Redhouse Presents August Wilson's FENCES, Ted Lange Returns To Direct

Redhouse Arts Center continues its 2022 portion of the season and will feature the previously much anticipated play, August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize winning American masterpiece, Fences.

The show was well into rehearsals when the Covid-19 Pandemic originally broke out forcing Redhouse to immediately halt production, eventually cancelling the show altogether. Two years later, this production will bring Redhouse full circle, as Ted Lange (Isaac from The Love Boat) returns to direct, finally bringing Fences to Redhouse audiences. The new production will take place February 25 - March 6, 2022.

The classic American drama, set in the 1950s, is part of August Wilson's Century Cycle, his series of ten plays that chart the African-American experience in each decade of the twentieth century. Troy Maxson was a former star of the Negro baseball leagues who now works as a garbage man. 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. Fences won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 1987 Tony Award for Best Play. James Earl Jones won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play. In 2010 Fences won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis both won Tony Awards for their performances. In 2016 Denzel Washington directed a film version, which earned Viola Davis a Best Supporting Actress Oscar win.

Redhouse is thrilled to welcome back Ted Lange to Direct this production. Audiences will remember Ted Lange for his outstanding performance in Redhouse's production of, I'm Not Rappaport. Ted Lange's impressive career includes receiving the Renaissance Man Theatre Award from the NAACP in Los Angeles as well as the Heroes and Legends (HAL) Lifetime Achievement Award. Lange also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of his contribution to the history of television for his work on The Love Boat. An award winning theatrical director, Lange received the Artistic Director Achievement Award, as Director of an Original Play, for his comedy Lemon Meringue Façade and the Dramalogue Award for outstanding directing of The Visit, which was later turned into a film. Other highlights from his stage directing include: an interracial Hamlet starring Glynn Turman, Driving Miss Daisy, a one man show Big Daddy's Barbecue starring Jeff Wayne and The Heart of Biddy Mason, a jazz musical which he co-wrote with noted jazz musician Gerald Trottman. In 1989, he directed and starred in the film, Othello. Behind the Mask - An Evening with Paul Laurence Dunbar is Lange's one-man show, which toured to sold-out houses at Ohio State University, San Jose State and Indiana State University, among many others. In addition to all this, Mr Lange has a Shakespearean Themed, Trilogy currently available on Amazon, entitled, "Shakespeare Over My Shoulder?"

Redhouse Arts Center has once again assembled an impressive cast of actors some of which will be returning from the original casting of the show at Redhouse prior to the pandemic shutdown. Marcus Naylor will return to the cast while making his Redhouse debut as Troy Maxon. Also from the previous cast is Mark Cryer as Bono who was among the first cast members to grace the original Redhouse stage when it was founded more than 15 years ago. Redhouse Artistic Director Temar Underwood will put on acting cap back on and perform the role of Gabriel. New cast includes Adara Alston performing the role of Troy's wife Rose and Khalfani Louis as their son Cory. They will be joined by Donovan Stanfield as Lyons and local young actress Kimani Estelle Giles as Raynell.

Joining Director Ted Lange on the creative team will be Scenic Designer, Terry Martin; Costume Designer, Andrea Calarco; Lighting Designer, Marie Yokoyama, Sound Designer, Shane Patterson; Production Stage Manager, Kassandra Melendez-Ramirez; Assistant Stage Manager/Covid Compliance Officer, Caitlin Friedburg; Assistant Stage Manager, Magdalyn Donnelly; Production Manager, Joshua Reid; Master Carpenter, Craig Costello; Technical Consultant, Anthony Vadala; and Props Coordinator, Willa Snowbender.

Fences runs from February 25 - March 6, 2022 at Redhouse Arts Center located at 400. South Salina Street. Sister Act sponsors include Season Sponsor: Pathfinder Bank and Bousquet Holstein. Leading Show Sponsors include Central New York Community Foundation and Onondaga Community College. Supporting Sponsors include JF Real Estate and DKON Consulting along with Media Sponsor WAER 88.3. On site, paid parking is available in the attached garage on Clinton Street.

For Fences tickets, information and current Covid-19 show policy, call the Redhouse Arts Center box office at (315) 362-2785 or visit www.theredhouse.org.

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