August Wilson classic tells many 'lessons'
CHRONICLE STAPF REPORT
Playwright August Wilson's vast body of
work has earned him a roomful of awards and
the distinction as one of the best writers of
his generation. "The Piano Lesson" is one of
the plays that helped make Wilson a house
August Wilson
IHJIU IIUIIIC.
The Black
Spectrum Theatre
has generated
quite a hi! of buzz
of its own right
since debuting its
production of the
play in New York
late last year. The
theater is hoping
for the same kind
of response here
when it puts on
the play at the
National Black
i neaire resuvai.
"The Piano Lesson" focuses on the
Charleses, a black working class family liv
ing in Pittsburgh with deep Southern roots.
The center of the story is a majestic, and anti
quated, piano that sits in the living room of
Berniece Charles. The piano is the family's
most prized possession because it has roots
'
Photo courtesy of The Black Spectrum Theatre
"The Piano Lesson" revolves around a dispute befween family members over whether
or not to sell a piano that has been in the family for many years.
that tie it to the family's slave ancestors.
The play's conflict starts when Berniece's
brother. Boy Willie, visits from down South
with a plan to buy land that the family's
?5
ancestors had once worked as slaves. The
catch is that he has to sell the piano in order
to get enough money to make the purchase.
His sister strongly opposes selling the heir
loom.
The family's struggle leads to a dialogue
that raises thought-provoking questions
about blacks' fight to hold onto the past while
trying to survive and get ahead in the present.
August Wilson won his second Pulitzer Prize
for "The Piano Lesson." He also has a
Pulitzer for "Fences."
Bette Howard dfrects the Black Spectrum
Theatre's production.
Profile: Ben Vereen,
Living Legend recipient
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Ben Vereen will receive a Living
Legend Award during the NBTF Opening
Night Gal?i on Aug. 4. Born in Miami,
Vereen, in recent years, has starred as
The Chimney Man in the musical "Jelly's
Last Jam." Vereen made a name for him
self on the stage by starring in such clas
sics as "Sweet Charity," "Hair," and
"Jesus Christ Superstar." He won a Tony
and Drama Desk Award Award for Best
Actor in a Musical for "Pippin."
Vereen also starred in the Broadway
musical "Grind" and in the San Francis
co production of "I'm Not Rappaport,"
Herb Gardner's poignant. Tony Award
winning comedy about aging in America.
Most recently, Vereen graced the Broad
way stage starring as The Ghost of
Christmas Present in the Madison Square
Garden production of "A Christmas
Carol" to outstanding reviews.
Although he has appeared on televi
sion shows such as "Touched by an
Angel, "Second Noah," "The Nanny."
"New York Undercover," "The Fresh
Prince of Bel Air," and "Star Trek - The
Next Generation," he is best known for
the groundbreaking television minis
cries, "Roots." Vereen played Chicken
George in the Emmy Award-winning
miniseries "Roots." Vereen also has
appeared in "The Jesse Owens Story,"
and, the CBS mini-series, "Ellis Island,"
Vereen
i o r
which he
recei wetF
a Golden
Globe
nomina
tion.
H i s
films
include.
"All That
Jazz,"
"Funny
Lady,"
"Why Do
Fools
Fall in
Love?"
and "The Painting."
Live audiences have been transfixed
by Vereen's dancing and singing. He has
a one-man show that continues to draw
huge crowds in places such as Las Vegas
and Atlantic City. The American Guild of
Variety Artists awarded Vereen three of
its highest honors: Entertainer of the
Year. Song and Dance Star, and Rising
Star.
Be there as Tony-winning actress
Tonya Pinkins opens Pandora's Box"
Pinkins appeared in 'All My Children,' 'Jelly's Last Jam'
( HkoNK I I STAFF REPORT
The National Black Theater Festival
and New Shoes Entertainment have teamed
up to present "Pandora's Trunk," an origi
nal play written by Blaine Teamer. Billed
as a one-woman show, "Pandora's Trunk"
stars newcomer Indira Gibson and veteran
stage and Tony Award-winning actress
Tonya Pinkins, playing her "voice" of con
science.
The play is a fantasy journey of an
adopted woman's search to discover her
birth mother's identity through the person
al things left inside the trunk. A take on the
Greek myth Pandora's box, the writer
explores the theme of dealing with the eon
sequences of
unleashing the
unknown.
The play is
directed by
Che Rae
Adams and
produced by
Stephanie Har
ris-Byers of
New Shoes
Entertainment.
Gibson was
elevated to the
lead. having
received acco
lades and out
Pinkins
standing reviews from the L.A. Times.
Variety and L.A. Weekly.
Pinkins joined the production especially
for the presentation at the National Black
Theatre Festival. A Broadway veteran who
won the Tony for "Jelly's Last Jam," Pink
ins spent nine years in daytime television
on "All My Children" and "As the World
Turns." She will next appear in the title
role of the contemporary opera "Caroline
or Change" at the New York Public Theater
this fall.