Piano designed to be played throughout show, with opening and closing lid. 

Directed by Lorraine Robinson at Sitar Arts Center

Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of the Great Depression, The Piano Lesson follows the lives of an African-American household and an heirloom, the family piano, which is decorated with designs carved by an enslaved ancestor.

I was inspired by Vinnie Bagwell's 2012 carvings for Signature Theater in New York.

I designed two panels that represent a characters' memory of their family members before they were separated on a plantation. 

I made an illustration based on images of the actors' faces, and transferred it to foam. Then I used an olfa knife to do the relief carving and painted a thin wash of burnt umber to create an aged wooden look. 

The initial design of the piano was too tall and blocked sight-lines on stage, so I cut off a chunk of the top and moved the family portrait to the bottom.

I helped assemble the wood panel backdrop, staircase and tile floor. I sourced all other furniture and hand props.