Review: August Wilson’s THE PIANO LESSON at Two River Theater-Outstanding

“You can’t sell your soul for money.” by Berniece in The Piano Lesson

Two River Theater (TRT) is currently presenting a stellar production of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, The Piano Lesson, through October 4. Superbly directed by Francois Battiste, the play is the ideal choice to launch the theater's 2026/27 Season. It continues TRT’s commitment to staging all ten plays in August Wilson’s “Century Cycle.” The show premiered on Broadway in 1990 and is considered one of the author’s most treasured works.

In finely wrought phrases that capture the essence of the African American experience, The Piano Lesson leads us into an interrogation of the social injustice in our country’s history. The story is set in Pittsburgh in 1936, when the Charles family’s turbulent past is revealed. Berniece, a single mother, and her brother Boy Willie, a fast-talking schemer, argue over the value of a hand carved piano, a beautiful heirloom. Willie wants to sell it and use the money to buy land in the South where their family once toiled as slaves, while Berniece considers the piano an integral part of the family’s legacy.

The cast is nothing short of brilliant as they master their respective roles and deliver powerful performances. The company includes Brandon Micheal Hall as Boy Willie; Keith Randolph Smith as Doaker Charles; Danielle Moné Truitt as Berniece; Elaán Battiste as Maretha; J. Bernard Calloway as Wining Boy; Arden Carethers as Grace; Brian D. Coats as Avery; and Joshua Echebiri as Lymon.

Wilson’s engrossing dialogue creates intense drama along with shades of humor throughout The Piano Lesson. Audience members will be captivated by moments such as Boy Willie and Lymon first entering the family home; Avery telling Berniece about his ministry and proposing marriage; Wining Boy selling Lymon a suit; Doaker talking about the history of the family and describing the significance of the carvings in the piano; Young Maretha mounting the stairs and yelling after seeing a ghost; Boy Willie bringing Grace to the family home after a night out;  Berniece blaming Boy Willie for her husband Crawley’s death; Lymon and Boy Willie prepping the piano to be moved; Avery coming to bless the house; and Berniece sitting down to the piano.

We applaud the Creative Team for their outstanding work. The Team includes scenic design by Junghyun Georgia Lee; costume design by Karen Perry; lighting design by Yuki Link;  sound design by Megumi Katayama; and wig, hair and makeup design by Wig, Cici Campbell.  The Music Supervisor and Composer is Ulysses Owens; the Music Director is Matt Grandy; the Fight Director and Intimacy Director is Teniece Divya Johnson.  The Production Stage Manager is Kevin Jinghong Zhu, and Assistant Stage Manager is Matthew Rohan.

Congratulations to Two River Theater’s Artistic Director, Justin Waldman and Managing Director, Nora DeVeau-Rosen on presenting The Piano Lesson as a great opening to the exciting season ahead.

Tickets for The Piano Lesson start at $35.  It is being performed in the Joan and Robert Rechnitz Theater located at 21 Bridge Avenue in Red Bank.  For more information and ticketing please visit www.tworivertheater.org and call 732.345.1400.

Photo Credit: Michael Hull

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