{"id":113128,"date":"2022-08-01T17:51:22","date_gmt":"2022-08-01T21:51:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=113128"},"modified":"2022-08-01T17:51:22","modified_gmt":"2022-08-01T21:51:22","slug":"august-wilsons-fences-pennsylvania-shakespeare-festival-2022-review-by-janel-spiegel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=113128","title":{"rendered":"August Wilson\u2019s Fences Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival 2022 | Review By: Janel Spiegel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review By: Janel Spiegel<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Review: August Wilson\u2019s Fences<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

July 27- August 7, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

2755 Station Avenue<\/strong><\/p>\n

Center Valley, PA 18034<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Synopsis:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cSet in 1950s Pittsburgh against the backdrop of a rapidly changing America, August Wilson\u2019s groundbreaking Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning drama depicts the yearnings and struggles of the Maxson family. Troy Maxson, a former home run king of the Negro baseball leagues now supports his family as a garbage collector, and builds fences around a world he has battled his entire life. An epic work of stunning poetry by a Pennsylvania native,\u00a0Fences<\/em>\u00a0has been hailed by critics as \u201ca blockbuster piece of theater\u201d and \u201cthe strongest, most passionate American dramatic writing since Tennessee Williams.\u201d A timeless story of fathers and sons, husbands and wives, dreams and realities,\u00a0Fences<\/em>\u00a0is a true American classic. Contains some adult subject matter and strong language. Ages 13+\u201d<\/p>\n

Review:<\/strong><\/p>\n

August Wilson<\/a>\u2026 I want to write an entire article about this gentleman. August Wilson\u2019s FENCES<\/em>. August Wilson was an American playwright. He wrote powerful words, powerful plays, powerful stories.<\/p>\n

The last play I saw Tony Todd in was How I Learned What I Learned<\/em> by August Wilson. Fences<\/em> is a Pulitzer Prize winning play. DeSales University<\/a> hosts the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival\u2019s main stage belongs to August Wilson\u2019s Fences, starring Tony Todd (Troy), llan Annum (Raynell), Brandon Edward Burton (Lyons), Brian D. Coats (Gabriel), Tyler Fauntleroy (Cory), Ella Joyce (Rose), Shane Taylor (Bono). The understudies are: Quinton Cockrell (Troy, Bono, Gabe), Ontoaria Kim Wilson (Rose), and Kayce Rhylee-Cherise Rawls (Raynell).<\/p>\n

It was a sold-out show with an enthusiastic audience. The stage looked incredible. They built a home and as the play went on, the fence was being built by Troy played beyond brilliantly by Tony Todd. Tony Todd is a force of nature on a stage, his presence is so massive, he commands the attention of everyone in the room. Do you ever just watch something and you become immersed in it. I\u2019ve seen a fair number of plays including seeing Al Pacino in The Merchant of Venice<\/em>. This was a force of nature.<\/p>\n