Theatre Department to premiere “Fences” Friday

A powerful story sure to touch the hearts of all generations, August Wilson's timeless classic Fences is about to unfold on stage here at Southern Miss.

Opening at USM on Friday, November 4th, Fences was written by the esteemed playwright August Wilson and is set in 1950s America. The story centers on the complex relationships of an African American family struggling to find peace in their lives.

Terry Jordan Jr., a third year MFA student in the Theater and Dance Department at Southern Miss, has taken on the task of portraying Troy, the troubled 53 head-of-household and main focus of the story.

"The character comes with a lot of weight," Jordan says. "He's been in a job that he doesn't like for 18 years, he's cheating on his wife, he's dealing with two sons by different mothers, and one son doesn't want to work so he's dealing with that; so it's just a lot of weight, a lot of added pressure that he's going through."

Jordan says he thinks a lot of people read the play and see Troy as a horrible human being. "But he's not," Jordan says, "he is compassionate. You just don't see it because all of his dialogue ends up in an argument, or in him attacking someone or berating someone. But he does care for his family; he really does, so I'm looking forward to seeing if people see that; see that compassion that I know Troy has."

As the audience jumps in on the lives of Troy, his wife Rose, and their family, they will see the poignant theme of hope for family in the face of adversity unveiling itself.

Kimberly Morgan, a 3rd year MFA candidate and the actress portraying Rose, said even though it's an African American story it is relatable to everyone because it portrays issues that a lot of families normally deal with.

"Whether its infidelity, whether it's asking for forgiveness, whether its struggle, and how to overcome it, or how to handle it, basically there's the hope in the end to have peace," Morgan said, "to stay together, to work it out. I mean, that's what makes a family."

Director of Fences Joe Hernandez said that he wants the audience to see and respond to this story and to walk away with that sense of peace in their lives that they can reflect.

"Its one of these shows that the audience can be left with this idea of pain and heartache," Hernandez said. "But for me I want them to almost feel there is a redeeming quality in Troy, and at the end of the day he did love his family."

According to Jordan the play also shares the message that a person does not have to follow in their father's footsteps, and that the beauty of human nature is that every human being is different and the mistakes of the father's past don't necessarily have to be carried on by the son.

"There are some parts of your past that will stick onto you no matter how hard you try to fight it or how hard you try to get away from it, its still there," Jordan said. "So I think this play is just an inside look on how hard that may be to get away from your past generation."

Morgan says she would encourage students to see Fences because it can impact them in a way that most plays probably wouldn't.

 "It's a fascinating story and it's going to be a play that connects to your soul," Morgan said. "Its soul stirring, it's riveting, it's going to make you laugh, it's going to make you cry, it's going to make you mad, and it's going to have those types of things- it's going to give you a really incredible experience if you come. You will not be let down."

A Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award Winning show, Fences is a play Hernandez says shouldn't be missed.

"You'll want to know where does the story go from here, because I think we catch these characters in the middle of their life…but what's next? Its just one of those shows you've just got to come and see it."

Fences opens on November 4th and will run November 5th, 9th, 10th and 11th at 7:30p.m. in the Hartwig Theater. On November 6th there will be a 2:00 showing with a pre-show talk at 1:00.