Mission

Horovitz told an interviewer that he wrote What Strong Fences Make because "another voice needed to be heard" in the wake of Caryl Churchill

Caryl Churchill

Caryl Churchill is an English dramatist known for her use of non-naturalistic techniques and feminist themes, the abuses of power, and sexual politics. She is acknowledged as a major playwright in the English language and a leading female writer...

's play Seven Jewish Children

Seven Jewish Children

Seven Jewish Children: A Play for Gaza is a controversial six-page, 10-minute play by British playwright Caryl Churchill, written in response to the 2008-2009 Israel military strike on Gaza, and first performed at London's Royal Court Theatre on 6 February 2009...

, which he argues "offensive, distorted and manipulative".

Horovitz has offered to allow any theater that wishes to produce What Strong Fences Make free of royalties, provided that a collection is taken up following all performances for the benefit of ONE Family Fund

ONE Family Fund

ONE Family Fund is an Israel based philanthropic organization that helps victims of terror through networking and monetary donations. -Foundation:...

, a charity that assists children wounded in attacks on Israel.

The playwright has made the entire script of the play available as a downloadable PDF on the website of Theater J

Theater J

Theater J is a professional theater company located in Washington, DC, founded to present works that "celebrate the distinctive urban voice and social vision that are part of the Jewish cultural legacy" as a self-mission.-Organization:...

.

Plot

What Strong Fences Make is set at an IDF military checkpoint

Israel Defense Forces checkpoint

A Israel Defense Forces checkpoint, usually called an Israeli checkpoint , is a barrier erected by the Israel Defense Forces with the stated aim of enhancing the security of Israel and Israeli settlements and preventing those who wish to do harm from crossing...

 just outside Ramallah

Ramallah

Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...

. Horovitz calls it "a simple and clear stage-play that attempts to make a statement about a real-life situation that is anything but simple and clear."

Staging

The first reading was staged by New York's Barefoot Theater Company on April 15, 2009.

External links

• Script: http://washingtondcjcc.org/center-for-arts/theater-j/on-stage/middle-east-festival/What_Strong_Fences_Make-Final-Draft.pdf
• One Family Fund