There is an acting masterclass on Broadway in the new revival of one of theater’s most prolific playwrights. August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson starring Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, and Danielle Brooks is open at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and it’s the epitome of quality theater.
August Wilson wrote The Piano Lesson in 1987, in the middle of The Pittsburgh Cycle, the series of plays he wrote all set in his hometown’s Hill District each in a different decade. The original Broadway production opened in 1990 and received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The very first production was done at the Yale Repertory Theatre and featured a young Samuel L. Jackson. Years later, he would come full circle in helping to bring this excellent work back to Broadway.
The Piano Lesson tells a layered story of the Charles family in the historically Black Hill District of Pittsburgh in 1936. Doaker lives there with his widowed niece Berniece and her young daughter. Throughout the play, they receive visits from Berniece’s brother Boy Willie, his friend Lymon, Berniece’s courter Avery, and Doaker’s brother Wining Boy. The centerpiece of the play is a piano, a family heirloom passed down for generations. It was carved by Berniece and Boy Willie’s great-grandfather, an enslaved carpenter who sculpted his family’s faces and history into the piano. Their grandfather was traded as a boy by the slaver Sutter in exchange for the piano, and their father Boy Charles became obsessed with getting the piano back. To Boy Charles, his family was never truly free as long as their property was held by their ancestors’ slaver. Boy Charles and his brothers successfully stole the piano from the Sutters but when he was fleeing on a train, Boy Charles’ boxcar was set on fire and he died. The piano was safe with the family but it now took on an extra meaning, with Berniece and Boy Willie’s dad having died for it. Sutter later died mysteriously by falling down a well, and his ghost is occasionally seen in the same house as the piano.
The dispute comes when Boy Willie returns to Pittsburgh from the south, where he has the opportunity to buy the Sutter plantation upon which his family used to be enslaved. Willie wants to sell the piano and use the money to build capital. Berniece on the other hand blames Boy Willie’s actions for her husband getting killed by a sheriff. She isn’t remotely persuaded by her brother’s arguments, she instead cherishes the piano as a priceless representation of her late parents. Their uncle Doaker acts as a neutral observer and calm head amidst family strife. Both sides make compelling cases and while Boy Willie is as brash as Berniece is resistant, Wilson’s writing makes you fully empathize with both of their perspectives.
The acting in this performance was truly phenomenal. Samuel L. Jackson as Doaker Charles absorbs himself into the role and you forget you’re watching the highest-grossing film actor in the country. The history he brings to the production is invaluable and his acting chops are as strong as ever. The superstar emerging from this production is the man playing the role Jackson originated, John David Washington as Boy Willie. Washington, the son of Denzel, rose to prominence with roles on HBO’s Ballers and in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman after a modest football career. He’s been excellent in everything I’ve seen him in, but he’s on a completely new level in this play. John David possesses all of the charisma, mannerisms, and even voice that made his father one of the most admired actors on the planet. Anytime he’s on stage, his performance draws you in, which elevates his character’s appeal. With this performance, John David Washington proves he belongs as one of the brightest rising stars in the industry.
Unfortunately, I can’t comment on the performance of Danielle Brooks, who was out with COVID during my performance. However, the rest of the principal cast was stellar. Michael Potts, a veteran of stage and screen, was a joy as Doaker’s brother Wining Boy. In addition to playing it up as a swindler, he shows off his singing and piano playing skills as well. Stealing scenes is newcomer Ray Fisher as Boy Willie’s friend Lymon. The character is a simple man, but Fisher’s line delivery is consistently perfect. His portrayal of the character is both earnest and hilarious, some of his physical comedy and one-liners got the biggest laughs of the night. Also admirable are Trai Byers as Avery and April Matthis as Grace.
This production is helmed by first-time director LaTanya Richardson Jackson, an experienced actress and the wife of Samuel L. Jackson, making this a family affair. Her vision for the play was clear and the spooky supernatural element of Sutter’s ghost was executed well. The atmosphere she created transported the audience to the Hill District and the set, designed by Beowulf Boritt, felt authentic.
It’s not often to see a production of a play firing on all cylinders like The Piano Lesson is. It’s an important work with profound themes and well-rounded characters, brought to life in this production by an impressive director and stellar acting from top to bottom. The Piano Lesson will leave you feeling enriched and pondering your own family’s legacies as well.