It depicts an archetypal struggle between fathers and sons, themes that have proved pertinent across racial and generational divides. It has been deemed a "generational play" by critics and academics for its depiction of three generations of African-American men - Troy Maxson, Troy's father, and Troy's son. The play's impact reached beyond the theater and into the academic and artistic conversations of the late twentieth century. Fences, along with Wilson's other most successful play, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, proved that the theatrical tastes of the country were shifting from an appetite for popular musicals and comedies to an acceptance of serious theater dealing with the cultural, racial, and social issues of the day. Beyond its commercial and critical success, however, Wilson's play is perhaps most notable for its impact on popular theater. It won four Tony Awards, including Best Play several Critic's awards and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. During its initial run on Broadway, it brought in an astounding $11 million in its first year of production, a record for a non-musical play. The play was both a critical and commercial success. Fences is set in the 1950's and deals with issues of race relations and the changing broader culture of the United States. Fences is the sixth play in Wilson's "Pittsburgh Cycle." The Cycle is a series of plays set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania over the ten decades of the 20th century. Fences was written by August Wilson in 1983 and first performed at the 46th Street Theatre on Broadway in 1987.
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