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A Raisin in the Sun

Why see A Raisin in the Sun?

A Raisin in the Sun is a heart-wrenching family drama by playwright Lorraine Hansberry which originally premiered on Broadway in 1959 and starred legendary actor, Sir Sidney Poitier.

A Three-time Tony Winning Revival

This highly anticipated Broadway revival sees the extremely talented Denzel Washington fill those shoes as he plays the title role of Walter Lee Younger, the play's ambitious but misguided central character. He stars alongside LaTanya Richardson Jackson, who was nominated for a 2014 Tony for her performance.

This historic 2014 revival was nominated for 2014 Tony Awards in five categories, of which it won three. It scooped up the Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play, Best Direction of a Play for Kenny Leon and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Sophie Okonedo.

It runs at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, the very same venue in which the original play debuted almost 55 years ago, and will be directed by Kenny Leon. The production sees him reunite with Mr. Washington after previously working together on the 2010 Broadway production of Fences, for which Mr. Washington won a Tony award.

About A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun follows Walter and the Younger family, and the troubles which befall them when his elderly mother when inherits a large sum of money. Walter wants to invest in a liquor store, while Mama wants to put the money down on a new home in a white neighborhood for reasons of affordability. As Walter struggles with this dilemma, two characters enter his life who force him to evaluate his social standing, though he does so largely in terms of his financial status.

This landmark drama was one of the very first plays on Broadway to take an in-depth look at the experiences of African-American families in pre-civil rights USA. Although Hansberry's groundbreaking play was initially considered to be a risky investment, it went on to run for nearly two years, received four Tony nominations and was the first play written by an African-American woman to be produced on Broadway.

Key Information

Audience

A Raisin In The Sun is suitable for audiences aged 10 and upwards. Children under 4 are not permitted in the theatre

Run Time

Two hours and 40 minutes, including one intermission

Dates

Finished Jun 15, 2014

Cast

Denzel Washington as Walter Lee Younger
Latanya Richardson Jackson as Lena Younger
Sophie Okonedo as Ruth Younger
Anika Noni Rose as Beneatha Younger
David Cromer as Karl Linder
Bryce Clyde Jenkins as Travis Younger
Sean Patrick Thomas as Joseph Asagai
Jason Dirden as George Murchison
Stephen McKinley Henderson as Bobo

Creative

Lorraine Hansberry - Playwright
Kenny Leon - Director
Scott Rudin - Producer
Mark Thompson - Scenic Designer
Ann Roth - Costume Designer
Brian MacDevitt - Lighting Designer

Awards

Tony Award Wins 2014

Best Revival of a Play
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play Sophie Okonedo
Best Direction of a Play Kenny Leon

Tony Award Nominations 2014

Best Revival of a Play
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play LaTanya Richardson Jackson
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play Anika Noni Rose
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play Sophie Okonedo
Best Direction of a Play Kenny Leon

Reviews

Customer reviews

20 reviews, average rating: (4.6 Stars)

Denzel's Greatest Fan

Lorraine Hansbery is smiling!

An overall great performance. The cast was exceptional. I knew the work of most of the actors and for some reason seeing them perform live made A Raisin in the Sun their best work yet . I am a huge Denzel fan and I appreciated the fact that he allowed the other actors to shine. The story line applies to any family in present times regardless to race or socio-economic status. What's happens to a dream deferred? ... Read more

Anonymous

A Timeless Masrerpiece

A wonderful performance of a classic drama! Great acting, and a story that is timeless ... Read more

CCNYC

Outstanding Performance in a Brilliant Broadway Play

What a treat it was to see Denzel Washington performing live on stage. I had to pinch myself at the privilege. What was amazing, was that he didn't outshine the other cast members. They were equally as brilliant and made up a powerful broadway ensemble. The story was real, touching and emotionally charged. Instead of it dragging you down and being too heavy, the acting and the humor kept it alive. This was one of the best broadway shows I have seen. If you can get tickets, hurry up, they are selling fast and you'll be sorry if you miss this one. ... Read more
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