Leeds Playhouse has announced the principal cast and creatives as part of its first show of Autumn/Winter 2026 – a brand-new production of August Wilson’s Fences. Working with pioneering theatre company Headlong and directed by award-winning Daniel Bailey (Red Pitch), the principal cast will include Ray Fearon (Othello, RSC; Fleabag, BBC; Coronation Street, ITV) as Troy, Madeline Appiah (In the Long Run, Sky; The Winter’s Tale, RSC; Tina Turner The Musical, West End) as Rose, Michael Ahomka-Lindsay (Choir Boy, Theatre Royal Stratford East & Bristol Old Vic; Cabaret, Kit Kat Club, Playhouse Theatre) as Lyons and Josh Tedeku (Boarders, BBC; Supacell, Netflix) as Cory. This is a co-production with Leeds Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester, and marks the first major revival in over a decade of this American blockbuster. The production will play in the Playhouse’s Courtyard Theatre from 11 – 26 September ahead of a UK Tour.

Ray Fearon said: “I’m so excited to be part of Fences. August Wilson is one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century. I’ve always been drawn to his writing. Troy is such a rich, complex character, and it’s a real joy to get the chance to play him. Fences is one of those plays which stays with you, it captures a powerful honesty about pride, dreams and missed opportunities which resonates deeply. I’m really looking forward to getting into the room with Daniel Bailey and this company and sharing it with audiences across the UK, especially alongside the brilliant Madeline Appiah.”

Madeline Appiah added: “Anyone who knows me will know what this moment means to me. I first discovered Fences in drama school and fell in love with it and with the role of Rose. The chance to now play her is truly a dream. I’m so excited to get working on Daniel Bailey’s exciting vision for this powerful piece. Daniel is one of the most important directors of our time and I am thrilled to be working with him. I can’t wait to get into rehearsals with this incredible company and unlock and explore the many themes and layers of this play.”

The creative team for Fences includes Set & Costume Designer Lily Arnold, Composer and Sound Designer Khalil Madovi, Lighting Designer Jai Morjaria, Movement Director Shelley Maxwell, Fight Director Kev McCurdy, Design Associate Emily King, Casting Director Heather Basten CDG, Voice and Dialect Aundrea Fudge and Associate Director Amber Ruby.

Director Daniel Bailey said: “It’s a proper privilege to welcome Ray, Madeline, Michael and Josh to the Fences family. I can’t wait to realise this shows hidden gems with artists right at the top of their game. I’ve watched them enchant audiences and now we have the opportunity to do that together.”

From August Wilson, one of America’s most influential 20th century writers, this landmark play is a story of ambition for our time, exploring ever-present themes including masculinity, motherhood, music and the abiding hope for a different future. Troy Maxson has cheated death once, but the past keeps closing in. On Pittsburgh’s streets, he cracks jokes and spins stories, yet at home, the pressure is building. His wife, Rose, holds the family together. She sees a changing world and hopes their son Cory might step into it with more freedom than Troy ever had. But when dreams collide, and tempers flare, the Maxsons edge towards a reckoning that could reshape everything they know.

Headlong and Leeds Playhouse have forged a highly successful Associate Partnership during Holly Race Roughan’s tenure, collaborating on a string of critically acclaimed productions including Henry V, The House Party, A Raisin in the Sun, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and August Wilson’s Jitney. This production also sees Headlong and Leeds Playhouse reuniting with long-term collaborators the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre after their joint success in 2024 of A Raisin in the Sun, and with HOME in Manchester after their hit The House Party. Headlong will also be returning to their Associate Partner Oxford Playhouse, with their third major touring show at Oxford Playhouse since Headlong relocated to the city. Fences signals the start of an exciting new chapter in their creative relationship, with Wilson’s masterful writing warming the house for Tom Wright’s forthcoming season of new work at Leeds Playhouse.

Leeds Playhouse Artistic Director Tom Wright said: “Fences is an exhilarating way to open my first season at Leeds Playhouse and the next chapter of our partnership with Headlong. August Wilson is one of the great modern playwrights, and this landmark play reminds us that every classic was once a brave new work. As we look to champion original voices and new writing, it feels right to start with a play of such power, humanity and enduring relevance.”