Denzel washington and viola davis in august wilsons. Theres his best friend, bono, whom he met while in prison. Wylie avenue, the hill, pittsburgh early septembermorning the rear of the garbage truck, gods point of view. The play won the 1987 pulitzer prize for drama and the 1987 tony award for best play. From legendary playwright august wilson comes the powerful, stunning dramatic bestseller that won him critical acclaim, including the tony award for best play and the pulitzer prize. Fences is directed by denzel washington from a screenplay by august wilson, adapted from wilsons pulitzer prizewinning play. Set in 1950s pittsburgh, the film adaptation of august wilsons pulitzer.
In addition to washington, the film also stars viola davis, stephen mckinley henderson, jovan adepo, russell hornsby, mykelti williamson and saniyya sidney. The strongest, most passionate american dramatic writing since tennessee williams. His first play, ma raineys black bottom, won the new york drama critics circle award for best new play of 198485. Wilson has taken upon himself the responsibility to write a play about black experiences in the united states for every decade of the 20th century. August wilson saw the potential this sport had to send a message, and incorporated it into his play fences. Fences is part of august wilsons pittsburg cycle, a collection of ten plays. In typical august wilson fashion, the play begins with a whole bunch of stage directions. See a complete list of the characters in fences and indepth analyses of troy maxson, rose maxson, and gabriel maxson.
Part of wilsons century cycle of plays each depicting one decade of african american life during the 20th century, fences takes us back to the 1950s when african americans were first beginning to make inroads into white society. Fences analyzing staging in act 1, scene 3 how come you aint never liked me. August wilson april 27, 1945 october 2, 2005 was an american playwright whose work included a series of ten plays, the pittsburgh cycle, for which he received two pulitzer prizes for drama. The sport of baseball goes back all the way to civil war era, 1839. Fences movie tiein by august wilson, paperback barnes. Arguably august wilsons most renowned work, fences explores the life and relationships of the maxson family. I recommend that everyone who enjoys a film based on a play, should also have a copy of the book if you also collect or view the film on a large screen. Wilson won the pulitzer prize for drama again in 1990 for his play the piano lesson. Ghstv germantown high school television 8,096 views. Set in the 1950s, it is the sixth in wilson s tenpart pittsburgh cycle. Fences teaser trailer 2016 paramount pictures youtube.
Fences is a 2016 american period drama film starring, produced and directed by denzel washington and written by august wilson. Fences, a new movie starring denzel washington and viola davis, is a pulitzer prize winning drama by august wilson. Have your students make comparisons between august wilsons play, fences, and denzel washingtons 2016 movie. Ghstv germantown high school television 8,239 views. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
Fences is a filmed play that never seems anything else. Denzel washington who also directs and viola davis reprise their tonywinning roles as the iconic play finally hits the big screen. Read a plot overview of the entire play or a scene by scene summary and analysis. August wilson screenplay by, august wilson based upon his play fences stars. I cant help wondering how it would look if they decided to make an actual movie based on august. The first act of the play is a swirling portrait of troy maxsons life. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of fences and what it means. Washington acting and directing, davis, wilsons original drafted screenplay and loyally abiding to wilsons last wishes by utilising an all africanamerican cast. Fences movie worksheets playfilm comparison activity. Denzel washington and viola davis thundering performances infuse lightning into the words of august wilsons iconic stage play, sparking emotion to leap from the screen and live in the heart. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of fences. In this adaptation of august wilsons pulitzer prize and tony awardwinning play, an african american father struggles with. Troy and bono enter the yard, engaged in conversation. In this adaptation of august wilsons masterful play fences, troy maxson denzel washington is a hardworking garbage collector trying to find his place in a 1950s world that still judges him by the color of his skin and places high expectations on him as a man and a father.
Denzel washington and viola davis reprise their stage roles in washingtons screen adaptation of fences, the beloved 1950sset august wilson play about a. This movie is an adaptation of his 1983 stage masterwork fences, which wilson had been working on for so long that it at one time had. Fences is a 2016 american period drama film starring, produced and directed by denzel washington and written by august wilson, based on his pulitzer prizewinning play of the same name. But sitting down to this movie sometimes feels like being told to eat up.
Sparknotes is here for you weve got everything you need to ace or teach. Fences is a play written by august wilson, an american playwright who wrote a series of the works on the topic of africanamerican experience in the 20 th century. It is an adaptation of august wilsons pulitzerwinning 1983 stage play. August wilson was a major american playwright whose work has been consistently acclaimed as among the finest of the american theater. Each work in the series is set in a different decade, and depicts comic and tragic aspects of the africanamerican experience in the 20th century. Fences is a conservative movie which is unfortunate. August wilson screenplay by, august wilson based upon his play fences. Fences is a play by august wilson that was first published in 1985. Troy maxson and jim bono hang on to either side of the truck as it heads toward its next collection point. Fences screenplay by august wilson based upon his play. At worst, committing to appreciating a movie like this will expand and improve your. Like all of the pittsburgh plays, fences explores the evolving african american experience and examines race relations, among other themes. Although the guides intent is to enhance the students theatrical experience, it can also be used as an introduction to the elements of a play, and the production elements involved in the plays presentation. Fences was wilsons second play to go to broadway and won him the 1987 pulitzer prize for drama.
Wilson is a major writer, combining a poets ear for vernacular with a robust sense of humor, a sure sense for crackling dramatic incident, and a passionate commitment to a great subject. August wilson insisted that a film adaptation of the play be directed by an africanamerican. Fences faithfully adapts the pulitzerprize winning play but lacks cinematic edge. Though he was a gifted athlete, troys opportunities in the negro league landed him.
Denzel washington and viola davis on adapting fences and honoring august wilson the actors star in a new film adaptation of wilsons pulitzer prizewinning play. This fourpage packet asks students to compare depictions of characters and settings, and note changes from the play. August wilson once dropped out of school, disillusioned after having been unjustly accused of plagiarism by a racist instructor who could not fathom the artistic and intellectual genius of a then young black male writer. In the screen adaption of the august wilson play fences, denzel washington is a former negro leagues ballplayer whose bitterness over constricted opportunities. Paying much attention to race relations, he explored this issue in many of his works. The revival of august wilsons play at the cort theater stars denzel washington and viola davis in a marriage brought to aching life. Troy is fiftythree years old, a large man with thick, heavy hands. The disability money he receives as result of his injury allowed troy to buy the house that the maxsons now live in, a source of. Denzel washington and viola davis set to convert tonys to oscars. Heres where youll find analysis about the play as a whole. Fences study guide contains a biography of august wilson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in. Gabe was wounded in world war ii and now has a metal plate in his head. The film version of august wilsons fences is flawed but presents a more authentic narrative than black lives matter does.
Troy is fifty three years old a large man with thick, heavy hands. Denzel washington and viola davis on adapting fences and. The guide has been organized into three major sections. Denzel washington starred in the 2010 broadway revival of fences, and now hes revisiting the story for an upcoming film adaptation that he both directed and stars in but the movie version. The long, long road to building fences the playwright august wilson, shown in 2003, sought a black director to make a film version of fences. What fences misses about adapting plays for the screen the. August wilson, author of fences is one of my favorites.
Fences trailer 1 2016 denzel washington, viola davis drama movie hd official trailer. The film stars denzel washington, viola davis, jovan adepo, stephen. Full text of august wilson fences internet archive. E ver since august wilsons play first premiered 33 years ago, a movie version has been mooted. Fences towers among the essential tales of america. This moving drama was written in 1983 and earned wilson his first pulitzer prize. Adapted by august wilson from his pulitzer prize and tony awardwinning play and smoothly directed by washington, fences emerges as a celebration of language made poetry and of utterly. The long, long road to building fences the new york times. The movie was adapted from the play fences which that was written by august wilson back in the early 80s. Denzel washingtons film fences, an adaptation of the play by august wilson, could well have yielded an excellent movie rather than a turgid. Having now completed a decade by decade cycle of seven plays that illustrate the.
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