playbill vip

We are thrilled to welcome you to August Wilson’s Fences. Wilson is one of the greatest voices in American theater. His masterpiece script, Fences, debuted in 1985, later in 1987 on Broadway with James Earl Jones, and won the Pulitzer Prize for drama, among many other theater honors. More recently, a 2016 film directed and starring Denzel Washington portrayed Wilson’s work.

In 2023, the hard-working and talented students from Hempstead High School, under the direction of Theatrical Director Timothy Dolan and Assistant Director Dr. Ashton Bell, are leading the way for a powerful, moving Fences performance.

Fences takes place in 1957, a landmark year for the Civil Rights Movement and a time when much of the Black community felt caught between an oppressive past and the possibility of a brighter future. Fences follows the story of Troy Maxson, an African American father and a husband who desperately needs to provide for his family. Troy is a man with “something to say about everything” and whose opinions and overbearing personality build emotional “fences” as he tries to pursue the American Dream.

August Wilson famously asked, “What do you do with your legacy, and how do you best put it to use?” As in the play, as in life, it leaves us with the need to strive for higher goals and the expectation to give something better to the generations after us. Through this process, one can experience the seeking of community and how that brings joy, growth, and empathy.

So much in the world has changed since 1957 and even 1985. The pause has given us time to reflect, but there is still so much left to do. I have been thinking about the role of theatre and “the chair.” Not necessarily the playwright’s chair, the director’s chair, or the actor’s chair. What I keep coming back to is the ‘audience’s chair.’ As we sit and experience this play together, we witness the age-old tradition that brings us back to what it means to be human—bringing out emotions and a sense of community.

Fences allow us to reflect, learn to forgive, and be forgiven regardless of our past. Sitting in our ‘audience chair,’ we can listen, enjoy a phenomenal production, embrace our emotions, and, most importantly, refine our story and legacy.

Dr. Xavier Rodriguez
Director of Fine Arts, Music & Media