Read this when
Fences
'Who the hell say I got to like you?' If your dad talked love in the language of rent and groceries, Fences will hit different. ⚾
Who it's for
Troy Maxson is magnetic, funny and bitter: a former Negro League star blocked from the majors by racism, now hauling garbage, determined his son Cory won't be humiliated as he was.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Fences is a play by August Wilson set in a Pittsburgh backyard in the 1950s, and it premiered at Yale Repertory Theatre in 1985. Troy Maxson is a 53-year-old garbage collector who was an excellent player in Negro league baseball but was kept out of the major leagues by racial barriers. His bitterness affects his whole household.
Where to find it
In print (Plume / Theatre Communications Group), widely in libraries (Libby/Hoopla); audio recordings of the play exist. Not public domain. The 2016 film adaptation is widely available.
Before you start
Heads up: Family violence and death in childbirth.
Age: Ages 14+
The roots below the earth claim no rewards for making the branches fruitful.Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds, no. 134
