"I read Fences in 1987 and was so moved by its portrait of the deeply troubled Troy Maxson that, as soon as I had turned the last page, I vowed to read everything I could get my hands on that was written by August Wilson.”  Thus began Dr. Sandra Shannon's more than 30-year career as a leading scholar of his life and work. 

August Wilson’s Century Cycle is a towering achievement of 10 plays documenting the hopes and struggles of African Americans. With increasing popularity in the last 10 years, Fences has become an American classic, dedicated to unearthing the lives, hopes, dreams and struggles of African Americans.

Learn more about our upcoming production of August Wilson's Fences from the director, Timothy Douglas. 

As the site of a racially-motivated political assassination, Ford’s Theatre recognized that we can help educators use Twelve Angry Men to teach about implicit bias, systemic racism and their impact on our society.

Awa Sal Secka (Glinda in The Wiz) stars as the Baker’s Wife in our new production of Into the Woods. She chats with us about the challenges of singing Sondheim’s score and the fun she anticipates in the rehearsal room with her costars.

Twelve Angry Men is a play credited with creating a genre: the “courtroom drama."

Ford’s Theatre offers a variety of accessibility services for persons with low vision or blindness, including braille programs and audio description for theatrical performances. We recently spoke with Janet Carsetti and Bob Coley, two longtime Ford’s describers from Metropolitan Washington Ear, about the assistance Audio Description provides and what patrons can expect at those performances.

In January 2019, Ford’s presents a new production of the American drama Twelve Angry Men. Directed by Sheldon Epps, the play gives audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the jury deliberation room. Epps recently spoke with us about his concept for the play here in Washington, D.C.

Each year, the Ford’s A Christmas Carol company, our staff, and audiences make an impact in our D.C. community through a special donation drive to a local non-profit that serves the homeless, hungry and impoverished. This tradition brings to life the themes of goodwill, generosity and benevolence found in Dickens’s 175-year-old play.

Actress Rayanne Gonzales reprises her role as the Ghost of Christmas Present in the 2018 production of A Christmas Carol. Hear from her about why this 175 year old holiday tale resonates freshly even today.