In August Wilson's The Piano Lesson at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, actor "ranney" played the part of Boy Willie with fervor and verve, convincing everyone but his sister Berniece that he had the right to sell a precious family heirloom and use the proceeds to buy land. Playwright Wilson's dialogue may be difficult at times with its poetical colloquialisms, but "ranney" won his way through this labyrinth with a show of sheer force, with a thundering rapidity that never failed to command our attention and admiration. Exuberant and stubborn, energetic and optimistic, "ranney"'s Boy Willie stood for the power of hope, the hope that a legacy of slavery could be finally overcome with the purchase of the property on which his grandparents were once slaves. Watching "ranney," you couldn't help but feel this enthusiasm yourself. And you couldn't help noticing: this was a terrific performance.
This article appears in Sep 25 – Oct 1, 2003.