About the book
The revival of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play starring Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Brooks, and John David Washington is now on Broadway!
Winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play, this modern American classic is about family, and the legacy of slavery in America.
August Wilson has already given the American theater such spell-binding plays about the black experience in 20th-century America as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fences. In his second Pulitzer Prize-winner, The Piano Lesson, Wilson has fashioned perhaps his most haunting and dramatic work.
At the heart of the play stands the ornately carved upright piano which, as the Charles family's prized, hard-won possession, has been gathering dust in the parlor of Berniece Charles's Pittsburgh home. When Boy Willie, Berniece's exuberant brother, bursts into her life with his dream of buying the same Mississippi land that his family had worked as slaves, he plans to sell their antique piano for the hard cash he needs to stake his future. But Berniece refuses to sell, clinging to the piano as a reminder of the history that is their family legacy. This dilemma is the real \"piano lesson,\" reminding us that blacks are often deprived both of the symbols of their past and of opportunity in the present.
Editions of The Piano Lesson
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780525249269
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780452265349
- EBook
- ISBN 9780593087596
Read an Excerpt
The revival of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play starring Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Brooks, and John David Washington is now on Broadway!
Winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play, this modern American classic is about family, and the legacy of slavery in America.
August Wilson has already given the American theater such spell-binding plays about the black experience in 20th-century America as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fences. In his second Pulitzer Prize-winner, The Piano Lesson, Wilson has fashioned perhaps his most haunting and dramatic work.
At the heart of the play stands the ornately carved upright piano which, as the Charles family's prized, hard-won possession, has been gathering dust in the parlor of Berniece Charles's Pittsburgh home. When Boy Willie, Berniece's exuberant brother, bursts into her life with his dream of buying the same Mississippi land that his family had worked as slaves, he plans to sell their antique piano for the hard cash he needs to stake his future. But Berniece refuses to sell, clinging to the piano as a reminder of the history that is their family legacy. This dilemma is the real \"piano lesson,\" reminding us that blacks are often deprived both of the symbols of their past and of opportunity in the present.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Piano Lesson about?
The revival of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play starring Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Brooks, and John David Washington is now on Broadway!
Winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play, this modern American classic is about family, and the legacy of slavery in America.
August Wilson has already given the American theater such spell-binding plays about the black experience in 20th-century America as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fences. In his second Pulitzer Prize-winner, The Piano Lesson, Wilson has fashioned perhaps his most haunting and dramatic work.
At the heart of the play stands the ornately carved upright piano which, as the Charles family's prized, hard-won possession, has been gathering dust in the parlor of Berniece Charles's Pittsburgh home. When Boy Willie, Berniece's exuberant brother, bursts into her life with his dream of buying the same Mississippi land that his family had worked as slaves, he plans to sell their antique piano for the hard cash he needs to stake his future. But Berniece refuses to sell, clinging to the piano as a reminder of the history that is their family legacy. This dilemma is the real \"piano lesson,\" reminding us that blacks are often deprived both of the symbols of their past and of opportunity in the present.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Piano Lesson?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Plays, playscripts, drama
Where can I read a sample of The Piano Lesson?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780525249269
Is The Piano Lesson part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Drama, Plume
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Piano Lesson?
August Wilson
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Piano Lesson is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780525249269) and paperback(ISBN 9780452265349) and ebook(ISBN 9780593087596)
Where can I buy The Piano Lesson online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The Piano Lesson from below
Where can I buy The Piano Lesson?