A Lesson Before Dying
by Romulus Linney, Ernest J. Gaines

Name: A Lesson Before Dying
Brand: Romulus Linney
SKU: 9780822217855
Rating: 3.84 (151 reviews)

A Lesson Before Dying Book Cover — A Lesson Before Dying Cover

Highlights

Small Cast

Female

Male

90 minsUnit Set/Multiple SettingsAmerican Historical Black History

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.

Emotionally engaging storylinePowerful themes of dignityStrong adaptationRelevant and thought-provokingShort play might limit depth

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