« "The Piano Lesson" is well acted with bizarre plot »

Rating: 3 out of Fordyce

Now through April 3, The Piano Lesson is on stage at the Performance Netowrk Theare in Ann Arbor. This August Wilson play follows an extended African American family on its journey through part of the Depression in Pittsburgh.

 
Lets start by saying this is a fine production. The cast is professional and perfect. Lisa Lauren Smith is the stand-out of this bunch as Berniece. She is the center of our story and the woman who must deal with her male relatives, her young daughter, and the haunting memory of a lost love. Brian Marabel is Boy Willie, her brother and the source of much of the conflict in this play when he shows up unannounced and makes a demand on Berniece that is too much for her to bear. The show we saw had cute little Kayla Lumpkin as Maretha; she is one of two young actresses rotating the role of the daughter.

Director Tim Rhoze did a marvelous job leading this cast, and the set was perfect. Hats off to the lighting designers and operators. The lighting changed indoors and out to match the time of day in the script, giving an ambiance that was perfect without being obvious.
 
The only problem I had with this show was the script. There is a “spiritual” element to the plot that in my opinion was a little far fetched, and the ending hinged on that part of the plot and did little for me. All of the sudden, this long play was over and I was disappointed.

The Piano Lesson gets a good three out of Fordyce. It lost points for the plot, not the performance.