Troy Maxson is a Pittsburgh sanitation worker who once dreamed of a baseball career, but was too old when the major leagues finally admitted black players. As he faces off against the racial barrier at work and his own disappointments, Troy also grapples with his son, Cory, over the teenager’s hope for a football scholarship and with his wife, Rose, who confronts Troy over a child he has fathered with another woman.
What Is the Story of Fences?
Fences centers on the Maxons, an African-American family living in Pittsburgh in 1957. Patriarch Troy, a sanitation worker, is an embittered former player in baseball’s Negro Leagues. Matriarch Rose runs the household, stretching Troy’s meager paycheck to keep things going. Their teen son Cory is being recruited to play college football, a source of contention with his father. Also on the scene are Troy’s older son Lyons, brain-damaged brother Gabriel and drinking buddy Bono. The main action of the play takes places over a two-month period that changes the nature of the Maxons’ marriage and Cory’s path in life forever.
"Genuinely glorious. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis generate shiver-making heat and pathos. Vibrantly acted with scenes as vivid and heartfelt as any on Broadway now. Kenny Leon's direction is expertly fluid."
The New York Times
Ben Brantley
"Gorgeous. Thrilling. Unmissable. The finest revival yet of an August Wilson play. You just do not see performances of this intensity and truthfulness on Broadway these days."
The New Yorker
John Lahr
"A dramatic home run! Fences keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. Gorgeously acted by an incredible cast."
New York Post
Elisabeth Vincentelli
"A blistering production, directed with a sure, steady hand by Kenn Leon. Denzel Washington gives a big, bold performance in a big, bold play. Viola Davis gives an incandescent performance."
Associated Press
Michael Kuchwara
"Magnificent and joyous. Denzel Washington hits it out fo the park. Rose is played with radiant and transparent joy by Viola Davis. A splendid ensemble."
Newsday
Linda Winer
"Fences is a masterpiece, and this meticulously mounted production does it proud. The high-wattage Washington is heartbreaking and irresistible. Viola Davis is a treasure - she is electrifying."
Variety
Marilyn Stasio
"Superb and shattering. Washington's compelling turn keeps the audience constantly off-guard. He is beautifully matched by Viola Davis, who conveys her character to vividly. The work's raw power is well brought out by Kenny Leon's superbly acted production."
The Hollywood Reporter
Frank Scheck
