August Wilson’s Fences is so rich that I could see it every five years and feel moved, and this was especially true at Nashville Rep’s production in TPAC’s Polk Theater. Directed by local treasure Jon Royal, Fences mined Wilson’s chest of treasures with aplomb. Clark Harris hit all the right notes as the play’s patriarch, Troy Maxson, by turns charming and terrifying. He was backed up by a lively Kenny Dozier as Bono and a terrific Cameron L. Mitchell as Cory. The heart of Fences is Troy’s long-suffering wife Rose, played here powerfully by Alicia Haymer. With an autumnal set by Gary C. Hoff and perfect sound and lighting by Tim Grace and André C. Allen, respectively, the Rep’s Fences proved that — at least in the case of August Wilson — you can’t argue with the classics.
Best Contemporary Drama
