Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett in Fences at the Pasadena Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse (39 S. El Molino Ave. Pasadena, CA 91101)
- Full Price:
- $36.00 - $55.00
- Our Price:
- $18.00 - $27.50*
* Additional fees apply.
All offers for Fences have expired.
The last date listed for Fences was Saturday September 9, 2006 / 5:00pm.
7 Goldstar Member Reviews
Goldstar Member
babs
Thoroughly enjoyable with incredible actors and a wonderful and intimate venue.Written on Sep 05 2006
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Goldstar Member
It was far too long and drawn out. It could have been shortened at least an hour in it's length.Written on Sep 11 2006
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Goldstar Member
Great cast, great and moving performances by all, with strong messages related to love, trust and future decisions.Written on Sep 11 2006
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More Information About Fences
Quotes & Highlights
- Winner of the 1987 Pulitzer Prize and four tony Awards, as well as the New York Drama Critics Circle Award.
- Fences is widely considered the gem of August Wilson's remarkable playwriting career and the pinnacle of his ten-play cycle chronicling the African American experience in the 20th Century.
Description
Fences takes place in a black tenement in Pittsburgh where Troy Maxson is a former Negro League baseball player turned garbage collector who takes great pride in keeping his family together and providing for them. Troy's rebellion and frustration sets the tone for the play as he struggles for fairness in a society that seems to offer none. In his struggle, he builds fences between himself and family. Troy also wrestles with the idea of death and claims that he sees death as nothing but a fastball, something he can handle.
In 1987 August Wilson stunned Broadway with what many consider the most powerful play in his canon. Leading the cast of Wilson’s tour-de-force was James Earl Jones in what became a landmark performance in a milestone production in the American theatre.
Fences earned four Tony Awards, including Best Play, a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, and the John Gassner Outer Critics' Circle Award in 1987. That same year Wilson was also selected as Artist of the Year by the Chicago Tribune and earned the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Fences.
In the 1970s, August Wilson began writing a cycle of plays, one for each decade of the 20th century. All but one of the plays is set in his birthplace of Pittsburgh's depressed Hill District. The most produced play, Fences, which takes place in the 1950s and 1960s, is what Arthur Miller referred to as "the tragedy of the common man."
Laurence Fishburne (Troy Maxson) Born in Augusta, Georgia on July 30, 1961, Laurence's mother later moved the family to Brooklyn, NY, which Laurence considers his hometown. He has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in film, television and theatre having worked in over 70 projects in all performance mediums. He is not only an actor, but also a playwright, screenwriter, director and producer.
In 1992 he was awarded a Tony for Best Featured Actor In A Play, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critics’ Circle Award, and a Theater World Award for his work on Broadway as Sterling Johnson in August Wilson's Two Trains Running. His television appearance in the 1993 premiere episode of Fox TV's Tribeca landed Laurence an Emmy. And to complete a triple crown, he was nominated for an Oscar as Best Actor of 1993 for his portrayal of Ike Turner in the film What's Love Got to do With It which he starred in with Angela Bassett.
Angela Bassett (Rose) Alluring audiences with emotionally tinged performances has been the signature of Angela Bassett who personifies a sense of dignity and pride whenever she appears on screen. Her talent and abilities as an actress and executive producer in both television and film have time and again earned the respect and acclaim from her peers and her fans to prove herself to be one of the industry’s premier leading ladies.
Bassett most recently starred opposite Laurence Fishburne in the critically acclaimed Akeelah and the Bee for Lions Gate Films. She recently wrote a book with her husband, actor Courtney B. Vance, entitled “Friends: A Love Story,” set to release in January 2007. The book is the real-life love story of Bassett and Vance, who were friends for many years before marrying.
Perhaps best known for her intense portrayal of Tina Turner in the biopic What’s Love Got To Do With It opposite Laurence Fishburne, Bassett earned the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama as well as an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture and earned an Academy Award nomination for her powerful performance.
Bryan Clark (Corey) Pasadena Playhouse Debut. Regional: His Girl Friday (with Courtney B. Vance and Angela Bassett at The Guthrie Theater), Radio Golf, King Lear (with Avery Brooks), Dance of the Holy Ghosts, King Stag (Yale Repertory Theater), In the Red and Brown Water (Yale Carlotta Festival), Lazarus: Unstoned, Black Nativity (Freedom Theater). National Tour: Preacher's Kids (with Destiny's Child, John Witherspoon, and Tanya Blount). Television: “The Unit,” CBS. Education: Yale School of Drama, MFA.
Kadeem Hardison (Lyons) is best known for his role as the fast-talking, flip-sunglass wearing, girl-watching Dwayne Wayne on the hit NBC “Cosby Show” spin-off “A Different World,” alongside Lisa Bonet, Jasmine Guy and Debbie Allen. The role made him an instant 90s icon and a memorable television figure. Later on, Hardison also directed several episodes of “A Different World.” Hardison began his acting career
on the ABC After School Special “The Color of Friendship.” He has appeared on the NBC series “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Fox’s “Living Single,” CBS’s “Touched by an Angel,” and NBC’s “Just Shoot Me.” Additional television credits include “Abby,” “Red Skies,” “Livin’ Large,” “Fantasy Island,” “Between Brothers,” “Fire and Ice” and UPN’s “One on One.” Currently Hardison is working on the Nickelodeon series “Just For Kicks.” Hardison Made his motion picture debut in Stan Lathan’s adaptation of James Baldwin’s classic Go Tell It on the Mountain and worked again with Lathan that same year in Beat Street. From there, Hardison took several comedic supporting roles in such films as Spike Lee’s School Daze, Keenen Ivory Wayans’ Blaxploitation tribute I’m Gonna Git You Sucka and Ron Shelton’s White Men Can’t Jump. He also co-starred alongside Eddie Murphy and Angela Bassett in the comedy Vampire in Brooklyn. Additional film credits include Cassidy Kids, Biker Boyz and Who’s Your Daddy. Hardison also appeared in Blind Faith, Renaissance Man and The Sixth Man.
Orlando Jones (Gabriel) Best known for his work in the box-office hit Drumline, Ivan Reitman's Evolution and Barry Levinson's Liberty Heights. Orlando is currently starring in Disney's Primeval for director Michael Katelman and producer Gavin Polone. He recently starred in ABC's drama series, “The Evidence,” for producer John Wells and Director Gary Fleder. He is also the co-creator of “Chico And Guapo” - an animated series currently airing on MTV.
Wendell Pierce (Jim Bono) Playhouse Debut. Broadway: The Boys of Winter, Serious Money, Piano Lesson. International: The Oedipus Plays (Athens, Greece). Off-Broadway: Waiting for Godot and The Cherry Orchard (Classical Theatre of Harlem) Tis Pity She’s a Whore, Cymbeline, and Two Gentleman of Verona (New York Shakespeare Festival). Regional Theatre: Uncle Vanya, Miss Evers’ Boys, Antigone, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, ACT (San Francisco) and Philadelphia Drama Guild. Film: Ray, Fighting Temptation, It Could Happen to You, Get On the Bus, Malcolm X, Waiting to Exhale, Sleepers. Television: “The Wire” (HBO, Peabody Award), “Life Support” (HBO), “Law & Order,” “Third Watch,” ”My Wife & Kids,” “Girlfriends,” “The Gregory Hines Show.” Producing Credits Include: Jitney (Off-Broadway), Biro (National Theatre of Uganda), and the feature film, Dirty Laundry starring Loretta Devine. Recordings: Tradition (BBC Radio). Education: Julliard. Proud Member of Actors’ Equity.
Victoria Matthews (Raynell) Pasadena Playhouse Debut. Pasadena. Les Miserables (Cossette as a child). Various Commercials and Print. Television: Guest appearance on “American Juniors” with Ryan Seacrest, CBS Studios in Los Angeles. Education: San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. Victoria is an Honor Student, maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. Victoria has won numerous academic awards including the Presidential Academic award for excellence.