Content Advisory
Synopsis: August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Fences tells the story of Troy Maxson, an African-American man in 1957 Pittsburgh who works as a garbage man to provide a home for his family, while remembering with great bitterness the fact that segregation kept him from the chance of playing major league baseball. When his son Cory is given an opportunity to go to college on a football scholarship, it sets up an age-old conflict between father and son.
Language: There is a small amount of profane or vulgar language, but nothing that would earn the play a stronger than PG-13 rating.
As was typical in 1957, the African-American men in the play refer to each other, affectionately, as “niggers.” In addition, the play includes “Goddamn”(four times), a few “damns,” and one use each of “piss” and “shit.”
Smoking/Drinking/Sex: None.
Violence: Troy and his son threaten to become violent, but never do.
For Which Audiences? Fences is a major play by an important American playwright and has been produced all over the world. The play is suitable for all audiences, including children ten and older; younger children should attend at a parent’s discretion.
Rating: If it were a movie, Fences would be rated PG-13.
This production is sponsored by:
The Lawrence T. and Janet T. Dee Foundation