Mad Cow Theatre Presents August Wilson's Award-Winning Drama FENCES

Mad Cow Theatre is delighted to announce its upcoming production of August Wilson's Fences, the award-winning American drama, directed by Tony Simotes, which will take the Harriett stage August 4 as the ninth production of Mad Cow Theatre's Season 20.

Winner of the Pulitzer, Tony, and Drama Desk Award among others, Fences is August Wilson's 1950s chapter in his ten-play "Pittsburgh Cycle" - chronicling the evolving African-American experience through the 20th century. Troy, a middle-aged garbage man, struggles to keep his family afloat and his dignity intact while battling crippling disappointment over his stolen ambition to be a professional baseball player. His family and his community share the weight of dreams deferred and racial inequality in a play described by The New York Post as "one of the richest experiences I have ever had in the theatre. I wasn't just moved. I was transfixed."

Dealing with the powerful themes of mortality, freedom, family, and the American Dream, Wilson's poignant story conveys a universally relatable struggle, one that is still relevant in today's society. As The New York Times wrote, "this is not theater, this is life."

"We are over the moon to be producing? our very first August Wilson play," says MiTzi Maxwell, Executive Director of Mad Cow Theatre. "Fences is a landmark play, his most produced, leaving a lasting imprint on the American theatre. Emotional and heart expanding, this play is not to be missed. For those of you that saw the recent Academy Award-winning motion picture, this will bring Fences up close and personal in a way that only live theatre can do."

Fences features Johnny Lee Davenport* as Troy Maxson and Patric Robinson as Jim Bono in their Mad Cow debuts. Returning to the Mad Cow stage are Sheryl Carbonell as Rose Maxson (You Can't Take it With You, Dreamgirls,) Stelson Telfort as Cory Maxson (The Brothers Size,) Jim Braswell as Gabriel Maxson* (The Brothers Size, Yellowman,) and Damany Riles as Lyons Maxson (Dreamgirls, Romeo and Juliet.)

Fences is directed by Tony ?Simotes (Constellations,The God Game,) Scenic Design by Rob Wolin^ (Three Sisters, Pygmalion,) and ?Lighting Design by Amy Hadley (1776, The Big Meal.)

*Denotes member of Actors' Equity Association.
^Denotes member of United Scenic Artists Local USA 829.
Previous credits with Mad Cow in parentheses.

Fences runs August 4 - 27, 2017, in the Harriett Theatre at Mad Cow Theatre, 54 W. Church Street (second floor) in Downtown Orlando. (Click here for directions.) Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays, with additional performances Saturday, August 12 at 2:30 p.m. and Mondays, August 14 and 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Regular tickets are $26 - $40. Preview tickets are $15. Monday tickets are $18 - $25. Tickets are available online at madcowtheatre.com or by calling the Mad Cow Theatre box office at 407-297-8788 ext. 1.

Photo: Sheryl Carbonell, (sitting) Stelson Telfort, and Johnny Lee Davenport*; Photo by Tom Hurst

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