[NEohioPAL]Weathervane's "Fences"

Thu Sep 21 10:47:48 PDT 2006

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A Compelling Slice-of-Life Drama

WEATHERVANE PLAYHOUSE'S production of

FENCES by August Wilson

(September 21, 2006, Akron, Ohio...For Immediate Release) Weathervane =
Playhouse announces performances for August Wilson's FENCES, which not =
only earned the Tony Award for Best Play and the New York Drama Critics =
Circle Award for Best Play, but also the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. =
The second play of a 10-play cycle, FENCES is set in 1957 Pittsburgh and =
remains his "landmark" play, the one that has been and remains the most =
produced, most awarded and the one of his plays that made the greatest =
and most lasting imprint on American theater.

Weathervane's 2006-2007 season, Home is where the HeART is, focuses on =
themes that center around the family. FENCES, an American drama about =
fathers and sons, pursues the big issues of racism and political unrest =
from a personal perspective. This compelling drama explores the =
complicated relationships that hold families together through the =
perseverance of love and hope. We learn the history of Troy Maxson, a =
sharecropper's son, convict, former slugger in the American Negro League =
and trash collector. We learn the hurts that lie beneath his personality =
-- the hurts that trigger family conflicts. We learn why he is =
determined to protect his son from the indignities and disappointments =
of his own youth, and why he refuses to allow him to accept a college =
football scholarship.

August Wilson (1945 - 2005) was born in Pittsburgh. He dropped out of =
school in the ninth grade and was largely self-educated. He, however, =
received many awards including more than two dozen honorary doctorates, =
Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships, a National Humanities Medal, the =
2003 Heinz Award in Humanities and Arts and the only high school diploma =
issued by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He was a member of the =
American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Academy of Arts =
and Letters. Wilson is best remembered for his cycle of 10 plays =
depicting a different decade of the 20th century, each exploring the =
comedy and tragedy of African-American history and culture. The cycle =
(which took 20 years to complete) includes Gem of the Ocean (set in =
1904; written in 2004), Joe Turner's Come and Gone (set in 1911; written =
in 1988), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (set in 1927; written in 1984), The =
Piano Lesson (set in 1936; written in 1990), Seven Guitars (set in 1948; =
written in 1996), Fences (set in 1957 - 1958 and 1963; written in 1987), =
Two Trains Running (set in 1969; written in 1992), Jitney (set in 1977; =
written in 1982 and rewritten in 2000), King Hedley II (set in 1985; =
written in 2001) and Radio Golf (set in 1997; written in 2005). August =
Wilson died at the age of 60 of liver cancer less than four months after =
diagnosis.

Terrence Spivey (director for Weathervane's production) is currently the =
Artistic Director for Karamu Performing Arts Theatre. He is a native of =
Texas and received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre at Prarie View =
A&M University. He resided in New York for about 20 years, where he =
appeared in numberous off-Broadway shows, music videos and independent =
films. His directorial debut was at New Jersey's Crossroads Theatre =
Company and he was a Theodore Ward Prize finalist for his play =
Smokestack Lighting. Since relocating to Cleveland, he directed the =
Midwest premiere of Thomas Gibbons' Bee-luther-hatchee to rave reviews =
during Karamu's 2003-2004 season. He more recently directed For Colored =
Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, the Ohio =
premiere of Dennis McIntyre's Split Second and the ambitious Dream on =
Monkey Mountain. This past summer he was theatre curator for the second =
annual Ingenuity Arts and Technology Festival in Cleveland.

Fences protect, define territory, prevent mixture and impose barriers =
but, might a man's own personal boundaries prove to be even more narrow =
and confining? FENCES, at Weathervane October 11 - 29, 2006. Low-cost =
preview performances on Wednesday and Thursday, October 11 & 12 at 7:30 =
p.m. with official opening on Friday, October 13 at 8:00 p.m. Other =
performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. =
and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Additionally, Weathervane presents this play as =
a Project STAGE production. Teacher and student study guides are =
available. Project STAGE performances are Tuesdays, October 17 and 24 at =
10 a.m. Special ticket prices apply for those performances. Project =
STAGE is supported by The Sisler McFawn Foundation and OMNOVA Solutions =
Foundation.

Charge by phone at Weathervane's Ticket Office at 330-836-2626. Call =
between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Tickets: $20 =
(Other Tickets: Wed. & Thurs. previews $14, Students 17 or younger $16, =
College Students and Senior Citizens $18 on Thursdays and Sundays. =
Half-price student rush tickets may be purchased at the door with ID.)

The play is recommended for general audiences.

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to =
encourage economic growth,

education excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Additional Season Sponsors: WKSU, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, WCLV

www.weathervaneplayhouse.com

***30***

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A Compelling Slice-of-Life =
Drama
WEATHERVANE PLAYHOUSE=92S =
production=20
of
FENCES <FONT=20
face=3DHelvetica>by August =
Wilson<FONT=20
face=3DHelvetica size=3D2>

(September 21, 2006, Akron, Ohio...For Immediate Release) =
Weathervane=20
Playhouse announces performances for August Wilson=92s =
<FONT=20
color=3D#ff0000>FENCES, which not only earned the =
Tony=20
Award for Best Play and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best =
Play,=20
but also the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The second play of a 10-play =
cycle,=20
FENCES is set in 1957 =
Pittsburgh and=20
remains his "landmark" play, the one that has been and remains the most=20
produced, most awarded and the one of his plays that made the greatest =
and most=20
lasting imprint on American theater.
Weathervane=92s 2006-2007 season, Home is where the HeART is, =
focuses on=20
themes that center around the family. <FONT=20
color=3D#ff0000>FENCES, an American drama about fathers =
and sons,=20
pursues the big issues of racism and political unrest from a personal=20
perspective. This compelling drama explores the complicated =
relationships that=20
hold families together through the perseverance of love and hope. We =
learn the=20
history of Troy Maxson, a sharecropper=92s son, convict, former slugger =
in the=20
American Negro League and trash collector. We learn the hurts that lie =
beneath=20
his personality -- the hurts that trigger family conflicts. We learn why =
he is=20
determined to protect his son from the indignities and disappointments =
of his=20
own youth, and why he refuses to allow him to accept a college football=20
scholarship.
August Wilson (1945 - 2005) was born =
in=20
Pittsburgh. He dropped out of school in the ninth grade and was largely=20
self-educated. He, however, received many awards including more than two =
dozen=20
honorary doctorates, Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships, a National=20
Humanities Medal, the 2003 Heinz Award in Humanities and Arts and the =
only high=20
school diploma issued by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He was a =
member of=20
the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Academy of =
Arts and=20
Letters. Wilson is best remembered for his cycle of 10 plays depicting a =

different decade of the 20th century, each exploring the =
comedy and=20
tragedy of African-American history and culture. The cycle (which took =
20 years=20
to complete) includes Gem of the Ocean (set in 1904; written in =
2004),=20
Joe Turner=92s Come and Gone (set in 1911; written in 1988), =
Ma Rainey=92s=20
Black Bottom (set in 1927; written in 1984), The Piano Lesson =
(set in=20
1936; written in 1990), Seven Guitars (set in 1948; written in =
1996),=20
Fences (set in 1957 =96 =
1958 and 1963;=20
written in 1987), Two Trains Running (set in 1969; written in =
1992),=20
Jitney (set in 1977; written in 1982 and rewritten in 2000), =
King=20
Hedley II (set in 1985; written in 2001) and Radio Golf (set =
in 1997;=20
written in 2005). August Wilson died at the age of 60 of liver cancer =
less than=20
four months after diagnosis.
Terrence Spivey (director for =
Weathervane=92s=20
production) is currently the Artistic Director for Karamu Performing =
Arts=20
Theatre. He is a native of Texas and received his Bachelor of Arts =
Degree in=20
Theatre at Prarie View A&M University. He resided in New York for =
about 20=20
years, where he appeared in numberous off-Broadway shows, music videos =
and=20
independent films. His directorial debut was at New Jersey=92s =
Crossroads Theatre=20
Company and he was a Theodore Ward Prize finalist for his play =
Smokestack=20
Lighting. Since relocating to Cleveland, he directed the Midwest =
premiere of=20
Thomas Gibbons=92 Bee-luther-hatchee to rave reviews during =
Karamu=92s=20
2003-2004 season. He more recently directed For Colored Girls Who =
Have=20
Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, the Ohio premiere of =
Dennis=20
McIntyre=92s Split Second and the ambitious Dream on Monkey=20
Mountain. This past summer he was theatre curator for the second =
annual=20
Ingenuity Arts and Technology Festival in Cleveland.
Fences protect, define territory, prevent mixture and impose barriers =
but,=20
might a man=92s own personal boundaries prove to be even more narrow and =

confining? FENCES, at =
Weathervane=20
October 11 =96 29, 2006. Low-cost preview performances on =
Wednesday and=20
Thursday, October 11 & 12 at 7:30 p.m. with official =
opening on=20
Friday, October 13 at 8:00 p.m. Other performances are Thursdays =
at 7:30=20
p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. =
Additionally,=20
Weathervane presents this play as a Project =
STAGE=20
production. Teacher and student study guides are available. Project =
STAGE=20
performances are Tuesdays, October 17 and 24 at 10 a.m. Special ticket =
prices=20
apply for those performances. Project STAGE is supported by The Sisler =
McFawn=20
Foundation and OMNOVA Solutions Foundation.
Charge by phone at Weathervane=92s Ticket Office at =
330-836-2626.=20
Call between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. =
Tickets:=20
$20 (Other Tickets: Wed. & Thurs. previews $14, Students 17 or =
younger=20
$16, College Students and Senior Citizens $18 on Thursdays and Sundays.=20
Half-price student rush tickets may be purchased at the door with =
ID.)
The play is recommended for general=20
audiences.
The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with =
state tax=20
dollars to encourage economic growth,
education excellence and cultural enrichment for all=20
Ohioans.
Additional Season Sponsors: WKSU, Goodyear Tire & =
Rubber=20
Company, WCLV
www.weathervaneplayhouse.com
***30***</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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