It Happens Here: Lindsey Day - Carving the Story

An image from the theatrical production "The Piano Lesson" at the Omaha Community Playhouse. A piano with carvings across it sits against a dark blue background.

It Happens Here is a new content series that celebrates the artisans and craftsmanship behind the scenes at the Omaha Community Playhouse, highlighting the hands and skills that bring extraordinary theatre to life under our roof.

In August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, the piano holds generations of history long before a word is spoken. The piano is a treasured family heirloom and a source of tension between Berniece and Boy Willie. Carved with images of their ancestors, Berniece wants to hold onto it and preserve the family’s legacy. Boy Willie wants to sell it in the pursuit of prosperity. It’s a weighty story and the piano is a centerpiece of the set, designed by Jim Othuse.

To serve Wilson’s story, the piano needed to visibly carry that history. Properties Artisan Lindsey Day took on the creative project of transforming a piano, carving and installing inlay pieces onto an existing instrument. For Lindsey, the project was about more than creating a scenic element—it was about honoring the family story embedded in the play. Guided by Wilson’s text and themes, she approached the work with care and intention, giving physical form to the legacy, loss, and resilience at the heart of the story.

Lindsey Day, Properties Artisan, Omaha Community Playhouse

OCP: How did August Wilson’s text and themes influence your vision for the piano?
LD: After reading the script, I was able to capture exactly what the actor would be referencing on the piano in terms of his visual descriptors, but the weight of the family history itself was the most potent aspect to consider as I began to design the composition. The piano was carved by an enslaved man who lost his wife and child to slave trade. His task of carving into the piano served as a catalyst for ancestral liberation. It was important to me that the design represented the power of family via the power of craftsmanship.

The piano is visible before the audience hears a line of dialogue. What do you hope is communicated by the piano itself?
It would be wonderful if the first impression of these carvings were to shed light on the value of unspoken allegory as it appears on and within objects passed down through generations. Hopefully, even without dialogue, the audience will recognize a certain level of passion, commitment, and vulnerability portrayed through the imagery.

Your carvings are incredibly intricate. What materials and tools did you use, and why were they the right choice for this project?
I started by designing the composition of each panel digitally so I could make adjustments and iterations as needed. I took these graphics and projected them onto basswood, which is known for its softness and carvability. I used hand-held carving blades and a variety of rotary tool bits to create depth and generate form. I finished by staining and painting the panels to accentuate the dimensionality and match the tone of the original piano. I was very fortunate to be able to work with real wood to bring this carving to life. If the show hadn’t followed our slower holiday season, the prop would have likely been created using other means.

From the first sketch to final detail, how long would you say the entire process took?
I began designing during the first week in November and pinned the final panels to the piano the Wednesday of opening week [January 16].

Were there symbols or details that felt especially important to get right?
I think I was equally invested in each figure and supporting detail as each one contributes to the overall story. From the content of the subject matter to the style of execution, I approached the process with patience and intention.

Your work on this piece is exquisite. Is there an element within the design you’re most proud of?
I especially like the willow tree – it is a central focal point on the largest panel and a poignant symbol of loss, resilience, and new life. I love that the branches and leaves have a rawness and purity of line, lending to the more gestural quality of carving.

What do you hope audiences notice or feel when they see the piano for the first time?
I hope the piece generates curiosity. As a props artisan, it is the goal that a prop like this generates excitement and questions from a current or future patron that will become clear as the show unfolds. Especially with the title of the play being ‘The Piano Lesson,’ I hope the audience anticipates and feels the anthropomorphic energy intended to radiate from this single piece of furniture.

Lindsey Day is the Properties Artisan with the Omaha Community Playhouse. A visual artist, she earned an MFA in painting and drawing from University of Nebraska-Lincoln.