Fences (play)

Last updated
Fences
Fences (August Wilson play - script cover).jpg
Written by August Wilson
Characters
  • Troy Maxson
  • Rose Maxson
  • Cory Maxson
  • Jim Bono
  • Gabriel Maxson
  • Lyons Maxson
  • Raynell Maxson
Date premiered1985
Place premiered Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
Waterford, Connecticut
Original languageEnglish
SeriesThe Pittsburgh Cycle
SubjectA Negro baseball league player is now a garbageman; his bitterness affects his loved ones
GenreDrama, Fiction
Setting1957, in a backyard of a house in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Fences is a 1985 play by the American playwright August Wilson. Set in the 1950s, it is the sixth in Wilson's ten-part "Pittsburgh Cycle". Like all of the "Pittsburgh" plays, Fences explores the evolving African-American experience and examines race relations, among other themes. The play won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 1987 Tony Award for Best Play. Fences was first developed at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's 1983 National Playwrights Conference and premiered at the Yale Repertory Theatre in 1985.

Contents

Plot

The focus of Wilson's attention in Fences is Troy, a 53 year-old working-class head of household who struggles with providing for his family. The play takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; although never officially named, it makes mention of several key locations in Pittsburgh. In his younger days, Troy was an excellent player in Negro league baseball and continued practicing baseball while serving time in prison for a murder he had committed during a robbery. Because the color barrier had not yet been broken in Major League Baseball, Troy was unable to get into the MLB to make good money or to save for the future. He now lives a menial, though respectable, blue-collar life of trash collecting; later in the play, he remarkably crosses the race barrier and becomes the first black truck driver in Pittsburgh instead of just a barrel lifter.

Troy lives with his wife, Rose, and his teenage son, Cory. He has a younger brother, Gabe, a World War II veteran whose war injury to his head has caused him noticeable psychological damage. Gabe had received $5,000 from the government, and Troy took control of this money to purchase a home for his family, including a room for Gabe. A short time before the play's opening, Gabriel has rented a room elsewhere, but still in the neighborhood. Lyons is Troy's older son from a previous marriage, and lives outside the home. Bono is Troy's best friend and co-worker.

The play begins on payday, with Troy and Bono drinking and talking. Troy's character is revealed through his speech about how he went up to their boss, Mr. Rand, and asked why African-American men are not allowed to drive garbage trucks; Rose and Lyons join in the conversation. Lyons, a musician, has come to borrow money from Troy, confident that he will receive it, and promises to pay him back because his girlfriend Bonnie just got a job. Troy, who is a rigid believer in hard work and responsibility, belittles his son because he refuses to find a real job, as Troy did, rather than pursuing his dream of becoming a musician.

Cory tells Troy and Rose about an opportunity for a college football scholarship. Troy tells Cory he will not let his son play football for fear of racial discrimination, as Troy believes he experienced when he wanted a career in the National leagues. However, it is suggested later on that Troy told Cory's coach that his son is no longer able to play football. When Cory discovers this, he and Troy get into a fight, resulting in Troy sending Cory to his room. Later, it is revealed that Troy's age after serving a prison sentence, not his race, may have been the primary factor. Father and son argue about Troy's actions, but Troy stubbornly does not back down from his argument and kicks Cory out of the house. Later it is revealed that Cory enlisted in the military after this event.

Troy admits to Rose that he has been having an affair and that his mistress, Alberta, is pregnant. Later, Alberta dies in childbirth. Troy brings his baby daughter Raynell home, and Rose agrees to raise the girl as her own, saying: "From right now . . . this child got a mother. But you a womanless man." She remains in the family home but the couple are estranged; she refuses to accept Troy back into her life.

Seven years later, Troy has died. Cory comes home for a visit from the military where he is a corporal in the Marines. He initially refuses to go to his father's funeral due to long-standing resentment, but he is convinced by his mother to pay his respects to his father — the man who, though hard-headed and often poor at demonstrating affection, nevertheless loved his son. The family say their farewells to Troy and offer forgiveness that may not be fully deserved.

Allegories

The brother Gabriel is potentially an allegory to salvation. Other than being actually named Gabriel, like the angel, Gabe wears a trumpet, constantly chases away unseen "hellhounds", and regularly believes himself to be speaking with Saint Peter. At the end, just before Troy's funeral, the family gathers around Gabe in the yard. He blows three times into his trumpet, but no sound comes out. In a moment of trance, Gabe begins to dance and sing. The sun breaks through the clouds while the family looks on. Troy is at last delivered and the rest of the family is too; each seeming to find peace in their relationship with Troy. [ citation needed ]

The fence referred to by the play's title is built over many years and is revealed to be finished only in the final act of the play. It is not obvious as to why Troy wants to build it, but a dramatic monologue in the second act shows how he conceptualizes it as an allegory — to keep the Grim Reaper away. The fence is also symbolic of the emotional barrier that Troy erected between himself and his sons, one from each of his adult relationships. Rose also wanted Troy to build the fence as a symbolic means of securing what was her own, keeping what belonged inside in (her family), and making what should stay outside, stay out. [ citation needed ]

Productions

Fences was first developed at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's 1983 National Playwrights Conference.

It premiered at the Yale Repertory Theatre in 1985, under the direction of Lloyd Richards (who was then Artistic Director of the Yale Rep), with a cast of James Earl Jones (Troy Maxson), Mary Alice (Rose), Ray Aranha (Jim Bono), Russell Costen (Gabriel), and Courtney B. Vance (Cory). [1]

The play's first Broadway production was staged at the 46th Street Theatre on March 26, 1987, and closed on June 26, 1988, after 525 performances and 11 previews. Directed by Lloyd Richards, the first Broadway cast remained largely the same as that of the Yale Rep premiere: James Earl Jones (Troy Maxson), Mary Alice (Rose), Ray Aranha (Jim Bono), Frankie Faison (Gabriel), and Courtney B. Vance (Cory). The production won the Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play (James Earl Jones), Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play (Mary Alice), and Best Direction of a Play (Lloyd Richards), as well as the Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding New Play, Outstanding Actor in a Play (Jones), and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play (Alice). It also received Tony Award nominations for Best Featured Actor in a Play (Faison and Vance).

The first Broadway revival of the play opened at the Cort Theatre on April 26, 2010, with a limited 13-week engagement. Directed by Kenny Leon, the production starred Denzel Washington (Troy Maxson) and Viola Davis (Rose) as the married couple struggling with changing U.S. race relations. [2] The revival was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, [3] [4] winning three for Best Revival of a Play, Best Actor in a Play (Denzel Washington), and Best Actress in a Play (Viola Davis). [5]

In August, 1990, the play received its premiere production in the UK by Liverpool Playhouse in association with West End producer, Bill Kenwright, in a production by Temba Theatre Company's artistic director, Alby James, starring Hollywood movie star Yaphet Kotto as the protagonist Troy Maxson, and coming star, Adrian Lester, as his son, Cory. Financial Times critic Alastair Macaulay wrote: "Congratulations to the Liverpool Playhouse for presenting this, its British premiere, and for doing it proud...' and 'The director Alby James has done wonders in making his largely English cast absolutely persuasive as these Americans." [6]

In 2013, the play was revived again in the UK by Theatre Royal Bath, starring Lenny Henry as Troy Maxson and directed by Paulette Randall. This production transferred to the Duchess Theatre in London's West End for a run that lasted between June and September 2013. [7] Henry's performance attracted wide acclaim. Giles Broadbent from the Wharf said, “Lenny Henry is immense.” [8] Charles Spencer from The Telegraph said of Henry: "He is, and I don’t use the word lightly, magnificent." [9] Jane Shilling, also from the Telegraph said: "What you don’t expect is to find Henry entirely unrecognisable in the physically and morally immense character he embodies." [10] Best of Theatre said: "You may love or loathe his comedy but it is impossible to deny Lenny Henry's determination to become a serious actor of some note." [11] Paul Taylor from The Independent said, “the performance cements Henry's status as a serious actor.” [12] Henry Hitchings from the London Evening Standard said, "He's on superb form". [13] Simon Edge from the Express said, "Henry gives a perfectly controlled performance, combining physical poise with an armoury of carefully judged vocal ticks and facial mannerisms." [14] Of the production as a whole, Hitchings commented that "Fences is dense and unsettling. It's brave to programme such a meaty, daunting piece during the summer months". [13] Camilla Gurlter from A Younger Theatre described it as “very heavy and with its nearly three hours of lost hope and broken dreams it can feel long and depressing". [15]

Cast and characters

Characters1987 Original Broadway cast2010 Broadway revival
Troy Maxson James Earl Jones Denzel Washington
Rose Maxson Mary Alice Viola Davis
Jim Bono Ray Aranha Stephen McKinley Henderson
Cory Maxson Courtney B. Vance Chris Chalk
Lyons Maxson Charles Brown Russell Hornsby
Gabriel Maxson Frankie Faison Mykelti Williamson
Raynell MaxsonKarima MillerEden Duncan-Smith
SaCha Stewart-Coleman

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
1987 Tony Awards Best Play August Wilson Won [16]
Best Leading Actor in a Play James Earl Jones Won
Best Featured Actor in a Play Frankie Faison Nominated
Courtney B. Vance Nominated
Best Featured Actress in a Play Mary Alice Won
Best Direction of a Play Lloyd Richards Won
Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Play August WilsonWon [17]
Outstanding Actor in a Play James Earl JonesWon
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Frankie R. FaisonNominated
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Mary AliceWon
Outstanding Director of a Play Lloyd RichardsNominated
Pulitzer Prize Drama August WilsonWon [18]
Theatre World Awards Courtney B. VanceWon [19]

2010 Broadway revival

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2010 Tony Awards Best Revival of a Play Won [20]
Best Leading Actor in a Play Denzel Washington Won
Best Leading Actress in a Play Viola Davis Won
Best Featured Actor in a Play Stephen McKinley Henderson Nominated
Best Direction of a Play Kenny Leon Nominated
Best Original Score Branford Marsalis Nominated
Best Scenic Design in a Play Santo Loquasto Nominated
Best Costume Design in a Play Constanza Romero Nominated
Best Lighting Design in a Play Brian MacDevitt Nominated
Best Sound Design in a Play Acme Sound PartnersNominated
Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Revival of a Play Won [lower-alpha 1] [21]
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Chris Chalk Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Viola DavisWon [lower-alpha 2]
Outstanding Music in a Play Branford MarsalisWon
Theatre World Awards Chris ChalkWon [19]

Film adaptation

A film adaptation of Fences, directed by Denzel Washington, and starring Washington and Viola Davis reprising their roles from the 2010 Broadway revival, completed production in 2016. [22] The film was released nationally on December 25, 2016, in the U.S. and was released on February 3, 2017, in the UK. The film was chosen by the American Film Institute as one of the top ten films of 2016, [23] and has been nominated for numerous awards, including four Oscar nominations at the 89th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor (Washington), Best Supporting Actress (Davis), and Best Adapted Screenplay, with Davis winning for her performance. It also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for Washington and a Best Supporting Actress win for Davis. [24]

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denzel Washington</span> American actor (born 1954)

Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his versatile work spanning over four decades of screen and stage, Washington has been regarded as one of the best actors of his generation, with The New York Times naming him the greatest actor of the 21st century in 2020. Washington has received a number of honors, including two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, three Golden Globe Awards, as well as the Cecil B. DeMille Award and AFI Life Achievement Award, and nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phylicia Rashad</span> American actress (born 1948)

Phylicia Rashad is an American actress. She is dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University and best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992) which earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations in 1985 and 1986. She also played Ruth Lucas on Cosby (1996–2000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courtney B. Vance</span> American actor (born 1960)

Courtney Bernard Vance is an American actor. He started his career on stage before moving to film and television. Vance has received various accolades, including a Tony Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as nominations for a Grammy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen McKinley Henderson</span> American actor

Stephen McKinley Henderson is an American actor. Henderson trained at Juilliard School for acting and later became a resident member of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis from 1976 to 1981. He came to prominence as a character actor often performing the plays of August Wilson. He has received nominations for two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Vulture named Henderson as one of "The 32 Greatest Character Actors Working Today".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Rudin</span> American film, television, and theater producer

Scott Rudin is an American film, television and theatre producer. His films include the Academy Award-winning Best Picture No Country for Old Men, as well as Uncut Gems, Lady Bird, Fences, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, School of Rock, Zoolander, The Truman Show, Clueless, The Addams Family, and eight Wes Anderson films. On Broadway, he has won 17 Tony Awards for shows such as The Book of Mormon, Hello, Dolly!, The Humans, A View from the Bridge, Fences and Passion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Canada</span> American actor (born 1949)

Ronald Ellis Canada is an American actor and producer, with a specialty in portraying judges and detectives. He is best known for One on One (2001–2004), The Shield (2003–2004), and Lone Star (1996).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viola Davis</span> American actress and producer (born 1965)

Viola Davis is an American actress and film producer. Known for her work across screen and stage, she has received numerous accolades and is one of three artists to achieve both the Triple Crown of Acting and the EGOT. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2017. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her ninth on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Page</span> American actor and singer

John Patrick Page is an American actor, low bass singer, and playwright. He originated the roles of the Grinch in Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical (2006), Norman Osborn/Green Goblin in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (2011), and Hades in Hadestown (2019–2022), the last of which earned him a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Leon</span> American stage and television director

Kenny Leon is an American director and producer. He is notable for his extensive work on Broadway, on television, and in regional theater. He has received a Tony Award and a Drama League Award as well as nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards and a Drama Desk Award.

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play was an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The award was one of eight new acting awards first presented in 1975, when Drama Desk retired an earlier award that had made no distinction between work in plays and musicals, nor between actors and actresses, nor between lead performers and featured performers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">64th Tony Awards</span>

The 64th Annual Tony Awards took place on Sunday, June 13, 2010, held again at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The host was Sean Hayes. These awards paid tribute to Broadway productions during the 2009–2010 season. The cut off-date for Tony eligibility was April 29, 2010, and the nominations were announced on May 4.

Michael Hayden is an actor who has appeared both on the Broadway and West End stage, as well as on television. His best known role was Billy Bigelow in the stage musical, Carousel. He received both Laurence Olivier Award and Drama Desk Award nominations for his performance in the role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denzel Washington on screen and stage</span>

Denzel Washington is an American actor known for his performance on stage and screen.

<i>Fences</i> (film) 2016 film by Denzel Washington

Fences is a 2016 American period drama film starring, produced, and directed by Denzel Washington and written by August Wilson, based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning 1985 play of the same name. In addition to Washington, the film also stars Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, and Saniyya Sidney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Tyree Henry</span> American actor (born 1982)

Brian Tyree Henry is an American actor. He rose to prominence for his role as rapper Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles in the FX comedy-drama series Atlanta (2016–2022), for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jovan Adepo</span> British-American actor

Jovan Adepo is a British-American actor. He made his feature film debut in the period drama Fences (2016), which was followed by roles in the psychological horror film Mother! (2017), the action horror film Overlord (2018), the period comedy-drama Babylon (2022), and the drama His Three Daughters (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viola Davis on screen and stage</span>

Viola Davis is an American actress and producer who has appeared in film, television, and on stage. She received her equity card with her stage debut in 1988 with August Wilson's The Pittsburgh Cycle play Joe Turner's Come and Gone production of Trinity Repertory Company. After graduating from Juilliard School in 1993, Davis went on to perform several roles on stage in the 1990s, earning Theater World Award for her role in Seven Guitars (1996). In the same year, Davis guest-starred in the procedural drama series NYPD Blue, and made her film debut with a brief one-day role alongside Timothy Hutton in The Substance of Fire. In 1998, she appeared in Richard Benjamin's television movie The Pentagon Wars, and Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight, before returning to the stage with an Obie Award winning titular performance in Off-Broadway Everybody's Ruby (1999).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troy Kotsur</span> American actor (born 1968)

Troy Michael Kotsur is an American actor. Born deaf, Kotsur made his acting debut in the late 1980s working with the National Theatre of the Deaf. His television debut was in a 2001 episode of Strong Medicine and his film debut was in the 2007 thriller The Number 23.

Bryan Terrell Clark is an American actor, singer-songwriter and stage director, known for his performances on Broadway. He made his Broadway debut playing singer Marvin Gaye in Motown: The Musical, which received a 2014 Grammy Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album. Clark played George Washington in the Broadway production of Hamilton in 2017, Cory Maxson in 2006 production of Fences at the Pasadena Playhouse, and starred in 2021 original Broadway production of Thoughts of a Colored Man.

References

  1. ↑ "Fences at Yale Repertory Theatre 1985". about the artists. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  2. ↑ Gans, Andrew, and Kenneth Jones, "'Fences', with Academy Award Winner Denzel Washington, Opens on Broadway", playbill.com, April 26, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Tony Award nominations", abcnews.go.com,
  4. ↑ Gans, Andrew and Jones, Kenneth."2010 Tony Nominations Announced; Fela! and La Cage Top List" Archived May 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine , playbill.com, May 4, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Winners List – All Categories", tonyawards.com, June 13, 2010.
  6. ↑ Macaulay, Alastair, The Financial Times, August 17, 1990.
  7. ↑ "Henry Builds Fences in London", Official London Theatre.
  8. ↑ Broadbent, Giles (July 1, 2013). "Stage review: Fences, Duchess Theatre", The Wharf, accessed September 28, 2014.
  9. ↑ Spencer, Charles (February 28, 2013). "Fences, Theatre Royal, Bath, review". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  10. ↑ Shilling, Jane (June 27, 2013). "Fences, Duchess Theatre, review". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  11. ↑ Mitford, Oliver (June 25, 2013). "Fences Review", Best of Theatre, accessed September 28, 2014.
  12. ↑ Taylor, Paul (June 27, 2013). "Theatre review: Fences – Lenny Henry's towering performance further proves his status as a serious actor". The Independent. London.
  13. 1 2 Hitchings, Henry (June 27, 2013). "Fences, Duchess Theatre – theatre review", London Evening Standard, accessed September 28, 2014.
  14. ↑ Edge, Simon (June 28, 2013). "Theatre review: Fences", Express, accessed September 28, 2014.
  15. ↑ Gurlter, Camilla (June 29, 2013). "Review: Fences", A Younger Theatre, accessed June 28, 2014.
  16. ↑ "1987 Tony Awards". Tony Awards . Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Nominees and Recipients – 1987 Awards". Drama Desk Awards . Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  18. ↑ "August Wilson". Pulitzer Prize . Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  19. 1 2 "Theatre World Award Recipients". Theatre World Awards . Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  20. ↑ "2010 Tony Awards". Tony Awards . Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Nominees and Recipients – 2010 Awards". Drama Desk Awards . Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  22. ↑ Viagas, Robert (April 22, 2016). "Denzel Washington's Fences Film Begins Shooting Today". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  23. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (December 8, 2016). "AFI Awards: Best Of 2016 Film List Includes 'Silence', 'Hacksaw Ridge' & More". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Golden Globes 2017: The Complete List of Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter . December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.