Chesapeake Shakespeare Company To Present AUGUST WILSON'S FENCES

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company has announced its production of August Wilson's Fences, directed by Reginald L. Douglas, running from February 6 to March 1, 2026.

The Pulitzer Prize–winning drama is CSC's second staging in the Baltimore August Wilson Celebration (BAWC) and stands as the sixth play presented in the city-wide tribute to Wilson's American Century Cycle. The play represents perhaps Wilson's most important work, often cited for its cultural reach and intimate examination of family, labor, and the American promise.

Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, Fences centers on Troy Maxson, a former Negro League baseball star whose deferred dreams cast long shadows over his life as a husband, father, and working man. Now a sanitation worker, Troy is forced to wrestle with a world that denied him opportunity while demanding his unwavering labor.

Embodying Troy's towering presence is CSC company member DeJeanette Horne, a familiar force on the CSC stage, appearing last season as the title role in Julius Caesar and as the Earl of Leicester in Mary Stuart. Opposite Horne, his real-life wife, Lolita Marie, brings Rose Maxson to life. Marie is a Helen Hayes Award–winning actor celebrated for her commanding and versatile performances across the region. Together, their participation reflects CSC's sustained commitment to uplifting the region's robust theatre community.

Director Reginald L. Douglas, the Artistic Director of D.C.'s Mosaic Theater Company, will make his CSC debut, returning to August Wilson's work for a third time. Douglas, a nationally recognized director and producer, brings a seasoned understanding of Wilson's language and architecture to a company rooted in classical text, situating Fences in conversation with enduring works of the theatrical canon.

“Having Wilson's words on stage at CSC helps affirm his power and prowess as one of the great playwrights of not just American history, but of all time and allows the epic characters of his plays, like Troy in Fences, to take their rightful spotlight in the canon alongside those of the classics,” notes Douglas. “Our production celebrates the heart, humor, vulnerability, and resilience of the many unsung heroes of African American history and offers audiences the opportunity to reflect on our shared history as a country of people daring to dream.”

CSC commenced its participation in the BAWC with the 2024 staging of Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone and now returns to mark its culmination with Fences. The production immediately follows Wilson's Seven Guitars presented by Spotlighters Theatre, the fifth show in the Celebration, running January 9–February 1, 2026.  The Celebration was conceived by CSC Producing Executive Director Lesley Malin and is administered by CSC.

As with previous BAWC productions, CSC will offer community engagement opportunities designed to deepen dialogue around the play's themes and Wilson's legacy, including post-show conversations and special events to be announced.

August Wilson's Fences is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

August Wilson's Fences

Directed by Reginald L. Douglas

LOCATION

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is located at 7 South Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, two blocks north of the Inner Harbor. Parking is available for an adjusted rate at Truist Place or Propark. The theatre is accessible using the FREE Charm City Circulator and is located on the Purple Route. For more detailed information about directions, parking, and public transportation, click here.

TICKETS

Adult tickets start at $59, tickets for youth 25 and under start at $31, and preview tickets are $25. To purchase tickets, visit ChesapeakeShakespeare.com, or contact the Box Office directly by calling 410-244-8570 or visiting in person at 7 South Calvert Street. Discounts are available for groups of ten or more and active-duty military.