the full force of August Wilson's talent in through 'Fences'

Oke News-One morning, in the midst of rehearsals for the movie version of "Fences," three of the cast members, Mykelti Williamson, Russell Hornsby and Stephen McKinley Henderson, roused a fourth, Jovan Adepo. "We're going to breakfast," they told him. "Tag along."

And especially significant for Adepo, who, unlike the other three, was entirely new to this piece, Wilson's best-known drama for the stage -- and astonishingly, only the first of his works ever to receive big-screen Hollywood treatment. "It was an incredible experience to have that moment of fellowship," Adepo said. "It made me feel more part of the family."

the full force of August Wilson's talent in through 'Fences'

In more ways than one, a family is indeed what Washington and movie producer Scott Rudin had created for the film incarnation of "Fences," which opens Christmas Day. For this breakthrough event in the illustrious production history of the work of Wilson -- who died 11 years ago, at age 60 -- a team was not so much hired as reassembled, to tell the tragedy-laced story of proud, disappointed Troy Maxson, his long-suffering wife and their embittered sons, living in a working-class Pittsburgh neighborhood of the 1950s.

The leading players, including Washington and Viola Davis as Troy and his wife, Rose, have been transplanted from a Broadway mounting in 2010 that won Tony Awards for both stars, as well as one for best revival of a play, under the direction of Kenny Leon. Only Adepo, as younger son Corey, and Saniyya Sidney, as little Raynell, freshly join the cast.

Wilson, who once told me that he thoroughly enjoyed the input of actors to help him figure out exactly what characters need to say, would no doubt be pleased to hear how this first effort has turned out.

"What you see on that screen, that's Denzel's work," Henderson says. "We all came knowing what we wanted to do. But what Denzel assembled, that's the other half."

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