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There were moments that made me hold my breath. That turned a light on to deeper understanding. That made me laugh out loud at a shared experience. That filled me with sadness and frustration.

As with all of August Wilson's titles in his 10-play cycle, "Radio Golf" is fat with substance and contemporary relevance — from life wisdom to moral insight to human relations to race relations.

The John Beasley Theater's production of "Radio Golf," which opened Friday, marks the completion of its staging of all 10 plays, each set in a different decade of the 20th century and each chronicling a different facet of the black experience in America.

As usual, the Beasley brings a strong cast, excellent staging, a detailed scenic design (this one by Shane Staiger) and the expertise of finding the poetic rhythms in Wilson's careful prose.

Opening night Friday produced a few snags with light and sound cues, but the only crucial thing missing was pacing. Back to that in a minute. First, a bit about the story.

Set in 1997 in Pittsburgh's Hill District, "Radio Golf" centers on Harmond Wilks (Tyrone Beasley), a successful black real estate developer about to run for mayor. His wife, Mame (TammyRa'), is being courted to become the governor's press secretary.

His business partner, Roosevelt Hicks (Raydell Cordell III), is a well-connected bank vice president obsessed with golf. The two of them are about to close a multimillion-dollar deal on a high-rise combination of housing, shops and more for the Hill District.

But then Old Joe (John Beasley) shows up. Claims he didn't get notice his house was being sold for back taxes. Wants to stop demolition for Harmond's project. A paperwork check reveals the house belonged to Aunt Esther — the moral and historical center of the earlier plays — and the deed problem is real.

At least, it is if Harmond does what's right and not what's expedient.

Old Joe and Sterling Johnson (Andre' McGraw), a blue-collar construction worker looking for a job, become nagging consciences. While they pull Harmond one way, Mame and Roosevelt tug the other way.

Brilliant ensemble work produces moment after moment of fine theater, such as when Harmond and his wife face the gulf between them; when Roosevelt and Harmond find the bottom line; when Sterling and Harmond dicker over rules of "the game"; when Harmond and Old Joe dig up buried history.

Yes, there were electric moments of drama and sharp comedic timing on display repeatedly. The story delves into the value of history, the cost of lost identity, the way compromise can chip away at your soul.

But Friday's audience had to be willing to wait . and wait . to absorb all the good stuff. The 75-page script, Wilson's shortest, filled more than two hours and 15 minutes, plus intermission.

Dramatic pauses? Always justified. But pauses between lines that contain less drama are harder to explain. A stutter here, a silent shuffling of feet there, suggested problems with remembering dialogue. A couple of spots felt like the conversation was circling, searching for a landing spot.

Second weekends are nearly always smoother than openers. "Radio Golf" plays three more weekends. The good stuff — wait for it — isn't going anywhere.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1269, bob.fischbach@owh.com