

5 photos

Photo: (1) Russell Hornsby and Michole Briana White appear in August Wilson's ``Jitney'' through March 19 at the Mark Taper Forum.

(2) Frank ``Son'' Seals joins other artists at Cal State L.A. for the Chicago Blues Part II event.

(3) Denzel Washington gives a strong performance in ``The Hurricane.''

(4) ``Busytown'' comes to Pepperdine University at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday.

(5) A tribute to Lucille Ball.