Denzel Washington is not a rookie to the works of August Wilson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who chronicled the African American experience in the 20th century. After directing and starring in Fences (2016) and producing Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020), both based on Wilson’s plays, Washington is now bringing another masterpiece to the screen: The Piano Lesson. The Piano Lesson is part of Wilson’s Century Cycle, a series of ten plays set in different decades of the 1900s, each focusing on a different aspect of black life. The Piano Lesson, which premiered on Broadway in 1990 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1991, is set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of the Great Depression. It follows the lives of the Charles family and an heirloom, the family piano, which documents their history through carvings made by their enslaved ancestor. Washington has a deep connection to Wilson’s work:

he has spoken of his desire to complete the cycle on screen and has secured the rights to all ten plays. He also has a personal connection to The Piano Lesson: his son, John David Washington, will star in the film alongside Samuel L. Jackson, who played his father in the 2022 Broadway revival of the play. Another son, Malcolm Washington, will make his directorial debut with the film. The cast also includes Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts and Corey Hawkins, who all reprised their roles from the Broadway revival. Additionally, Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Erykah Badu will make a musical cameo appearance in the film. The Piano Lesson is expected to start production soon and will be released on Netflix in 2024. It is one of the most anticipated adaptations of Wilson’s work, as it explores themes such as family legacy, cultural heritage, and racial identity.