At a time of eagerness to break cycles, Wilson’s continues to endure as a vivid vehicle for often overlooked histories. The Piano Lesson is part of Wilson’s sweeping Century Cycle, a series of 10 plays, nearly all set in Pittsburgh, that chronicle Black life in each decade of the 20th century. Jackson in the Pulitzer-winning drama’s first Broadway revival, currently at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. “There is something spiritual and metaphysical in our lives standing in for those things that we don’t face,” says LaTanya Richardson Jackson, who directs her husband Samuel L. You can get in on the magic behind this striking Broadway revival from now until the show’s closing on Sunday, January 15th.A ghost haunts the family at the center of The Piano Lesson, August Wilson’s keen reflection on the reverberations of slavery through its descendants’ pursuit of the American dream. The group exuberantly sings a song aptly titled, “Work Song”, while clapping their hands and stomping their feet to the beat singing, “when you marry, don’t marry no farming man, hoh-ah.”īetween this production of The Piano Lesson’s unique supernatural elements, (occasionally involving wispy smoke emitting from downstage), upstanding performances, and profound story, one is certainly in for a memorable theatrical experience. One particular prominent moment during this production involved a rhythmic number performed by Potts, Washington, Fisher, and Jackson while gathered around a kitchen table.
Particularly stand-out performances were seen by Washington, as his character, Willy Boys’ anger could be felt vibrating across the theater.Īnother comes from a romantic moment shared between Berniece and Lymon, which involved Bernice giving into her sensuality as a woman and allowing herself to be desired – this brought on a couple of “woo’s” echoing amongst the audience. Throughout the duration of the 2-hour and 20-minute play, the audience witnesses a growing tension amongst the family, as they unravel years of pent-up grief.
Willie Boy’s persistence to sell the piano begins to draw unwanted attention not only from his family but also from a ghost named Sutter, roaming the halls of the Carles family home. As the piano is a family heirloom, one which Bernice and Willie Boy’s father “stole” back from a slave owner years prior, it visibly refuses to budge from its placement in the family living room.
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