The Actors’ Group production of August Wilson’s contemporary urban drama, "Radio Golf," is two shows in one. One consists of the performances of five veteran actors — one in his Hawaii debut — portraying vividly written characters in a compelling story about enterprising African-Americans in Pittsburgh in the 1990s.

The second is cast member Curtis Duncan’s bravura performance as a mysterious, possiblypsychotic character named Elder Joseph "Old Joe" Barlow. Barlow’s claim that he owns a run-down house in an area zoned for redevelopment could prevent a land development company from moving forward with the project.

Is Old Joe crazy? Or is it a game he’s running for his own reasons?

Duncan and director Lillian Jones leave that question open, but the show is a marvelous platform for the former as he displays his range as an actor. In some scenes Old Joe seems a stereotypical clown or wise fool. In others he is a provocateur. During a scene in which Old Joe talks about World War II, Duncan’s explosive performance sears the soul and changes our take on the character.

All this happens even though Old Joe initially seems peripheral to the story.

Harmond Wilkes (J. Edward Murray), a third-generation entrepreneur, his ambitious wife, Mame Wilkes (Terry Brookhart), and his friend, Roosevelt Hicks (Derrick Brown), are preparing to redevelop a run-down section of Pittsburgh. Wilkes is also planning to be Pittsburgh’s first black mayor. Hicks has just been made a vice president of Mellon Bank and has been offered a financially rewarding position as the front man in the purchase of a local radio station. (His participation will qualify the group for tax breaks as a minority-owned business.)

Then comes word that a crazy old man is painting one of the houses that is going to be torn down.

Murray makes his local stage debut a memorable one with a solid all-around performance as an earnest and well-educated man, born of privilege, who wants to do the right thing.

Brown, the foundation of several previous TAG productions, is again in top form. His character Hicks is a self-made man who may not be quite as sharp as he thinks he is. He overcame the handicaps of race and poverty and, therefore, has no patience for "N-words" who sit around blaming the world for their problems. Brown gives a powerful performance in a provocative role.

Quantae Love brings commanding stage presence to the role of Sterling Johnson, a self-employed painter who grew up disadvantaged and made some bad choices but turned his life around. Love exudes an aura of quiet menace that makes him eminently watchable even when Johnson is a silent observer.

Social and cultural questions percolate through the story. Is an African-American "selling out" if he or she gets an education and chooses to fit in with mainstream white culture to get ahead? Is Hicks wrong to accept the financial opportunities being a front man offers him? A scene in which Hicks and Johnson exchange insults presents several perspectives on those questions in challenging form.

(Note: Curtis Duncan will appear as Sterling Johnson and Deborah Pearson will play Old Joe during this weekend’s shows.)