For Malcolm Washington, an appreciation for August Wilson plays runs in the family.
Malcolm Washington first picked up the script in 2020, in the heat of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To Washington, the theme of self-discovery through ones lineage resonated.
John David Washington as Boy Willie and Skylar Smith as Maretha in ‘The Piano Lesson.‘Netflix
The heirloom piano was previously owned by a man named Sutter, who enslaved Berniece and Boy Willies relatives.
Washington recalls the emotional ferocity of the performance as the actors grunted and yelled acapella.
Were going to take that pain and were going to make a song of it, Williams says.
And what were witnessing, throughout the entire play, is an exorcism of all that trauma.
Its a connection of people across class coming together.
For Badu, whose blues-inflected voice draws parallels to Billie Holiday, music is inherently spiritual.
The singer added that she doesnt just connect with her ancestors through her performance, she embodies them.
Wining Boy, as August writes, is this mix of zest and sorrow.
And the zest is on top.
Theres a physical clash and confrontation, Washington says.
