Two-time Academy Award® winner Denzel Washington returns to Broadway, alongside Academy Award nominee and Tony Award® winner Viola Davis, in August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play. This strictly limited 13-week engagement begins April 14th at the Cort Theatre. Both a monumental drama and an intimate family portrait, Fences tells the story of Troy Maxson, a man torn between the glory of his past and the uncertainty of his future. Emboldened by pride and embittered by sacrifice, Troy is determined to make life better for future generations, even as he struggles to embrace the dreams of his own son.
Kenny Leon's lightweight production captures the intricate rhythms of Wilson's language, but never moves beyond the play's surface. Though enjoyable, this 'Fences' feels less like a substantial drama than a broad sitcom comedy stuffed with melodramatic shocks and awes. Washington comes off not as Troy, but a charismatic movie star wearing an unglamorous sanitation jumpsuit as a lark.
Viola Davis is sensational as Rose, the devoted and betrayed wife. Wilson’s lyrical script offers any number of stirring monologues, and Ms. Davis delivers hers—especially when she learns of Troy’s betrayal—with a vivid, bracing rawness. She more than holds her own against Mr. Washington, both in their tender scenes and in their explosive ones. It’s no small feat, and she does it without too much shouting.
1987 | Broadway |
Broadway |
2010 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Chris Chalk, |
2010 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Viola Davis |
2010 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music in a Play | Branford Marsalis |
2010 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play (tie) | Fences |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Play | Denzel Washington |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Play | Viola Davis |
2010 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | 0 |
2010 | Theatre World Awards | Performance | Chris Chalk |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design of a Play | Constanza Romero |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design of a Play | Constanza Romero |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Play | Kenny Leon |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | Branford Marsalis |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play | Stephen McKinley Henderson |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play | Denzel Washington |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play | Viola Davis |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Carole Shorenstein Hays |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Scott Rudin |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Scenic Design of a Play | Santo Loquasto |
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Play | Acme Sound Partners |
Videos