THE PIANO LESSON Opens This Month At Long Beach Playhouse

The Piano Lesson by August Wilson will begin performances at Long Beach Playhouse on February 22 and will run to March 22, 2025.

August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize winning play, THE PIANO LESSON is part of the playwright's Pittsburg Series of ten shows set in that town. In addition to a Pulitzer, the play received several Tony Awards nominations and awards.

Set during the Great Depression, in 1936, the play offers opposing viewpoints. Is the piano simply a piano, or is a vessel of history that must be kept to honor the Charles' family's past? Or does the piano, and the history it bears, need to be released to move forward?

For Berniece, history is deep in her being. The carvings of the family's enslaved ancestors were carved into it by their great-grandfather. She remembers the way her mother polished the piano until her hands bled and her blood became part its finish. Boy Willie wants to sell the piano and use the money to buy the property where their relatives worked the land as slaves; to him, that is redemption.

Rovin Jay, a veteran of the theater scene with more than 20 years' experience is the shows' director. He is a graduate of CSU Fullerton's theater arts program and his work can be seen in shows through the area. He is also a live entertainment show director at Knott's Berry Farm, America's oldest theme park. In 2019, Jay directed Wilson's Seven Guitars, another of the Pittsburg Series, at the Playhouse. He also serves on the Playhouse Board of Directors.

Sean Gray, Artistic Director for the Playhouse, was confident Jay was the right director for the show. Gray, said, “It's a story that straddles the past and the present with elements of history and spirituality. It's a complicated story, and I knew Rovin would do it justice.”

Madison Mooney, Playhouse Executive Director, said, “Rovin always brings special touches to his work. One of the most breathtakingly beautiful shows the Playhouse has ever done was in 2018, when Rovin directed Charlayne Woodard's play Flight. It was set on plantation and spoke to the cruelty of family separation. In The Piano Lesson, the instrument holds the secret of the price paid by the enslavers – and those they enslaved - to buy the piano. Just like he did for Flight, Rovin makes the story haunting, truthful, and memorable.”

The show's eight-member cast is a mix of returning and debuting actors. Returning are Ben Pettis, and Danielle Davis. Making their debuts are Maurice G. Smith, Keenan Carver, Kalia, Johnson, Keven Benbrow, Landon Moss, and Rhyver White.

“This show will remind us all that the past lives on in the family we know, and the family we never knew,” said Mooney. “It's a great show, don't miss it.”

This production is sponsored by The Port of Long Beach.

SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THIS PLAY:

·      Pay what you can Thursday, February 20 – the community can see this production for whatever they can afford

·      Ten Dollar Preview Friday February 21 – all tickets are $10.00

·      Opening Night Champagne Reception with cast on February 22 - Tickets are $35.00 Sponsored by The Port of Long Beach

TICKET PRICES

Thursday and Friday: Adults are $25.00, Seniors $20.00, and Students $20.00

Saturday and Sunday: Adults are $30.00, Seniors $25.00, and Students $20.00.

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