Phylicia Rashad will return to the Mark Taper Forum in downtown Los Angeles to direct August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Fences” in 2027. The production is scheduled to run from May 26 through July 3, 2027, Center Theatre Group announced Wednesday. This run marks a significant milestone for Center Theatre Group, as it will complete their multi-decade presentation of all 10 plays in Wilson’s acclaimed Century Cycle.
August Wilson's Century Cycle is a monumental body of work that chronicles the African American experience throughout the 20th century. Each play in the series is set in a different decade, offering a rich tapestry of history and humanity. Completing this cycle has been a “remarkable journey decades in the making” for Center Theatre Group, according to Artistic Director Snehal Desai.
Rashad has a long-standing relationship with Center Theatre Group, having both directed and performed in several productions. She was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2016. Her history with Wilson's work is particularly extensive; she previously directed “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at the Mark Taper Forum. Beyond Wilson’s plays, she also directed “Immediate Family” and “Blues for an Alabama Sky” at the Taper, and “A Raisin in the Sun” at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2012. She also appeared as a performer in “Head of Passes” at the Taper in 2017.
Speaking about her return and the play, Rashad expressed “deep admiration for the theatrical canon of August Wilson.” She noted that she has performed in one of his plays and directed many others throughout her career. Rashad emphasized that Wilson's plays offer “a vital reflection of human dignity, shared history, and spiritual depth,” explaining why they are among the most highly regarded works in American Theatre. She added that she looks forward to directing “Fences” for Los Angeles audiences.
“Fences” itself is set in Pittsburgh during the 1950s. The narrative centers on Troy Maxson, a sanitation worker and former Negro League baseball player. Maxson's dreams of playing in the major leagues were never realized, and his bitterness over this denial strains his relationships, particularly with his wife, Rose, and his son, Cory. Cory, aspiring to play professional baseball himself, faces the complexities of his father's past. The play earned the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1987, along with Tony and Drama Desk awards for best play.
Beyond her directorial work, Rashad has a distinguished acting career. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the 2004 Broadway revival of “A Raisin in the Sun” and another for her role in “Skeleton Crew.” She also directed the Broadway production of “Purpose” in 2025. Many television viewers know her for portraying Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” and she has appeared in other series like “This Is Us,” “Empire,” and “The Gilded Age.”
The production will be staged at the Mark Taper Forum, located at 135 N. Grand Ave. in downtown Los Angeles, continuing a long-standing relationship between Rashad, Wilson's work, and the Center Theatre Group.