On Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, Poly’s African-American History and American Studies classes attended August Wilson’s play “The Piano Lesson” in the Pasadena theater A Noise Within. Upper School English Teacher and Director of Outdoor Education Laura Marion planned the trip for her American Studies class in conjunction with Upper School History teacher Norman Frazier’s African-American History class.

The play is written by prominent African-American playwright August Wilson (1945–2005). It follows an African-American family as they decide whether or not to sell a treasured family piano in order to purchase the land previously worked on by their enslaved ancestors. This play is part of Wilson’s “American Century Cycle,” a collection of ten pieces illustrating the Pittsburgh African-American experience through the decades of the 20th century. Each play is set in a different decade; “The Piano Lesson” takes place in the 1930s.

For Frazier, the all-black cast performing Wilson’s play provided an engaging introduction to the school year.

“If it’s a show that centers around African American life, I would love to take my students again. I think going on a field trip is a great way to learn,” Frazier said. These themes work well with the various classes’ objectives.

According to Marion, “The American Studies class uses fiction and nonfiction to understand America.” For them, the play exemplified the historical and present-day importance of land in the United States. For the African-American History class, it emphasized the Black Pittsburgh experience through the lens of an African-American writer.

“I think this play is very important as especially in this day and age, they help to strike conversation,” shared senior Alex Lentz.