The piano featured in the set of the film 'The Piano Lesson' was not just a prop but a functional instrument that cast members frequently played. Adorned with pictures of the Washington family and their ancestors, the piano held significant importance on the set, often referred to as 'No. 1 on the call sheet.' The film, directed by Malcolm Washington, delves into August Wilson's 1987 play of the same name, where the piano symbolizes heritage, the past, and survival.
In the storyline set in 1930s Pittsburgh, the piano, a family heirloom from the days of slavery, becomes a point of contention between siblings Berniece Charles and Boy Willie. While Berniece sees it as a connection to their ancestors, Boy Willie aims to sell it to purchase the land their forebears worked on as slaves in Mississippi.
