Critical Acclaim–

"A sure winner... Baxter's performance was compelling and sure-footed... the entire cast is superb... muscular standout performance by Kes Khemnu. Textbook examples of how to bring characters off the page and build them on the stage... one of theater's great spiritual denouements, performed here fantastically." –Philadelphia Inquirer [Review]

"Wilson's vivid and descriptive writing literally sparkles in this piece, and Dallas is obviously intimately acquainted with the rhythm and vitality of it. Superior cast... Khemnu should be considered for a Barrymore Award after this unforgettable performance. Everything about this production was first-rate... in August Wilson and Walter Dallas, we have discovered a theatrical "Dream Team"... absolutely captivating."
–Philadelphia Tribune [Review]

"Portrays African-American life with bravado and honesty... an enthralling revival by the Arden. Dallas makes Wilson's scripts sing. Kayla Moses Baxter delivers an extraordinary performance. These people are so warmly alive... we love these intense, imperfect characters. Wilson fans will want to rush to this superlative production." –Philadelphia City Paper [Review]

"Coursing with as much music as magic, The Piano Lesson is the best play I have seen this season, either in Philly or on Broadway, and will be hard, if not impossible to top. Subtle yet dynamic performances offered by every cast member... every element is distinctive as it is distinguished. Wilson's work is accessed with exemplary ease and effortless determination by director Walter Dallas... a triumphant play that has been brought to vivid life in a triumphant production." –Weekly Press

"A windmill of emotion, whirling around wonderful characters... a mix of local and national talent whose gifts are superbly matched... Another triumph for the Arden: set, costumes, lighting. Everything fits." –WRTI

"Dallas' production captures the extraordinary musicality of Wilson's words. [Kes] Khemnu's performance as Boy Willie is a force of nature, a tornado that blows into the house and threatens to rip the family from its foundation." –Philadelphia Weekly

"A fascinating play... Wilson's ear for language is without peer... mysterious and exhilarating... a superb production... brilliant!"
–Chestnut Hill Local

"A matchless mounting... a monument to theatrical craftsmanship."
–KYW Newsradio

Behind the Scenes–

Go behind the scenes of The Piano Lesson with Jason Peifer on WRTI's Creatively Speaking.  [Podcast]

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Toby Zinman provides a preview of The Piano Lesson.  [Article]

Meet Kes Khemnu, starring as Boy Willie in The Piano Lesson, in Montgomery Ticket.  [Article]