A Lesson Before Dying
by Romulus Linney, Ernest J. Gaines
What readers are saying
Readers appreciate the emotional depth and poignant themes in the play, highlighting its exploration of racism and personal dignity. Many find the adaptation powerful and moving, often leading to tears. However, some note that the play's brevity might limit its impact for certain audiences.
Synopsis
THE STORY: Jefferson, an innocent young man, is condemned to death in backwoods Louisiana in 1948.
At the trial his lawyer, trying to save his life, called him no more a human being than a hog.
In prison, he acts like one, insisting that he will be
Press Reviews
"Rousing theatre for sure.” —New York Magazine. ”The story's wrenching power lies not in its outrage but in the almost inexplicable grace the characters must muster as their only resistance to being treated like lesser beings.“ —The New Yorker. ”Irresistible momentum and a cathartic explosion…a powerful inevitability. —The New York Times. “A lesson in the transformative power of theatre.” —Time Out New York. ”LESSON is easily the most powerful play to come from Alabama Shakespeare Festival's Southern Writers' Project…It is a palpable treasure for its audience."
— Montgomery Advertiser
Available Editions
| Format | Price |
|---|---|
Audio | — |
Mp3 Cd | — |
 Paperback · 60800th | Buy |
Print | — |
Print | — |
Print | — |
Print | — |
Publication
A Lesson Before Dying is a American historical play written by Romulus Linney and published by Dramatists Play Service in New York (2001).
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Buy Play
60800th
Dramatists Play Service · 2001 · 72 pp
Performance Rights
Restrictions: Major Markets Plus (US) / Standard Plus Add'l Postcodes (UK)
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