The Boston Sisters talk about the film THE PIANO LESSON with Constanza Romero, playwright August Wilson's widow, an executive producer for the THE PIANO LESSON, and executive director of the August Wilson Legacy, LLC.
In this conversation with Constanza Romero we talk about her role in preserving Wilson's legacy. The conversation also highlights:
- THE PIANO LESSON film's visual storytelling, contrasting it with the stage play
- Themes of legacy, migration, and the American dream in the story
- August Wilson's impact on American history and how his plays continue to speak to our current conditions through the lens of history and the African American experience
Adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, THE PIANO LESSON takes you inside an exploding family clash over an heirloom piano. The battle between brother and sister - one hopes to sell it, the other refuses to give it up - unleashes haunting truths about how the past is perceived and who defines a family legacy.The film is directed and co-written by Malcolm Washington in his feature directorial debut. It's the 3rd adaptation of an August Wilson play by producers Denzel Washington and Todd Black. THE PIANO LESSON features Samuel L. Jackson (Doaker), John David Washington (Boy Willie), Ray Fisher, (Lymon) Michael Potts (Wining Boy), Erykah Badu (club singer Lucille), Danielle Deadwyler (Berniece), Skylar Aleece Smith (Maretha), and Corey Hawkins (Avery).
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TIMESTAMPS
0:01 - Introduction to podcast
3:55 - Constanza Romero: meeting August Wilson and early career
7:08 - August Wilson Legacy LLC mission
11:03 - Pittsburgh as a microcosm of America in August Wilson's plays
13:47 - Constanza Romero's favorites and Impact of August Wilson plays
17:32 - The Piano Lesson's transformation from stage to screen
18:06 - The language of the visuals in The Piano Lesson
23:16 - Break
31:21 - Themes of legacy and migration in The Piano Lesson
37:04 - August Wilson's American Century Cycle and its historical significance
41:12 - August Wilson's stories of ordinary people in historical times
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