The Lesson

Inspired by actual events, “The Lesson” looks at a significant occurrence that unfolded on July 2, 1978, in Cotton Hill and Knightsville, South Carolina, just thirty-five miles from Charleston. Remarkably, this event coincided precisely with the fourteenth anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964. The play revolves around two generations of white men who have witnessed and experienced the civil unrest that defined the 1960s. Growing up in distinct Southern and Northern American environments, each man has encountered unique challenges and perspectives. As circumstances unfold, these men find themselves thrust into a series of events that will expose one individual’s deep-seated and passive bigotry while highlighting the other man’s absence of prejudice, ultimately revealing their profound differences. “The Lesson” compellingly explores the complexities of hidden biases and the contrasting attitudes towards racial issues within a thought-provoking narrative.