FENCES Will Be Performed by Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will present its 25th anniversary season’s dramatic offering, August Wilson’s “Fences", next month. The play is the sixth in Wilson's ten-part "American Century Cycle," which explores the African American experience and race relations across different decades of the 20th century.

The show, which is being directed by WBTT’s Education Director/Artistic Associate Jim Weaver, runs from January 15-February 23, 2025. Performances take place in The Donelly Theatre of WBTT (1012 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota). Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. (There will be a talk-back after the matinee show on Sunday, February 9.)

Since its 1985 debut, “Fences” has been an audience favorite. The touching, witty, and sometimes brutal drama has won many awards, including the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 1987 Tony Award for Best Play. It is considered one of the most significant African American plays of the 20th century.

In 2016, Broadway vet and two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington directed and acted in a screen adaptation “Fences” for HBO, the same play that won him a Tony Award for Best Actor in 2010. Washington has announced previously that he will produce nine further Wilson plays for HBO.

“Fences” explores the complex and evolving challenges of the Black community and the obstacles they must overcome to build a safe home in a racist society in Pittsburgh in the 1950s. At its core, the play explores the evolving African-American experience during a time of significant social change in America.

Set against the backdrop of racial segregation and the struggle for civil rights, "Fences" centers around Troy Maxson, a former baseball player turned garbage collector, and his family. Troy represents the thwarted dreams of many African-Americans of his generation, whose talents were often limited by systemic racism. His bitterness and disillusionment are palpable as he wrestles with the realities of his life and his fractured relationships.

The titular fence that Troy builds around his house symbolizes segregation but also protection from the outside world. It represents both the literal and metaphorical barriers that Troy erects to protect himself and his family, yet it also represents the emotional walls he has built due to his own unresolved issues and regrets.

Central to the story are Troy's relationships with his wife, Rose, their son, Cory, and Lyons, Troy’s son from a previous marriage. His strained relationship with Cory mirrors his own troubled past and unresolved conflicts. As Troy grapples with his own demons, he inadvertently perpetuates cycles of pain and disappointment within his family and forces the members of his family to examine their own lives and feelings.

Interestingly, Jim Weaver directed WBTT’s only previous production of “Fences” in 2007, his very first introduction to and work with the Troupe.

“In addition to the tremendous artistic significance of this amazing work, it’s wonderful having the opportunity to revisit it after all these years here at WBTT,” said Weaver. “My perspective, compared to what it was during that first production, is very different. The company has grown in so many ways as well. So, this new production offers the chance to reflect all of that simultaneously.”

The cast of “Fences” is: Patric Robinson (Troy Maxson), Ariel Blue (Rose Maxson), Leon S. Pitts II (Gabriel Maxson), Zion Thompson (Corey Maxson), Donovan Whitney (Lyons Maxson), Brian L. Boyd (Jim Bono), and Riley Aparicio-Jerro (Raynell). The understudies are Gabriela Gubello (Raynell), Syreeta S. Banks (Rose), Terry Span (Bono/Gabriel), and Benjamin Roberts (Cory/Lyons).

Production manager is Kevin White, production stage manager is Juanita Munford, assistant stage manager is KaCie Ley, scenic designer is Roland Black, Costume Designer is Faye Manselle, properties artisan designer is Annette Breazeale, lighting designer is Michael Pasquini, sound designer is Patrick Russini, and sound engineer is Alex Judd.

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