1st Stage: The Piano Lesson

Catching "The Piano Lesson" marks my 8th stage production out of the 10 that make up August Wilson's magnificent Century Cycle.  Each play marks a different decade of the Twentieth Century, all but one, set in Pittsburgh.  They were not written in chronological order.  In the 30 years that he worked on them, some of the earlier plays were also updated along the way.  The Piano Lesson represents the 1930's and nothing to do with teaching anyone to play the piano.  Rather it is about the lessons that a piano teaches a family--the wounds it inflicts, the histories it conceals and reveals, the ghost it hosts, and the grace that excising that ghost brings.

Like her other plays, he loves his characters.  He creates a band of witnesses as vibrant as any William Shakespeare ever did.  He is an actor's playwright.  And when they embrace the challenge, and are up to the task--it's utter magic.  

This was a wonderful cast.  Led by a pair of exceptional actors in the roles of Berniece played by Deidra Lawan Starnes, and Boy Willie played by Ronald Eli.  I've seen both before do exceptional work and I was so not disappointed.  Both just embraced the Brother - Sister dynamic with conviction and humanity.  A trademark of Wilson's dialogue is repetition of central ideas.  A character has an idea to share, and they share it over and over again.  It sets a defined scope for a character, but can be annoying without a total conviction that makes it sound like every retelling is the first telling.  Ronald Eli absolutely nailed it.  Deidra Lawan Starnes was the emotional compass of the play.  Her ability to handle the full range of feelings with a mixture of finesse and abandon created not only a believably neurotic protagonist, but one that is also infinitely relatable.  An additional shout out goes to Shawn Sebastian Naar at Lymon, the young southern black man in search of a better life in the north--a prototype that appears in a couple of Wilson's Century Cycle Plays.  He was sweet, and charming, and even downright funny.  In a key scene with Berniece, he held his own and shown without overshadowing his co-actor.  

The costumes were fine, the set basic and functional, a couple of the props, including the piano, were exquisite.

Ronald Eli as Willie Boy

Deidra Lwan Starnes as Berniece

L-R: Addison Switzer as Wining Boy, James J. Johnson as Doaker, Ronald Eli, and Shawn Sebastian Naar as Lymon.

Berniece and Willie Boy argue as Lymon looks one helplessly

Hannah Taylor as Maretha with her uncle Willie Boy

Berniece with Rev. Avery (Johnnie Leon Hill)