BUTA's production of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Fences" directed by Autumn Dunn '11 and Jana Landon '11 stunned audience members with its stark but poignant portrayal of a family torn apart by lost dreams and the pain of perseverance.
Both heartbreaking and hilarious, "Fences" transports audiences into the domain of the Maxson family. Troy Maxson (Joshua Echebiri '14) plays the charming yet embittered patriarch, still dealing with the repercussions of his unfulfilled dream of playing baseball in the major leagues. Often at odds with his athletic son Cory (William Hernandez '13), who seeks a future that his father was denied, Troy struggles to adapt to a changing society. Jim Bono (Benjamin Boachie '11), Troy's wisecracking friend, and Lyons (David Johnson '11), Troy's slick son, add humor to an otherwise dramatic play. His loyal wife Rose (Ashley Perkins '11) adds a sweet, steadying presence to the mix. Gabe (Michelle Domingue '12), Troy's questionably sane brother who swears he can talk to Saint Peter, provides surprising instances of poetry for a play so grounded in the conflicts of everyday life.
While the acting was superb all-around, Echebiri simply stole the show. Captivating the audience with Troy's monologues that dared Death to take him, Echebiri managed to portray the humanity of a seemingly contemptible character Troy is both an unfaithful husband and an abusive father, cheating on Rose repeatedly and sabotaging Cory's chances to escape a life of poverty by refusing to let his son be recruited for college football. Although audiences cannot condone Troy's infidelity, they sympathize with his need for personal fulfillment. Because he keeps "giving and giving" to his family and friends, Troy desires "something of his own," Dunn explained.
Complimenting her conflicted stage-husband, Perkins added a core of steel to Rose's outward softness. Perhaps the most likeable character in the entire play, Rose perseveres through troubled times with poise and grace and Perkins effectively portrayed Rose as a fragile but determined heroine.
Minor technical glitches did occur during the show, but for the most part the play remained professional, performed on a stark set that personified the run-down atmosphere of the Maxson home, and with costumes in simple hues of white and cream that evoked late summer.
Dartmouth students from all walks of life can relate to the play, which addresses issues of inclusion and exclusion, as well as loyalty and responsibility. Dunn and Landon said BUTA chose to produce "Fences" because it explores these relevant issues.
"I want to see a play I can relate to," Dunn explained.
Landon added that the mainstage productions put on by the Dartmouth theater department each year "don't necessarily speak to all audiences." By contrast, "Fences" presents characters whose trials and tribulations are representative of the struggles that minority groups continue to face today. The play's ability to appeal to audiences fits with BUTA's mission, which is "to create alternative theatrical venues and perform pieces not typically represented within the Dartmouth community," according to the program for "Fences."
Although the play ostensibly focuses on the black experience in the United States in the late 1950s, "Fences" has the ability to cross boundaries. It ultimately shows the undeniable humanity of all its characters, and speaks of the lasting effect that family has on shaping life experiences.
