A Public Fit Theatre Company (APF) is proud to partner with the College of Southern Nevada to present the final mainstage show of its 2022-23 season, August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama The Piano Lesson. Cirque du Soleil veteran and Molodi founder Jason Nious co-directs this production with APF Artistic Director Ann-Marie Pereth. "The Piano Lesson tells the story of the Charles household," explains Pereth, "and their conflicting attachments to a valuable family heirloom - a piano decorated with designs carved by a formerly enslaved ancestor. But the true music of the play comes from Wilson's remarkable use of language." "He speaks to me," adds Nious. "After the George Floyd incident, I really felt the call of my own ancestors reaching out to me. Not in anger, but with an urgency that comes from the desperate need to work through the living. Wilson deeply understands this feeling; our ancestors have got something to say and we need to listen. And who knows - maybe if we can figure out what they've come to say, maybe we can find some peace of our own." The show opens Friday, April 7, and will run for three weekends through April 24 at the Cheyenne campus of the College of Southern Nevada, 3200 East Cheyenne Ave in North Las Vegas. Showtimes are 7 pm and 2 pm with special Industry Nights on April 10, 17, and 24. Ticket prices are $35-$40 with special discounts for seniors, students and active military personnel. For a complete listing of dates and showtimes, visit apublicfit.org.
Immediately following each performance, audiences are invited to join the evening’s cast members and production staff for The Buzz, a moderated discussion of the themes and discoveries presented in the play. An APF hallmark, The Buzz is an expression of A Public Fit’s ongoing commitment to engage audiences well beyond the limits of the stage, ensuring that the conversations surrounding captivating theatre are shared by the community.
“The Buzz has helped us develop the most engaged audience in town,” says Pereth. “I can't wait to share this experience with the Las Vegas theatre community!”
"And it extends the conversation," continues Nious, "not just by giving us a forum to speak, but also by giving us an opportunity to listen."
APF offers a seven-show season consisting of four staged readings and three mainstage productions. Following The Piano Lesson, APF will close out the season with a staged reading of Audrey Cefaly's Alabaster.
For more information regarding A Public Fit Theatre Company including upcoming performances and ticketing, visit www.apublicfit.org.