Branford Marsalis to Compose Original Music for the Broadway Revival of FENCES

Three-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis will compose original music for the first Broadway revival of FENCES, the 1987 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play by August Wilson, starring two-time Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington and featuring Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winner Viola Davis. FENCES, directed by Kenny Leon, will open on Monday, April 26, 2010 at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street). The strictly limited 13-week engagement will begin previews on April 14.

Branford Marsalis said, "What a dream come true to be making my ‘Broadway debut' composing music for this new production of August Wilson's FENCES. I had the great opportunity to sit-in during rehearsals over the weekend and observe Kenny Leon and these brilliant artists bringing this play to life. I look forward to the challenge of creating music that not only complements their performances, but enhances the experience for those sitting in the theatre."

In addition to Denzel Washington as Troy Maxson and Viola Davis as Rose Maxson, the cast will feature Chris Chalk as Cory, Stephen McKinley Henderson as Jim Bono, Russell Hornsby as Lyons, Mykelti Williamson as Gabriel, and with Eden Duncan-Smith and SaCha Stewart-Coleman alternating in the role of Raynell.

FENCES will be produced by Carole Shorenstein Hays (who produced the original Broadway production) and Scott Rudin.

Two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington returns to Broadway, alongside Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winner Viola Davis, in August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning FENCES. Both a monumental drama and an intimate family portrait, FENCES tells the story of Troy Maxson, a man torn between the glory of his past and the uncertainty of his future. Emboldened by pride and embittered by sacrifice, Troy is determined to make life better for future generations, even as he struggles to embrace the dreams of his own son.

This production is the first Broadway revival since FENCES opened on March 26, 1987 at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers Theatre). FENCES was one of the most critically acclaimed and successful plays of the 1980s, winning four Tony Awards including Best Play, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, three Drama Desk Awards, including Best Play and the NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play.

In addition to composer Branford Marsalis, the production team includes Santo Loquasto (Set Design), Constanza Romero (Costume Design), Brian MacDevitt (Lighting Design), Acme Sound Partners (Sound Design).

Ticketing Information:
Tickets for FENCES are available by calling Telecharge.com at (212) 239-6200, (800) 432-7250 outside the NY metro area, online at Telecharge.com or in person at the Cort Theatre box office (138 West 48th Street). Box office hours are Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Tickets on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday range in price from $61.50 to $121.50. Tickets on Friday, Saturday & Sunday range in price from $61.50 to $126.50.

Performance Schedule:
Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Wednesday & Saturday at 2:00 p.m. & Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

Added Performance: Monday, June 28th at 8 p.m.
Time Change: Tuesday, April 20th at 8 p.m.
No Performance: Wednesday, April 14th at 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 21st at 2 p.m., Tuesday, April 27th at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 4th at 3 p.m.

BRANFORD MARSALIS (Original Music), the three-time Grammy-winning saxophonist has recorded 22 albums as a leader and is equally adept performing jazz with his quartet or in a classical setting as the featured soloist with some of the world's most acclaimed orchestras. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans native joined forces with friend Harry Connick, Jr. to conceive the Habitat Musicians' Village, a community of houses for musicians surrounding a performance and educational center in the Upper Ninth Ward. As an instrumentalist, composer, educator, and the founder of Marsalis Music, Branford exemplifies musical excellence and a commitment to keeping music at the forefront. This is his Broadway debut. www.marsalismusic.com