In celebration of black history month William Peace University put on its version of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson.” The story, which takes place in post-Great Depression Pittsburgh revolves around a family’s piano and the tension amongst siblings and their ideas for the piano’s fate. Boy Willie, the leading male (Jarrett Bennet), and his good friend Lymon (Josh Walker) visit Boy Willie’s sister Bernice (Ebony Miles) hoping to convince her to sell the piano that has been in the family for years. Bernice holds on tight to the piano and her family, while Boy Willie is looking to make a profit off of it in order to buy some land down south. The story peaks when the ghost shows up at the house and supernatural happenings take place causing Bernice to actually play the piano for the first time in years. Except for several slightly confusing moments when the actors’ lines were mixed up, the production was a success. Each actor transformed into their respective part extremely well, showing that as actors, they took separate journeys to play the part of older adults. Miles stole the show with her serious and intense demeanor. It was a pleasant surprise to see her develop into Bernice and still give a bit of her typical attitude. The set and lighting for the show worked well with the theme and the actors utilized it well. Leggett Theatre became a home in Pittsburgh and took the audience along with it. Overall I give the show my approval and send a congratulations to the cast for their hard work and solid performance.
