“Fences” Closing at Pennsylvania Playhouse

The Pennsylvania Playhouse; located at 390 Illick’s Mill Road, Bethlehem.

Mason McGowan |Writer

On the afternoon of April 13, the cast of Pennsylvania Playhouse’s “Fences” gave their final bows to wrap up the theatre’s spring production. 

Directed by Adam Newborn, the play highlights the struggles of the Maxsons, a working-class black family living in Pittsburgh. The plot focuses on Troy Maxson, a former major league baseball player who now works as a garbage collector, and his tumultuous relationship with his family, particularly his wife, Rose, and his son, Cory.

“Fences” delves into concepts like the meaning of fatherhood, the weight of unfulfilled dreams, and generational trauma. It was authored in 1985 by August Wilson and is the sixth installment of the “Pittsburgh Cycle,” a series of ten plays that explore the African American experience in the 20th century.

Willie Wo starred as Troy Maxson, accompanied by Juanita Renay as Rose Maxson, Devin T. Dobson as Jim Bono, Marquett Ferell as Cory Maxson, Tyronn Brewington as Lyons Maxson, Jaciel Córdoba as Gabriel Maxson, and Jalianna M. Miller as Raynell. Katy Hartzel served as the stage manager, joined by Brett Oliviera and Michael Lavelle Schofield as technical/lighting designers, and Rachel Williams as costume designer.

Newborn’s vision as the director, as well as the actors’ performances, received immense praise from critics and audiences. Kathy Lauer-Williams, writer for Lehigh Valley Stage, regarded the production as “powerful and emotionally rich.”

“Ultimately, when we’re up here, we’re pulling from real things that we’ve seen and observed… It’s all real experiences that we get to show on stage,” said Dobson.

Coming up next in the Pennsylvania Playhouse’s season is “Singin’ In the Rain”, directed by Rachel Lutz and set to open May 30 through June 15.