'Fences' showing in San Jose
By David Wonpu
Playwright August Wilson died of liver cancer in 2005, the same year his final play, "Radio Golf," premiered at Yale Repertory Theatre. It seems Wilson lived just long enough to complete his 10-play cycle, a collection of plays all set in a different decade of the 20th century.
"Fences," his Pulitzer Prize-winning 1985 play, is set in the 1950s and chronicles a 15-year span in the lives of patriarch Troy Maxson and his family.
Troy is a proud and stubborn man whose dreams have long been replaced by a disconnected sense of responsibility to his family. He gives them everything he thinks they need, except the most important thing of all: himself.
In the production, presented by the San Jose Multicultural Artists Guild and Tabia African-American Theatre Ensemble, Troy is played with stately presence by veteran actor Mujahid Abdul-Rashid. His performance is near-perfect, truly capturing the most marvelous aspect of the character: the fact that he is a universal father figure. Audience members, regardless of age, gender or background, will find Troy and his antiquated belief system more than a little familiar.
The character is a microcosm of what makes August Wilson and his work so vaunted in American theatre. While Troy is specifically a representation of a mid-20th century black male, he also has a universal quality. Likewise, as "Fences" is specific, its themes are also universal. Familiar issues like inter-generational conflict and extramarital affairs coalesce wholly with black issues such as workplace discrimination.
As a playwright, Wilson was neither apologetic nor driven by acceptance. The purpose of his work -- and "Fences" is a crystalline example of this -- is not to point out differences nor discount them. Rather, his plays serve as incredibly accurate and honest depictions of black, American life.
The current production at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose is directed by current San Jose State University faculty member Buddy Butler, whose impressive resume includes an NAACP Trailblazer Award as well as extensive directorial credits. Butler's direction of "Fences" is masterful. He expresses a keen insight into Wilson's artistic vision, and the production's tone, atmosphere and pacing are all just where the playwright would have wanted them to be.
Besides Abdul-Rashid, other notable performances include that of the graceful Sharon Moore, who plays Troy's wife Rose, as well as Santa Clara alumnus Jason Sanford, who plays Troy's son Cory with an especially refined sense of theatrical dynamics. Be sure not to miss 10-year-old Myholla Herrold-Morgan, who projects a presence unattainable by actors many times her age.
Whether one is looking for an August Wilson primer or a reminder of his genius, this current production of "Fences" is a worthy choice.
Contact David Wonpu at (408) 551-1918 or dwonpu@scu.edu.