About the Play:

Winner of the 2022 Governor General's Literary Award for drama (Canadian equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize)

The Piano Teacher is a full-length drama by Dorothy Dittrich. The story of renowned concert pianist Erin, who after experiencing the loss of her husband, is unable to find solace in the music that once brought her so much joy. As she struggles to play her the piano again, an unconventional piano teacher helps release her past and a new friend invites possibilities for the future.

The Piano Teacher is about loss, love, friendship, and the healing power of music. When Erin, a classical concert pianist, experiences the loss of the life she knew, she finds herself dealing with the departure of her own musical expression. Navigating her way through this change, she meets a piano teacher who turns out to be an extraordinary therapist. As Elaine gently reacquaints Erin with her instrument, Erin begins to make changes in the rest of her life as well. A simple change to her home, for instance, brings the unexpected companionship of her contractor, Tom. The Piano Teacher is replete with lessons about moving through grief, friendships, music as a healing art, the temptation of self-deception, compassion, and love.

The Piano Teacher premiered in 2017 at BMO Theatre Centre by Arts Club Theatre Company in Vancouver and went on to win the Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Original Script. The production was remounted for a provincial tour in 2018.

Cast: 2 female, 1 male

What people say:

"The Piano Teacher is a beautiful, graceful and incredibly moving piece of theatre, filled with a maturity and thoughtfulness that will leave you breathless." — The Chilliwack Progress

"There's a purity and simplicity to The Piano Teacher ... Dittrich's unadorned dialogue is refreshingly direct: the characters speak and listen intently to one another, usually without subtext. It's quietly riveting...." — The Georgia Straight

About the Playwright:

Dorothy Dittrich is a Canadian playwright, sound designer and composer. She has been a member of the Vancouver Theatre community for many years where she has worked as a vocal coach and Musical Director.