JULY 1 – AUGUST 6, 2022
August Wilson’s FENCES
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR DRAMA
Written by: August Wilson
Directed by: Monty Cole
This is the sensational drama about Troy Maxson, a former star of the Negro Baseball League, who now works as a garbage man in Pittsburgh. Troy and his wife Rose want the American Dream – to own a house with a white picket fence that keeps the family safe and trouble out. When mistrust builds and secrets are revealed, this iconic Black family begins to crumble in America’s embrace. Director Monty Cole’s innovative and intimate production explodes Wilson’s masterful text with raw emotion. You’ve never seen Fences like this before!
PERFORMANCE INFO
(New location!) Theater Wit
1229 W Belmont Ave, Chicago 60657
July 1 – August 6, 2022
Box Office: (773) 975-8150
Runs 2 hours and 15 minutes with intermission
Tickets range $25-$45 + $2.75 Theater Wit venue fee
Recommended for ages 14+
Schedule:
Thursdays: 7:30 PM
Fridays: 7:30 PM
Saturdays: 2:30 PM (except July 2 & 9) & 7:30 PM (except Aug 6)
Sundays: 2:30 PM

Tickets available May 31!
ARTISTS
CAST: Kamal Bolden (Troy Maxson), Manny Buckley* (Gabriel), Shanésia Davis (Rose), Ajax Dontavius (Cory), Martel Manning (Jim Bono), William Anthony Sebastian Rose II (Lyons), and Riley Wells (Raynell).
PRODUCTION TEAM: August Wilson (playwright), Monty Cole (director), Yeaji Kim (scenic design), Jared Gooding* (lighting design), Stephanie Cluggish (costume design), Rick Sims* (sound design), Verity Neely (properties design), TBD (fight & intimacy design), Cara Parrish* (stage manager), Shandee Vaughan* (production manager), and more.
*Ensemble member or Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater.
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
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Understudies to be announced later.
YEAJI KIM she/her (Scenic Design) is excited to work with American Blues Theater for the first time. Yeaji is a scenic and video projections designer based in Chicago. Her recent Chicago credits include White (Steppenwolf Theatre LookOut Series; Scenic & Projections design), In Every Generation (Victory Garden Theater; Projections design), Passage, The Year Of Magical Thinking (Remy Bumppo Theatre; Scenic design), Solaris (Griffin Theatre; Projections design), The Secret Council (First Folio Theatre; Projections design). Her regional credits are The Chinese Lady (Geva Theatre, Kitchen Theatre, NY; Scenic design). Her projections design for Strawdog’s The Effect has been nominated for 2020 Jeff Awards Non-Equity Projections Design, and her scenic design for The Great Expectations (Co-production Remy Bumppo & Silk Road Rising) was nominated for Best Scenic Design for Broadway World Chicago. Future projects include Dear Jack Dear Louise (Northlight Theatre, IL), Fun Home (Paramount, IL). For more information, please visit yeajikimdesign.com.
JARED GOODING he/him (Lighting Design) is a proud Ensemble member of American Blues Theater. His design credits include designs for Writers Theatre, Court Theatre, Florentine Opera Company, Indiana Repertory Theatre, First Stage Theater, Depaul University, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Victory Gardens Theater, TimeLine Theatre, Bristol Riverside Theater, Madison Children’s Theater, University of Illinois Chicago Theatre, University of Indiana Northwest, Remy Bumpo Theatre, Strawdog Theatre, The Hypocrites, Definition Theatre, Windy City Playhouse, Sideshow Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, First Floor Theater, About Face Theatre, MPAACT, Pegasus Theatre, and serving as the Lighting Assistant for The Wiz Live on NBC along with Associate Designing for Lookingglass Theatre’s touring of Lookingglass Alice in Miami and Denver. He spends weekends as a professional DJ and his design work is work is featured at goodingdesigns.com.
STEPHANIE CLUGGISH she/her (Costume Design)
RICK SIMS he/him (Sound Design) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. He has composed and designed sound for numerous Chicago-area theaters, including Steppenwolf Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, American Blues Theater, Congo Square Theatre, Writers Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Hypocrites, House Theatre of Chicago, Court Theatre, American Theater Company, Victory Gardens Theater, Raven Theatre, Steep Theatre, Northlight Theatre, and About Face Theatre. His additional credits include The Getty, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Portland Playhouse. Rick won Jeff Awards for Sound Design for Moby Dick and Hepheastus (Lookingglass Theatre Company), a Black Theatre Alliance Award for Brothers in the Dust (Congo Square Theatre), and has received several nominations for both awards. Rick also wrote the book, music, and lyrics for Hillbilly Antigone at Lookingglass Theatre Company, where he is an Artistic Associate.
VERITY NEELY she/her (Props Design) is a Properties Designer from Central Wisconsin. She has recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, and has been able to work on musicals, plays, and dance. In the last year, Verity had the opportunity to work with NewArts in Connecticut, as well as an upcoming dance company: Sock Opera Dance. She greatly enjoys the theatrical world and how we are able to create meaningful, as well as fun works that not only move the audience but the actors and designers that get the opportunity to see them. She loves helping create a space in which anyone who enters, can escape their reality for a moment and be entertained and captivated.
SHANDEE VAUGHAN she/her (Production Manager)
MONET FELTON they/them (Assistant Director)
RACHEL WEST she/her (Associate Lighting Design and Master Electrician) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. She recently worked as Asst Lighting Designer & Master Electrician on It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! and as Master Electrician on Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight. She has been serving as the Master Electrician for American Blues since 2018. Rachel is the Lighting Supervisor for Porchlight Music Theatre where she recently designed Nunsense as part of their Revisits series of lost musicals. She works with The Black Ensemble Theater, Mercury Theater, MCA Chicago, Actors Gymnasium, and volunteers with the Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation teaching theater to individuals with special needs. She is a Chicago-area native and a graduate of Boston University School of Theatre.
DELENA BRADLEY she/her (Associate Costume Designer)
MANNY ORTIZ he/him (Technical Director)
CARA PARRISH she/her (Stage Manager) is a proud Ensemble Member of American Blues Theater where she is also the Office & HR Manager. Chicago credits: Gem of the Ocean, Electra, Hard Problem, Photograph 51, Five Guys Named Moe, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Lady From the Sea (2020) (Court Theatre); WITCH, Port Authority, Yellow Moon, The Letters, The Caretaker, Death of a Streetcar Named Virginia Woolf, The Blond, The Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead (Writers Theatre); Too Heavy for Your Pocket, The Vibrator Play (TimeLine Theatre Company); James and the Giant Peach (Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook); Jabari Dreams of Freedom (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, Emma (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight, Beauty’s Daughter, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (American Blues Theater). Cara thanks her family and friends for all of their love and support.
BREANA YOUNG she/her (Assistant Stage Manager)
CARLY JO GEER she/her (Young Performer Supervisor)
Coming soon
Coming soon
COMMUNITY SERVICE
We raise awareness of other non-profit organizations’ great causes through creative collaborations. We’re proud to partner with Northwestern University’s The Family Institute, and Chicago Public Schools. We’re proud to announce our “Pediatric Previews” that donates proceeds of preview performances to children’s hospitals.
MORE INFORMATION ON AUGUST WILSON’S FENCES
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