The Piano Lesson

A Noise Within continues its commitment to August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle” with The Piano Lesson, the fourth play in Wilson’s extraordinary 10-play cycle that explores the Black experience in 20th century America decade-by decade. A captivating story about legacy, identity and cultural heritage unfolds in 1930s Pittsburgh, where a brother and sister are locked in a bitter dispute. At the center of their debate is a precious family heirloom—a piano with the faces of their ancestors carved into it. While one sees an important history worth preserving, the other sees the key to unlocking a brighter future. In Wilson’s enthralling prose, this Pulitzer Prize-winning play weaves together elements of history and spirituality, creating a haunting story about reckoning with a complicated past.