“The Piano Lesson”

The Piano Lesson is set in Pittsburgh in 1936, with all the activity taking location in the dwelling of Doaker Charles. A 137-year-old, upright piano, adorned with totems in the kind of African sculpture, overrides the parlor.

The play was motivated by Romare Bearden's decorating Piano Lesson. It is set in Pittsburgh in 1936 and focuses upon the connection between the Charles siblings, Berniece and Boy Willie, who conflict over if or not their family's piano should be sold. In the mid-nineteenth 100 years, when the Charles family were slaves, two constituents of the family were traded by ...