Photo Flash: First Look at International City Theatre's FENCES, Opening Tonight

International City Theatrecontinues its 30th anniversary season with a production celebrating the 30th anniversary of a modern American classic: Fences by August Wilson. Gregg T. Daniel directs Wilson's powerful drama, opening tonight at International City Theatre's home in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center.

Set in 1957, Fences is Wilson's sixth entry in his ten-play "Century Cycle," a decade-by-decade exploration of the black experience in 20th century America. Michael A. Shepperd stars in the story of Troy Maxson, a former Negro League home run king who was shut out of the big leagues by prejudice and is now a garbage collector with little future.Fences is considered by many to be Wilson at his best: challenging the American dream through a poetic, powerful and deeply personal story.

"Here in America whites have a particular view of blacks," Wilson explained in an interview with The Paris Review. "I think my plays offer them a different way to look at black Americans. For instance, inFences, they see a garbage man, a person they don't really look at, although they see a garbage man every day. By looking at Troy's life, white people find out that the content of this black garbage man's life is affected by the same things - love, honor, beauty, betrayal, duty. Recognizing that these things are as much a part of his life as theirs can affect how they think about and deal with black people in their lives."

"Blacks see the content of their lives being elevated into art," he continued. "They don't always know that it is possible, and it's important for them to know that."

Two years after its 1985 premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre, Fencesopened on Broadway where it garnered Wilson's first Pulitzer Prize as well as Drama Desk and Tony Awards for "Best Play." A 2010 production garnered the play its second Tony, for "Best Revival."

Set design for Fences is by Don Llewellyn, lighting design is by Karen D. Lawrence; costume design is by Kim DeShazo, sound design is by Jeff Polunas, props are by Patty and Gordon Briles, wigs are by Anthony Gagliardi, fight choreography is by Edgar Landa, casting is by Michael Donovan Casting and the production stage manager is Victoria A. Gathe.

Fences runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., Aug. 21 through Sept. 13. Two preview performances take place on Wednesday, Aug. 19 and Thursday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $46 on Thursdays and Fridays, and $48 on Saturdays and Sundays, except opening night (Aug. 21), for which tickets are $54 and include a post-performance reception with the actors, and previews which are $34.

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