New African Grove Theatre Company
Fences
Set in 1957, this was New African Grove Theatre Company's sixth production of an August Wilson play. It opened August 16th, 2014. It was directed by Synthia Williams.
Fences explores the evolving African-American experience and examines race relations. The play focuses on 53-year-old Troy Maxson, a once great professional baseball player in his youth who now lives a menial life as a head-of-household garbageman struggling to provide for his family.
His baseball dreams fizzled when he was sent to prison for an accidental murder he committed during a robbery. He lives with his wife, Rose, and son, Cory. Troy's war-injuried younger brother, Gabriel, from which he took disbaility money from to purchase his home, rents a room in the neighborhood, and son, Lyons lives outside the home.
The struggles of life beat at Troy through the years of constant disappointment and conflict resulting in a persistent bitterness Troy lives with and takes out on those closest to him until his death. The fence Troy begins to build for Rose becomes a metaphorical definition for what belongs to her and a parable of Troy's life upon its completion.