Piano Lessons - Essay Example

Piano lessons I watched the play Piano Lessons on the 8th of May at Stagehouse Theatre at Grossmont College in the evening since I had to attend classes during the day. The play started at 7:30 and ended at 10:15 pm. I was already exhausted and sleepy because I had had a very busy day attending classes, taking care of my mother and had to see a doctor as well. The story is about a dilemma facing a family whose ancestors had been slaves. While Willie wants to sell a piano that is their family heirloom so that he can purchase some piece of land, his sister wants to keep the piano since it reminds her of her past. In their different ways, they try to get a better future though in different ways. Slavery had been an issue in the past, and black Americans have been trying to free themselves from that kind of an image. For decades, they have tried to build their future and struggle to ensure that their children have a better future and also to gain the same status as the white people. As they try to build a better tomorrow for themselves, they need to overcome some issues including poverty. The main character was played by Glynn Long, who was not only very attractive and pleasant to see but also gave an excellent performance portraying his character with the needed and appropriate emotion. He managed to pass the message and portray the character as it was meant to be. He seemed to be a natural actor as his lines did not seem rehearsed, and he gave the words meaning. He also connected with the audience such that people were able to understand his sentiments and even agree with him. Since he was the lead character and performed very well, brought out the emotion of the character and even moved the audience making the play was authentic. Like all the men, he would rather get an investment for his family rather than keep the piano as an emotional token. His first importance is securing a better future for the family rather than keeping the piano. In his mind, he probably feels that the piano would be more useful if sold than if it were just kept in the house. Bernice character was played by Janelle Wilson, and she also performed very well. She was very emotional in her plight and tried to explain her side as much as she could. She is emotional and uses her womanly charms to convince her brother not to sell the piano that she seems to treasure so much. She had planned to keep the piano and give to her daughter as it contained memories of her parents and her ancestors. The play takes place in 1936 which is when the black people were fighting for their freedom and were trying to establish themselves. They had been slaves for quite a long time and after slavery was abolished the black population tried to build their lives and make a future for themselves. However, Bernice holds on to the past as a way of embracing her past. It serves as a reminder of how her ancestors were and the evils of slavery that they went through. The setting and the arrangement of the scene represents most households at the time. The audience can see that they were not doing very well as there are only essential things in the house. There are very little items that would be considered luxurious items. Hence the need for Boy Willie to sell the piano that was hardly used to make their lives much better. The set design by Danielle Dudley was perfect and creates takes back the audience to 1936 if only temporarily. The set is not modern and the lighting makes the picture even more believable. At the time, the black people could barely afford electricity hence used lamps at night for their lighting. The light is not too bright as is common today but just bright enough to be able to see around. Craig Everett, the lighting designer, did justice to the lighting and ensuring that the background of the play fit perfectly with the time of the day. Additionally, everyone from the audience could see all corners of the stage without straining. Probably the setting of the stage and the lighting enabled easy viewing from all the corners. The lighting is also the same as the one used in 1936 where there was no electricity. There are only lamps that are used for lighting the entire house as opposed to bright light used today. The lighting serves to enhance authenticity of the play and make it appear more real especially in regards to the time in which the play is set. One would expect that there would be some music in a play named piano lessons; instead, there is no music at all. The only sound the piano gives is when it is moved and instead of real music, it serves to provide suspense. There is also the song that is sung by the men. The song was common among slaves during the slavery period. The men sang the song so well that they moved the audience to a standing ovation. They were reminiscing of the old times and also perhaps trying to connect with their past in one way or another. Since the piano is the focal point of the play, every time it is moved, the audience wonders whether it will be sold or will be left in the house. The fact that the setting of the entire play is set in one place is a bit monotonous. Changing the settings in the different scenes would have made the play a bit more interesting and also given a more clear view of what was happening. The piano stands in its corner signifying its importance in the play. The actors were also dressed in the appropriately for the time the play was set in as women are covered completely with cloaks and head covers. The dressing takes the audience back to the actual time that the play characterizes. The dressing, furthermore, is very modest and simple and covers most parts of the body unlike the mode of dressing today. The audience had a strong connection with the different characters in the play as they took sides. They were captured by the acting portrayed as it was clear that each side hoped for their side to finally win the dilemma. This shows that the acting was excellent that the people were able to connect with the events of the play. In conclusion, the players played a huge role in ensuring that the message of the end of slavery is passed on to the audience. The audience could see the dilemma that the black people faced during the post-slavery period. Works Cited The Piano Lessons. By August Wilson. Grossmont College. Stagehouse Theatre, El-Cajon. 8 May 2015. Read More