Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette Actor James Earl Jones reads a scene from August Wilson's play "Fences" to students from Perry Traditional Academy yesterday at the Byham Theater, Downtown. Click photo for larger image.

"Your 'Fences' brought more people into your yard, the giant yard that is Pittsburgh," read Sterling Freeman yesterday morning at the Byham Theater, Downtown.

A student at Perry Traditional Academy, Sterling was reading from a poem he had written about the late Pittsburgh playwright August Wilson. And at the front of his audience sat actor James Earl Jones, who famously played the lead role in Mr. Wilson's play "Fences" on Broadway -- though he may be better known from such movies as "Field of Dreams" and as the voice of Darth Vader, Mufasa in "The Lion King" and Verizon Yellow Pages.

Sterling and about three dozen other Perry students were at the Byham to meet with Mr. Jones before a student matinee of "August in February," a program produced by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre in which local actors do scenes from several of Mr. Wilson's plays. Mr. Jones is a literacy advocate for Verizon, which supports the trust's related literacy program, in which Perry has been involved.

Before the Byham doors opened at 10 a.m. to admit more than 1,000 other students, those from Perry heard Mr. Jones reminisce about the power of reading in his own life. A severe case of stuttering had kept him embarrassed and largely silent for many years. "I abandoned talking," he said, until, at 14, a teacher challenged him to recite from memory a poem he'd written, to prove it was his.

"That's how I regained the power of speech," Mr. Jones said: "Words give power." He connected his experience to that of Mr. Wilson, who began reading at 4, left school at 15 and educated himself in the library.

As Mr. Jones read a dramatic speech from "Fences," two decades melted away and you could see him again on the Broadway stage as Troy Maxson, the flawed hero of "Fences."

In introducing the four scenes performed for the matinee, including one from "Fences" (there would be eight scenes at the full evening performance), Mr. Jones said, "Without communication, we have no community" -- a sentiment that could have come directly from Mr. Wilson himself.

Between the scenes, Mr. Jones praised the actors, noting that "when August Wilson is in the house, everyone pays attention."

Also in the audience were Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, who both recalled seeing "Fences" at the Pittsburgh Public Theater.

"That's the [play] I could relate to," said Mr. O'Connor, "[about] a frustrated ballplayer." Looking at the students, Mr. Onorato said, "I don't think I was ever in the theater at your age" and congratulated them on discovering "how important and enjoyable theater can be."