The Broadway revival of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson will begin previews September 19 prior to an official opening October 13. The star-studded production features Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, and Danielle Brooks.
“The Piano Lesson is about legacy. It is about remembering those that came before you—also building on what those that came before you left,” shares Brooks. Watch the video above for the full interview.
The cast also features Trai Byers, Ray Fisher, April Matthis, and Michael Potts, and Nadia Daniel and Jurnee Elizabeth Swan alternating the role of Maretha. Understudies will be Shirine Babb, Charles Browning, Peter Jay Fernandez, Sharina Martin, Warner Miller, Doron JePaul Mitchell, and Kim Sullivan.
Watch: See The Piano Lesson Marquee Go Up at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre
The Piano Lesson is the fourth in Wilson's Century Cycle, which explores the Black experience in every decade of the 20th century with such works as Fences, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and Jitney, among others. The work is set in Pittsburgh's Hill District in 1936, with a brother and sister embroiled in a battle over a family heirloom piano carved with the faces of their ancestors. The upcoming production will be its first Broadway revival.
The production will also have scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by Scott Lehrer, and wig design by Cookie Jordan. Tony Award honoree Jason Michael Webb will compose new music for the revival.