Headlong has announced further casting for its new UK tour of August Wilson’s Fences, directed by Daniel Bailey and co-produced with Leeds Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester.
Joining the company are Simon-Anthony Rhoden as Gabriel and Everal A Walsh as Jim Bono. They join the previously announced cast members Ray Fearon as Troy, Madeline Appiah as Rose, Michael Ahomka-Lindsay as Lyons and Josh Tedeku as Cory.
The production marks the first major revival in more than a decade of Wilson’s celebrated play, widely regarded as one of the defining works of modern American theatre.
Directed by Daniel Bailey, whose recent credits include Red Pitch, the production opens at Leeds Playhouse in September before touring to Oxford Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, HOME Manchester and Nottingham Playhouse.
Set in Pittsburgh, Fences follows Troy Maxson, a man haunted by the past as he struggles to reconcile his own hardships with the hopes he holds for his family. As tensions rise between Troy, his wife Rose and their son Cory, the family faces a reckoning that threatens to change everything.
The creative team includes Lily Arnold as Set and Costume Designer, Khalil Madovi as Composer and Sound Designer, Jai Morjaria as Lighting Designer, Shelley Maxwell as Movement Director, Kev McCurdy as Fight Director, Emily King as Design Associate, Heather Basten CDG as Casting Director, Aundrea Fudge as Voice and Dialect Coach, and Amber Ruby as Associate Director.
Headlong Executive Director Lisa Maguire said: “It means so much to be putting August Wilson’s work front and centre for audiences across the country. This extraordinary play encompasses so much of what drives us at Headlong – breathing new life into work that deserves its place in the canon, whilst asking our audiences to think and feel deeply about the world we share.
“Despite being written over 40 years ago, the central themes are still all too resonant today. From the streets of Pittsburgh to our own backyard here in the UK – how much can we say has really changed? We’re thrilled to be working with Daniel on his take on this classic.”
The tour opens at Leeds Playhouse from 11 to 26 September 2026 before visiting Oxford Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, HOME Manchester and Nottingham Playhouse through November.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
