S2E15 - In the Spotlight with The Piano Lesson

S2E15 - In the Spotlight with The Piano Lesson

Author: Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival May 30, 2026 Duration: 42:34

The 2026 PA Shakespeare Festival's Summer Theatre Series means weekly drops As You Mic It: In the Spotlight! PSF welcomes Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and director James Ijames and actor Akeem Davis for a conversation about August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, the production opening the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 season.

Host Connie Behringer explores the power of Wilson’s work, the joy in this presentation, and the questions that continue to make The Piano Lesson resonate with audiences today. James reflects on his approach to directing the play, its place within Wilson’s Century Cycle, and the balance between honoring a celebrated text and discovering something new within it. Akeem shares his experience stepping into the world of the Charles family, the challenges and rewards of the role, and what makes this story such a vital piece of American theatre.

Together, they discuss memory, legacy, family, and the ways the past continues to shape the choices we make in the present. Whether you are preparing to see the production or revisiting Wilson’s masterpiece, this episode offers a closer look at the artists bringing The Piano Lesson to life at PSF.

Hosted by: Jason King Jones

Guests: Akeem Davis and James Ijames


Mentioned in this episode:

Become an Underwriter Today!

Contact podcast@pashakespeare.org for more information.

Single Tickets on Sale Now


Dive into the rich world of the stage with As You Mic It, a production of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. This isn't just a series of lectures; it's an invitation backstage, where the magic of performance and the depth of literary tradition meet. Each conversation feels like pulling up a chair in the green room, listening as artists and scholars unpack the themes, characters, and historical contexts that give these timeless works their enduring power. You'll hear from the authors, directors, and actors who bring the words to life, gaining insight into the creative decisions that shape each festival production. The discussions are both insightful and genuinely playful, celebrating the art of storytelling in all its complexity. No matter your background-whether you can quote soliloquies by heart or are simply drawn to a good story-this podcast offers a fresh and engaging perspective. The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival has crafted a space where analysis feels like discovery, making the anthology of their work accessible and endlessly fascinating. Tune in to find your connection to these classic tales, explored with a contemporary ear and a deep love for the performing arts.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 44

As You Mic It
Podcast Episodes
S2E16 - In the Spotlight with Million Dollar Quartet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:34
As You Mic It: In the Spotlight turns its attention to Million Dollar Quartet, the electrifying musical inspired by the legendary night when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis gathered at Sun R…
S2P7 - The Prologues: Coriolanus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:47
Get ready for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 Legends and Legacy Season with As You Mic It: The Prologues. In this mini-episode, we step into Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, a gripping portrait of power, pride, and po…
S2P6 - The Prologues: Ken Ludwig's Moriarty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:51
Get ready for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 Legends and Legacy Season with As You Mic It: The Prologues. In this mini-episode, we unravel the mystery of Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure,…
S2P5 - The Prologues:  Romeo & Juliet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:31
Get ready for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 Legends and Legacy Season with As You Mic It: The Prologues. In this mini-episode, we enter the world of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the timeless story of young…
S2P4 - The Prologues: The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:08
Get ready for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 Legends and Legacy Season with As You Mic It: The Prologues. In this mini-episode, we introduce The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged, a fast-paced comedy that…
S2P3 - The Prologues: Million Dollar Quartet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:28
Get ready for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 Legends and Legacy Season with As You Mic It: The Prologues. In this mini-episode, we step into the electrifying world of Million Dollar Quartet, the hit musical ins…
S2P2 - The Prologues: As You Like It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:11
Get ready for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 Legends and Legacy Season with As You Mic It: The Prologues. In this mini-episode, we journey into Shakespeare’s As You Like It, a joyful comedy of reinvention, roma…
S2P1 - The Prologues: August Wilson's The Piano Lesson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:27
Get ready for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 Legends and Legacy Season with As You Mic It: The Prologues. In this mini-episode, we introduce August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, directed by James Ijames. It's a po…
S2E14 - In the Spotlight with Austin Tichenor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:32
PA Shakespeare Festival continues its second season of As You Mic It with a conversation about comedy, craft, and a life spent reimagining Shakespeare for contemporary audiences.In this one-act episode, Jason King Jones…
S2E13 - There is a World Elsewhere [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:11
PA Shakespeare Festival continues its second season of As You Mic It with a conversation about exile, belonging, and why stories of banishment continue to resonate across time.In this episode, hosts Jason King Jones, Kim…