August Wilson's The Piano Lesson - Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

The past echoes in every chord.

By August Wilson
Directed by James Ijames

May 27 to June 14 | Schubert Theatre

—≠August Wilson’s Pulitzer and Tony-winning masterwork unfolds in 1936 Pittsburgh, where the Charles family struggles over an heirloom piano carved with the faces of their enslaved ancestors. Boy Willie arrives from Mississippi, determined to sell it to claim his future, while his sister Berniece guards the instrument as a sacred altar to their history. As their clash intensifies, the ghosts of the past begin to stir, forcing a reckoning with a legacy they can neither sell nor escape. PSF is proud to present this production directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames (Fat Ham).

“August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Running Time: 3 hours.

Content Advisory: This production contains references to slavery, racial violence, and family trauma, as well as supernatural elements and period-appropriate language including racial slurs. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

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Show Extras:

Opening Night, Friday, May 29: Join the PSF actors and staff for a friendly post-show champagne toast.
Meet the actors for an informal talk-back after the show: Thursday, June 4 and 11.
Audio Described performance: Saturday, May 30, 2:00pm.
Epilogues—Join us on a Saturday morning for a discussion and a behind-the-scenes look! Gain deeper insight, share your thoughts, and ask questions. Saturday, June 13, 10:00am.

Artists

Cast

Terrence Clowe*
Wining Boy

Akeem Davis*
Boy Willie

Leonice Diaz
Maretha

Kash Goins*
Doaker

Johnnie Hobbs III*
Avery

Jessica Johnson*
Berniece

Jessica Money
Grace

Christopher James Murray*
Lymon

Devin T. Dobson
Wining Boy/Boy Willie u/s

Jamir Fisher
Doaker, Lymon, Avery u/s

NeLa-Sharrelle
Berniece, Grace, Maretha u/s

Creatives

James Ijames
Director

Thom Weaver
Scenic & Lighting Designer

Jerrilyn Lanier Duckworth
Costume Designer

Liz Filios*
Sound Designer & Composer

Eli Lynn
Fight Director

Kim Carson
Intimacy Director

Jordan Fidalgo
Associate Director

Danielle Sellick*
Production Stage Manager

Karly Amato*
Assistant Stage Manager

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Stage Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

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August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson

Reviews

Paul Willistein, Lehigh Valley Press

"Hits all the right notes..." "Superbly directed..."

An Nichols, Broad Street Review

"An impeccable production.”

Gregory Fletcher, Stage and Cinema

"first-class performance" "Don't let this outstanding production pass you by."

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Show Features

Carrying the Song Forward: James Ijames on Directing The Piano Lesson

When August Wilson wrote The Piano Lesson, he placed a single object at the center of the play: a carved piano bearing the faces and stories of generations. Around that instrument, the play asks a question that echoes across Wilson’s Century Cycle. What do we inherit from the past, and what do we choose to carry forward?

PA Shakespeare Festival Opens 35th Anniversary with August Wilson's The Piano Lesson

Center Valley, PA—May 26, 2026—Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) opens its 2026 Summer Theatre Series and landmark 35th Anniversary Season with August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning drama The Piano Lesson, running May 27 through June 14 in the Schubert Theatre at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of DeSales University.