The Piano Lesson (Broadway) NYC Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
Production Covid-19 Safety ProtocolsMember Reviews (321)
See it if Universal themes resound. To me this show was a perfect theatrical experience.
Don't see it if Nothing
See it if you love August Wilson's writing performed expertly by a superb cast and directed beautifully. Loved it!!!
Don't see it if you 3 hours is too long for you to enjoy theater.
See it if you like master classes in actor. Surprise treats of heartfelt musical numbers. Star power.
Don't see it if A show lasting 3 hours is beyond your attention span.
See it if you like August Wilson.I think this is one of his best.Cast is excellent.
Don't see it if you are a racist pig! I found the set to be a bit top heavy and too much for the play. Overwhelmed the actors in some scenes.See it anyhow!
See it if A compelling spooky drama is beautifully costumed&acted on a greatly decked-out B'way stage.Brava2LaTaniaJackson who directs famed hubby!*
Don't see it if Yes, the almost 3-hour play is too long, esp. on weeknights, yet, on this case, it is worth it. Read more
See it if You like great acting, great stories and great entertainment. ALL of the actors were terrific. And the humor cut the tension perfectly!
Don't see it if You don’t like long plays. 2:40 total minutes.
See it if you want to discover new greats Ray Fisher/April Matthis alongside familiar ones Danielle Brooks/Samuel L. Jackson in an American classic.
Don't see it if you can't abide aria-like presentations of Wilson's monologues. LaTanya Richardson Jackson's staging celebrates solo sections gloriously. Read more
See it if you want to see a great staging of an important classic
Don't see it if You prefer shows that are not epic in length or about serious topic matter.
Critic Reviews (21)
"Despite Wilson’s eloquent writing, 'The Piano Lesson,' at nearly three hours, drags on. The repetitive dialogue...evokes a nagging sensation of déjà vu."
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"It’s a play about the possibilities of the present that are cut off when other demands, like those of the past, make themselves known."
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"There’s no doubt that The Piano Lesson is a ghost story...It’s those spirits of Black men that are believed to be responsible for the series of well accidents."
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"Richardson Jackson clearly knows how to direct actors and pulls magic out of her cast, creating a production worthy of August Wilson's legacy. "
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"The play’s characters are so individually well-formed and collectively solid that their voices have a way of lingering in the mind, and Wilson’s language is dramatic lyricism of a very high order."
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"I suspect the production will find a more sustained and smooth groove as the run proceeds. But, in any case, a major revival of a play by Wilson—as great a playwright as America has produced—is a notable theatrical occasion in itself."
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"Before your eyes can settle on any one room of the house, it’s all over, and so, within moments, is the play, bringing a hasty and unsatisfying conclusion to an otherwise well-paced and top-notch production."
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"Wilson’s works sometimes take on mystical dimensions. 'The Piano Lesson' eventually leads to a supernatural confrontation that creeps close to being fright-night over-the-top."
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