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Fences

Closing: June 26, 1988

Fences - 1987 Broadway History , Info & More

46th Street Theatre
226 W.46th St. New York, NY


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Review: Lyric Stage Boston's Latest Is ANGRY, RAUCOUS, AND SHAMELESSLY GORGEOUS
by R. Scott Reedy - Apr 5, 2026


What did our critic think of ANGRY, RAUCOUS, AND SHAMELESSLY GORGEOUS at The Lyric Stage Company Of Boston?

Center Theatre Group Reveals 2026/27 Season - THE TURNING WORLD Premiere and More
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 30, 2026


Center Theatre Group has revealed twelve productions for the 2026/27 Season. The eight-show One CTG subscription package includes plays and musicals at the Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre, including The Turning world premiere and more.

BEAU JEST Comes to North Coast Repertory Theatre in April
by Stephi Wild - Mar 5, 2026


North Coast Repertory Theatre will present Beau Jest, James Sherman's delightful Jewish-American story that weaves together vibrant traditions, sizzling chemistry, and joyous celebrations into a warm-hearted theatrical treat.

The San Francisco Giants Acquire the Curran Theatre
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 18, 2025


The San Francisco Giants organization has acquired the historic Curran from Shorenstein Hays in a private transaction.

Review: THE PIANO LESSON at 1st Stage
by Laurie Sara Oliver - Jun 16, 2025


August Wilson is one of America’s greatest playwrights, and The Piano Lesson may be one of his greatest works. The writing is so powerful, I’m not sure you could stage a bad version if you tried. 

Who Will Win at the 2025 Tony Awards?
by Sidney Paterra - Jun 2, 2025


Which Best Musical and Best Play nominees will take home the ultimate prize? BroadwayWorld has rounded up the winners of the Tony Awards, the Drama Desk Awards, the Drama League Awards and the Outer Critics Circle Awards for the last fifty years to compare winners year by year.

EGOT Explained: Who Has Joined the Elite Group and Who Is Close to Making History?
by Sidney Paterra - May 26, 2025


Few honors in entertainment are as coveted—or as rare—as achieving EGOT status. This elite distinction marks a career filled with versatility, longevity, and extraordinary talent across multiple mediums. What does it all mean? We're taking a closer look at the artists who have managed to join one of the industry’s most exclusive clubs.

August Wilson's FENCES Begins At Laguna Playhouse In May
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 24, 2025


LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE will present one of August Wilson's greatest triumphs focusing on the decade of the ‘50s, the Pulitzer Prize winning play FENCES, directed by Yvette Freeman-Hartley (Laguna Playhouse acclaimed production of Ain't Misbehavin'). 

STAR WARS On Stage: A Guide to Broadway Stars in a Galaxy Far, Far Away
by Josh Sharpe - Apr 11, 2025


With the highly anticipated second season of Andor arriving in a few short weeks, we have compiled a list of the most noteworthy Star Wars actors to have graced the Broadway stage over the years.

Pulitzer Prize for Drama: Iconic Plays That Shaped American Theater
by Sidney Paterra - Apr 3, 2026


The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the most prestigious honors in American theater, celebrating outstanding works that have made a significant impact on the stage. Here's a closer look at what the Pulitzer Prize for Drama is, how it works, and why it matters.

Broadway's OTHELLO: Meet the All-Star Cast as Previews Begin at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre
by Stephi Wild - Feb 24, 2025


Discover the star-studded cast of Broadway's OTHELLO as previews launch tonight, February 24, 2025, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Premiere set for March 23.

Review: Excellence Abounds in Actors' Shakespeare Project's Finely-Tuned Production of AUGUST WILSON'S THE PIANO LESSON
by R. Scott Reedy - Feb 13, 2025


With its magnificent mounting of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” at Hibernian Hall in Nubian Square, Roxbury, through February 23, Actors’ Shakespeare Project has given Boston theatergoers the first must-see production of 2025.

Denzel Washington is Suffering From a Tongue Injury Ahead of Broadway Return in OTHELLO
by Stephi Wild - Feb 10, 2025


Denzel Washington is returning to Broadway this month. However, Washington has revealed that he has been struggling ahead of his Broadway return due to a tongue injury that has made it difficult to talk.

August Wilson's TWO TRAINS RUNNING to be Presented at Middletown Arts Center
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jan 29, 2025


The Middletown Arts Center, in conjunction with Dunbar Repertory Company, will present a special Black History Month production of August Wilson's Two Trains Running. Learn how to purchase tickets.

August Wilson's TWO TRAINS RUNNING to be Presented at The Middletown Arts Center
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jan 16, 2025


The Middletown Arts Center will present a special Black History Month production of August Wilson's Two Trains Running, produced by Darrell Lawrence Willis, Sr. and directed by Mark Antonio Henderson. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.

August Wilson Will Receive Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
by Stephi Wild - Jan 7, 2025


Playwright August Wilson will be honored posthumously with the 2,799th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Learn more about the honor and how to stream the ceremony here!

FENCES Will Be Performed by Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe
by Stephi Wild - Dec 30, 2024


Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will present its 25th anniversary season’s dramatic offering, August Wilson’s “Fences', next month. Learn more about the show and find out how to get tickets here!

August Wilson's HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED to Open at New Hazlett Theater
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 24, 2024


How I Learned What I Learned, the one-man play written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson, is coming to New Hazlett Theater in Pittsburgh this winter. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.

MUFASA: THE LION KING Pays Tribute to James Earl Jones in Opening Credits
by Josh Sharpe - Dec 10, 2024


In the new Lion King prequel, director Barry Jenkins paid tribute to James Earl Jones during the opening credits. The late performer voiced the role in the original 1994 animated film and the 2019 remake.

Denzel Washington Plans to Star in OTHELLO Film Before Retirement
by Josh Sharpe - Nov 12, 2024


Denzel Washington is only a few movies away from retiring. On a recent visit to Australia's Today Show to promote Gladiator II, the acting legend shared some of his next films, which include at least one big-screen Shakespeare adaptation. 

Broadway Theatres Will Dim Their Lights in Memory of James Earl Jones
by Stephi Wild - Sep 23, 2024


Broadway theatres will dim their lights to honor the memory of James Earl Jones, four-time nominated and two-time Tony Award®-winning actor and recipient of the 2017 Special Tony Award® for Lifetime Achievement, whose career spanned almost seven decades on Broadway.

Kelsey Grammer Remembers Working With James Earl Jones in OTHELLO
by Josh Sharpe - Sep 16, 2024


Kelsey Grammer recently appeared on SiriusXM's The Spotlight with Jessica Shaw where he recalled working with the late James Earl Jones. The two actors appeared together in the 1982 Broadway production of Shakespeare's Othello.

Denzel Washington Reveals Next August Wilson Adaptation
by Josh Sharpe - Sep 11, 2024


In a new interview, producers Denzel Washington and Todd Black shed some light on their ambitions to adapt the whole of Wilson's American Century Cycle. With three already under their belts, they revealed the next play making the jump from stage to screen.

Feature: A Landmark Production with a Landmark Actor: Remembering James Earl Jones' Star Turn in DC
by Elliot Lanes - Sep 11, 2024


This past Monday the theatre world lost someone who was arguably one of the finest performers of all time. Most people knew James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies or from the film Field of Dreams but for those of us who live and breathe theatre, we will always remember his performances onstage.

New Picture Book About James Earl Jones Available Now
by Josh Sharpe - Aug 1, 2024


Knopf Books for Young Readers has recently published a new picture book about EGOT winner James Earl Jones. Ode to Grapefruit: How James Earl Jones Found His Voice chronicles the actor's struggles and ultimate success in overcoming the stutter that he had as a child.

Fences History

Other Productions of Fences

1987   Broadway
Broadway
2010   Broadway Broadway Revival
Broadway

Fences - 1987 Broadway Awards and Nominations

Note: Award winners are highlighted with a background.
Fences — awards and nominations
Year Ceremony Category Nominee
1987 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Actor - Play James Earl Jones
1987 Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance Award James Earl Jones
1987 New York Drama Critics Circle Awards Best Play August Wilson
1987 Outer Critics Circle Awards Best Actor James Earl Jones
1987 Outer Critics Circle Awards Best Broadway Play 0
1987 Outer Critics Circle Awards John Gassner Playwriting Award August Wilson
1987 The Hewes Awards Scenic Design James D. Sandefur
1987 The Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize for Drama August Wilson
1987 Theatre World Awards Performance Courtney B. Vance
1987 Tony Awards Best Direction of a Play Lloyd Richards
1987 Tony Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical Courtney B. Vance
1987 Tony Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play Frankie R. Faison
1987 Tony Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play James Earl Jones
1987 Tony Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play Mary Alice
1987 Tony Awards Best Play August Wilson
1987 Tony Awards Best Play Carole Shorenstein Hays
1987 Tony Awards Best Play The Yale Repertory Theatre

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