Excluded as a black man from the major leagues during his prime, Troy’s bitterness takes its toll on his relationships with his wife and his son, who now wants his own chance to play ball. While society is changing, has the change come too late for Troy?
Fences, the sixth in THE AMERICAN CENTURY CYCLE, the ten play collection by August Wilson, takes place in 1957, two years after the Montgomery Bus Boycott began, ten years after Jackie Robinson broke the color line that by so-called “gentlemen’s agreement” kept African-American players out of the major leagues (and two years before the Red Sox became the last team to include a black player on their team), six years before the March on Washington, seven and eight years before the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. In other words, it takes place during the early years of a slow, long-overdue change. Troy is supported by a devoted wife, Rose, and a great friend, Bono, but he’s struggling with the times, challenging his bosses about the racial disparities of the time, trying to raise his sons his way while they push for their own way, and wrestling with temptations related to love and identity.
This beloved classic American tale was revived in 2010 starring Denzel Washington in the lead role and earning a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play among other awards.
Content Warning: This play includes the use of Mature Language
This show is generally sponsored by the Greenville Drive and Bradshaw, Gordon, and Clinkscales LLC!
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