The Piano Lesson

Imagine that you are working on a contemporary production of The Piano Lesson. What do you think audiences need to know to understand the play? Research one aspect of that background information and write it as if you are explaining it to an audience. Reference the text to show the relevance of your research.

If the protagonist is the character who drives the central action forward and the antagonist is the character who tries to stop the protagonist, who do you think is the protagonist of the play? Who is the antagonist? Why? Use details from the play to support your response.

In Act I, Scene 2, the men in the play sing “Berta, Berta” together. What is the significance of the song? Where did they learn it? Why do you think August Wilson included it in the play? For reference, you might find the performance of the song from the film version of The Piano Lesson on YouTube.