To watch Fences—at Syracuse Stage—take the Connective Corridor bus routes 443 or 543 to Irving Ave and E Genesee St.

Pittsburgh, 1957. Troy Maxson, ex-ballplayer, complicated African-American family man, and garbage collector has lived a life of diminished hopes and abandoned dreams. Now Troy’s talented son, Cory, has hopes and dreams of his own. Will Troy allow his bitterness about the past to poison his son’s promising future? With a view toward a better future, August Wilson first posed this dramatic and necessary question 25 years ago when Fences premiered at Yale Repertory Theatre. The play went on to win a Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize.With a cast featuring top Broadway performers as well as local talent, and costumes design by August Wilson’s widow Constanza Romero, Syracuse Stage’s Producing Artistic Director Timothy Bond directs this special 25th anniversary production, running May 5 to 30 at Syracuse Stage.

Syracuse Stage season sponsors are The Post-Standard and Time Warner Cable. Sponsors for Fences are the National Endowment for the Arts, the Reisman Foundation and Chase. Media sponsors are Urban CNY, WAER and WRVO.  Fences is a co-production with Seattle Repertory Theatre, where it ran March 26-April 18 to critical acclaim.

The professional acting company includes six actors, led by Broadway veteran James A. Williams (as Troy), who appeared in the original New York production of August Wilson’s “Radio Golf.” Rounding out the professional cast is Craig Alan Edwards (as Gabriel), Seattle-based actor William Hall Jr. (as Jim Bono), regional theater actor José A. Rufino (Lyons), theater and film actress Kim Staunton (Rose), and New York City-based actor Stephen Tyrone Williams (Cory). Playing the role of Raynell, Troy’s daughter, is local 7-year-old actress Yemurai Tewogbola. Understudying the role of Raynell is local 8-year-old Alexis Simmons.