Directed by Malcolm Washington, “The Piano Lesson” is an upcoming drama film that Washington co-wrote with Virgil Williams, adapting the 1987 play of the same name by August Wilson.
The movie began filming in the spring of 2023 and due to the strike, is still in production now that the strike is over. Filming is now set to resume in 2024.
The story is set in 1936 Pittsburgh against the backdrop of the Great Depression’s aftermath, centering around the Charles family in the Doaker Charles household. The family grapples with the legacy of an heirloom – a piano adorned with designs carved by an enslaved ancestor.
The cast features John David Washington as Boy Willie Charles, Samuel L. Jackson as Doaker Charles, Ray Fisher as Lymon, Danielle Deadwyler as Berniece Charles, Michael Potts as Wining Boy, Corey Hawkins as Avery Brown, Melanie Jeffcoat as Miss Ophelia, and an ensemble that includes Erykah Badu, Gail Bean, Jerrika Hinton, Stephan James, Malik J. Ali, Jay Peterson, and Matrell Smith.
Malcolm Washington, in his feature directorial and screenwriting debut, brings this powerful adaptation to life, with notable cast members reprising their roles from the 2022 stage production of the play. Singer Erykah Badu makes a cameo appearance, adding to the film’s stellar lineup announced in April 2023.
Those interested may see http://castbmc.app/talent
