By Tom Boudrot
‘August Wilson’s Fences’ – Directed by Michelle Aguillon; Scenic Design by Dan Daly; Lighting Design by Samuel J. Biondolillo; Sound Design by Aubrey Dube. Presented by the Umbrella Stage Company at the Umbrella Community Arts Center, 40 Stow Street in Concord, MA through November 23
I must begin by saying that while preparing for my visit to the newly renovated Umbrella Community Arts Center on a quiet side street off Concord Center, I was unsure of what I was getting myself into. From past experience I knew that community theater (which I later discovered was no longer the case at the Umbrella – which debuted as Equity in September) sometimes can be a mixed bag, and tackling the Pulitzer and Tony award winning, “Fences” from August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle of plays might be a bit daunting. But soon after the lights dimmed, I found myself transported to a front porch in a black neighborhood in 1950’s Pittsburgh, populated by a talented troupe of actors, and Wilson’s masterpiece soon unfolded before me.
This is a story that feels all too real: The times are hard, life is rough and the story is a sad one – but hope sometimes lies just beneath the surface. The story centers on Troy Maxson, a trash collector whose childhood scars from his abusive share cropper father left him angry and resentful. He’s also a former Negro Leagues baseball star (and ex-con) who remains bitter about his exclusion from Major League Baseball because of his race, although we later learn that race may not have been the only factor in his not making it to the bigs. He justifies his mean-heartedness by always being “responsible”. So while he faithfully hands his wife his entire paycheck every Friday, he also tells his one son that while it’s his job to feed and clothe him – he doesn’t have to like him. I found myself unable to judge him too harshly, as Wilson (and Damon Singletary, who delivers a terrific performance as Maxson) ably shows us that he is also a victim, scarred by previous generations suffering under institutionalized slavery.
This is a first-rate production and it begins with the casting. There are only seven characters in the play and there’s not a weak link in the bunch, each digging deep for the emotional moments while mining laughs as well. Of particular note is the anchor of the play, Singletary as Maxson, who from the start draws you in with his intense, seething anger and frustration. Early on he delivers a moving and engrossing soliloquy on facing down death while fighting a delusion-inducing, feverish illness. Playing the foil to Singletary’s outstanding portrayal is Fitchburg State’s own Shani Farrell as Rose, his unshakable wife. Farrell’s performance is equally remarkable, and it’s hard to believe Farrell is still a student. I envision a time when I’ll be bragging about how I saw her ‘way back when’ in this role. While Singletary dominates the first act, Farrell gets to display her immense acting talents in the second, bringing their emotional turmoil to a teary-eyed summit.
Director Michelle Aguillon elicits strong performances from the actors playing the sons. Daniel Rios plays Lyons, the talented musician of the family, whose portrayal successfully dances along the fine line of letting his character legitimately make use of 50’s jazz phrases and dress while not being reduced to a laughable caricature of the era. Like Farrell, Dwayne P. Mitchell as Cory is in the background of the first act but delivers a strong emotional performance in the second act, finally summoning the courage to face his father’s anger.
Arthur Williams III does a solid job bringing a steadfastness to his role as Troy’s friend, and an outsider’s eye to the off-kilter family life of the Maxsons. Dominic Carter brings enormous energy to the jarring character that is Troy’s war-damaged brother, Gabriel, and talented newcomer Valentina Garcia-Joseph, making her professional theater debut, is another one to watch.
Fences is one of the best of August Wilson’s grand series of ten plays known as the Pittsburgh Cycle or American Century Cycle, He endeavors to capture one hundred years of the black experience in America, each play covering one decade. This play is set in the 1950’s in Pittsburgh, as are all but one in the cycle. It’s a story born of racism and the lingering effects of slavery on black Americans but like any great work, Wilson creates a family that anyone can relate to both in the troubling moments and the lighthearted ones. For more information visit: https://theumbrellaarts.org/theater
