Late in the run of each subscription season production, Trinity Rep’s artistic and EDIA departments host opportunities for Post-Show Conversations. These free, open forum events allow audiences to share their thoughts on the show, leading to robust discussions about a production’s themes and relevance.

August Wilson’s Fences

  • Via Zoom: Saturday, April 27 at 4:00 pm. Click here to join at that time
  • In person at Trinity Rep: Monday, April 15 at 6:00 pm. No registration required

Jonathan Pitts-Wiley will join us for Monday’s Post-Show Conversation. We’ll be discussing his photography exhibit, his relationship with the play Fences, and the dynamics of family.

BATON | Jonathan Pitts-Wiley 

BATON is a brief, biographical exploration of my family’s lived experiences as theater artists who work together in making theater. The exhibit’s principal characters? My father, Ricardo; my mother, Bernadet; my wife, Kim; and myself.  Shot primarily in black and white, Baton seeks to grapple with the complex mantles of legacy and responsibility.  

The work was produced in three locations imbued with a variety of historical layers: Mixed Magic Theatre’s gallery space, Mixed Magic’s mainstage, and my home studio. The work made in the gallery incorporates elements of North Star, a multimedia exhibition created by my mentor, Mary Beth Meehan, that explores the life, times, and writings of my late grandmother, Annye Raye Pitts. Images from the mainstage were made on the set of Exultation, a Mixed Magic Exult Choir show first performed at the Providence Performing Art Center in February 2024. The show’s final portraits were made in my home studio, where I’ve spent countless hours trying to do what I first learned in theater: honestly portraying the humanity and interiority of others. 

Fences is an incredible family drama situated in the complex reality of the Black American experience. While not a direct analog, Baton was inspired by the play and speaks to many of its themes. Family legacies are as beautiful as they are daunting and unwieldy. In the moments when the mantle seems more burden than blessing, I try to remember: 

You got to take the crookeds with the straights. 

– JONATHAN PITTS-WILEY  

La Cage aux Folles

  • Via Zoom: Saturday, June 22 at 4:00 pm. Registration details coming soon
  • In person at Trinity Rep: Monday, June 24 at 6:00 pm. No registration required