A Raisin in the Sun 1959 - Articles Page 14

Ages: 10+
Opened: March 11, 1959

A Raisin in the Sun - 1959 - Broadway History , Info & More

Belasco Theatre (Broadway)
111 West 44th St. New York, NY

Set on Chicago’s South Side, Lorraine Hansberry's celebrated play concerns the divergent dreams and conflicts in three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena. When her deceased husband’s insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. Hansberry's portrait of one family’s struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.



. Upon its Broadway premiere in 1959, the play was a groundbreaking success for being the first play on Broadway written by an African American woman and the first with a Black director, Lloyd Richards. It brought to life the story of the Younger family's aspirations and struggles in Chicago's South Side, resonating deeply with audiences and critics alike. In 1960, the play was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Play, Best Actor in Play for Sidney Poitier, Best Actress in a Play for Claudia McNeil, and Best Direction of a Play for Lloyd Richards.



The play's significance extends beyond its Broadway success. It won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle award for best play in 1959, marking a major achievement for Hansberry and a pivotal moment for African American storytelling in the theater. "A Raisin in the Sun" not only ran for 19 months on Broadway but was also adapted into a 1961 movie starring Sidney Poitier and other members of the original Broadway cast. This adaptation further cemented the play's legacy, with Ruby Dee winning the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress, and both Poitier and McNeil receiving Golden Globe nominations.

A Raisin in the Sun - 1959 - Broadway Cast

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A Raisin in the Sun - 1959 - Broadway Articles Page 14

A RAISIN IN THE SUN, CHINGLISH and More Set for Stageworks Theatre's 2013-14 Season
by BWW News Desk - Apr 30, 2013


Stageworks Theatre announces its diverse 2013-14 Season.

THE HOW AND THE WHY Rounds Out TimeLine Theatre's 2013-14 Season
by BWW News Desk - Apr 30, 2013


TimeLine Theatre Company, dedicated to presenting plays inspired by history that connect to today's social and political issues, announces that The How and the Why by Sarah Treem (Netflix's House of Cards, HBO's In Treatment), directed by Keira Fromm and starring Janet Ulrich Brooks and Elizabeth Ledo, will be the third production of its 2013-14 season.

BWW Reviews: CLYBOURNE PARK - It's Not All Black and White
by Daniel Collins - Apr 23, 2013


Center Stage announces the Baltimore premiere of Bruce Norris' 'Cylbourne Park,' the first of two plays slated to run in rotating repertory this spring as 'The Raisin Cycle,' picking up where playwright Lorraine Hansberry left off in her famed work, 'A Raisin in the Sun.'

Jimmy Davis, Lucy Owen and More Set for Long Wharf Theatre's CLYBOURNE PARK; Cast Announced!
by BWW News Desk - Apr 11, 2013


Long Wharf Theatre concludes its 2012-13 season with Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Clybourne Park, by Bruce Norris, and directed by Associate Artistic Director Eric Ting. The play will take place on The Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Mainstage from May 8, 2013 through June 2, 2013.

CLYBOURNE PARK to Launch 'Raisin Cycle' at CENTERSTAGE, 4/10
by BWW News Desk - Apr 9, 2013


CENTERSTAGE announces the Baltimore Premiere of Bruce Norris' highly acclaimed Clybourne Park, the first of two landmark plays slated to run in rotating repertory this spring as The Raisin Cycle. The Baltimore Premiere of Clybourne Park begins previews April 10, and the World Premiere of CENTERSTAGE Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah's Beneatha's Place begins May 8.

Long Wharf Theatre Brings Back SPARK Program for CLYBOURNE PARK's First Rehearsal Today
by BWW News Desk - Apr 9, 2013


In the late 1950s and early 1960s the city of New Haven went through an unprecedented process of 'urban renewal,' a governmental effort that changed the landscape of the city, wiped away entire neighborhoods and brought increased attention to the wide ranging effects of gentrification. This May, a biting and moving satire engages those issues in a way designed to offer far more questions than answers. Long Wharf Theatre presents the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Clybourne Park on the Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck Mainstage from May 8 through June 2, 2013

BWW REVIEW: 'Raisin,' 'Clybourne Park' End Runs in Boston
by Jan Nargi - Apr 6, 2013


Boston audiences have one last chance to see both the Huntington Theatre Company's knockout production of Lorraine Hansberry's landmark 1959 drama 'A Raisin in the Sun' and its modern-day follow-up, 'Clybourne Park,' running coincidentally in tandem at SpeakEasy Stage in the Boston Center for the Arts.

Phoenix Theatre Presents CLYBOURNE PARK, 4/4-5/5
by Emily Stubbs - Apr 4, 2013


The Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis proudly announces the Indiana Premiere of Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris in the Livia and Steve Russell Theatre. Opening Thursday, April 4, and running through Sunday, May 5, 2013, Clybourne Park is the dark and richly satirical 2011 Pulitzer Prize-winning play and 2012 Tony award-winner for Best Play.

The Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis Opens CLYBOURNE PARK, 4/4
by Kelsey Denette - Apr 1, 2013


The Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis has announced the Indiana Premiere of Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris in the Livia and Steve Russell Theatre. Opening Thursday, April 4, and running through Sunday, May 5, 2013, Clybourne Park is the dark and richly satirical 2011 Pulitzer Prize-winning play and 2012 Tony award-winner for Best Play.

BWW Reviews: A RAISIN IN THE SUN at the Arden Is a Dream Not Deferred
by Marakay Rogers - Mar 27, 2013


Walter Dallas, former director of Freedom Theatre, brings a perfectly staged production of Hansberry's American classic to the Arden.

Pittsburgh Public Theater Presents CLYBOURNE PARK, Opening 4/18
by Kelsey Denette - Mar 27, 2013


Pittsburgh Public Theater's MADE IN AMERICA season continues with Bruce Norris' Clybourne Park, winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize, Britain's Olivier Award, and the 2012 Tony Award for Best Play. It is directed by Pamela Berlin, who was at The Public last season to direct Red. Clybourne Park runs April 18 - May 19, 2013 at the O'Reilly Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater's home in the heart of Downtown's Cultural District. For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit ppt.org.

CENTERSTAGE Will Premiere BENEATHA'S PLACE, Beginning 5/8
by Kelsey Denette - Mar 20, 2013


This spring, CENTERSTAGE will present the World Premiere production of Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah's Beneatha's Place. The production, slated to begin previews May 8, will play in rotating repertory with Bruce Norris' acclaimed Clybourne Park.

Robert Forster in THE LIFEGUARD, CLYBOURNE PARK, INFORMED CONSENT and More Set for Geva Theatre's 40th Season
by BWW News Desk - Mar 19, 2013


Geva Theatre Center's Artistic Director Mark Cuddy and Executive Director Tom Parrish are proud to announce the much anticipated 2013-2014 season, the organization's 41st season of producing professional theatre of a national standard for audiences in the Greater Rochester region. The 2013-2014 Wilson Mainstage Season features a high octane, all-American musical; a hilarious homage to a Hitchcock classic film; a new play by the author of Almost, Maine; an Olivier, Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play about race and real estate; the world premiere of a play ripped from the headlines; and the finale - a beloved and timeless comedy from an American Master. Geva's magical production of A Christmas Carol has become Rochester's holiday tradition and will return for 2013.

Dallas Theater Center Presents THE ODD COUPLE, Now thru 4/14
by BWW News Desk - Mar 15, 2013


Dallas Theater Center presents Neil Simon's classic American comedy, The Odd Couple, directed by DTC Artistic Director Kevin Moriarty. When two men with struggling relationships, neat and particular Felix Ungar and disheveled and rough-edged Oscar Madison, decide to live together, the results are funny and poignant. The Odd Couple opens with previews tonight, March 15 and runs through Sunday, April 14 at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Long Wharf Theatre Brings Back SPARK Program for CLYBOURNE PARK's First Rehearsal, 4/9
by BWW News Desk - Mar 13, 2013


In the late 1950s and early 1960s the city of New Haven went through an unprecedented process of 'urban renewal,' a governmental effort that changed the landscape of the city, wiped away entire neighborhoods and brought increased attention to the wide ranging effects of gentrification. This May, a biting and moving satire engages those issues in a way designed to offer far more questions than answers. Long Wharf Theatre presents the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Clybourne Park on the Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck Mainstage from May 8 through June 2, 2013

Arden Theatre Company's A RAISIN IN THE SUN Begins Today
by BWW News Desk - Mar 7, 2013


Arden Theatre Company, now celebrating its 25th Season of great stories by great storytellers, presents A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Directed by Walter Dallas, A Raisin in the Sun will run tonight, March 7-April 21 on the Arden's F. Otto Haas Stage.

BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE, LES MISERABLES and CLYBOURNE PARK Featured in Arkansas Rep's 2013-14 Season
by Emily Stubbs - Mar 5, 2013


Arkansas Repertory Theatre (The Rep), the state's largest nonprofit professional theatre, is proud to announce its 38th MainStage Season. The new season will include vibrant new artistic experiences that exemplify The Rep's mission of producing diverse work of the highest artistic standards for its Arkansas audience.

Dallas Theater Center Announces 2013-2014 Season
by Kelsey Denette - Mar 4, 2013


Dallas Theater Center Artistic Director Kevin Moriarty announced today the theater's 2013-2014 season, which will take place at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. DTC's 55th season will once again include a seven-play subscription season comprised of classic plays and musicals as well as new works, including a world premiere new musical and a new adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

STAGE TUBE: First Trailer - Rick McKay's BROADWAY: BEYOND THE GOLDEN AGE Film!
by Stage Tube - Feb 28, 2013


The first trailer for BROADWAY: BEYOND THE GOLDEN AGE, the anxiously awaited sequel to Rick McKay's 2004 film 'Broadway: The Golden Age' has just been released. Watch it below!

Dallas Theater Center to Present THE ODD COUPLE, 3/15-4/14
by BWW News Desk - Feb 28, 2013


Dallas Theater Center announced today the upcoming production of Neil Simon's classic American comedy, The Odd Couple, directed by DTC Artistic Director Kevin Moriarty. When two men with struggling relationships, neat and particular Felix Ungar and disheveled and rough-edged Oscar Madison, decide to live together, the results are funny and poignant. The Odd Couple opens with previews on Friday, March 15 and runs through Sunday, April 14 at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

The Rep Opens A RAISIN IN THE SUN, 3/15
by Kelsey Denette - Feb 27, 2013


One of the most powerful and beloved American plays ever written, A Raisin In the Sun tells the story of the Younger family's struggle for dignity and a better life - and the backlash that erupts when they try to move beyond their oppressive Chicago tenement home.

Asolo Rep's CLYBOURNE PARK Opens 3/15
by Kelsey Denette - Feb 20, 2013


Asolo Repertory Theatre leads off their Spring Rep 2013 Season with the 'exhilarating comedy Clybourne Park, the razor-sharp Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning play about race, real estate, and urban revitalization.'

Palm Beach Dramaworks Extends A RAISIN IN THE SUN Through 3/9
by Kelsey Denette - Feb 20, 2013


A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry's drama, will extend its performance schedule through March 9th at Palm Beach Dramaworks' Don & Ann Brown Theatre (201 Clematis Street). The production will play the following additional performances: Thursday 3/7 at 8pm, Friday 3/8 at 8pm and Saturday 3/9 at 2 & 8pm.

BWW Reviews: PlayMakers Rep's A RAISIN IN THE SUN Brings 1950s Chicago to the Triangle
by Larisa Mount - Feb 9, 2013


PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill is currently showing Lorraine Hansberry's 1959 play A Raisin in the Sun, playing in rotating repertory with Bruce Norris's sequel-of-sorts, Clybourne Park. In some ways a period piece, and in some ways shockingly current, A Raisin in the Sun is a gutsy look at race in America, from a voice and perspective that had gone largely silenced until the play's original production.

TCG Books Announces Release of Benedict Nightingale's GREAT MOMENTS IN THE THEATRE
by Kelsey Denette - Feb 7, 2013


Theatre Communications Group (TCG) has announced the availability of Great Moments in the Theatre by Benedict Nightingale, published by Oberon Books (London). Starting with the first performance of Aeschylus' The Oresteia in 458 BC and ending with the premiere of Jez Butterworth's Jerusalem in London of 2009 AD, former New York Times critic and chief theatre critic of the Times (London) for over 20 years, Benedict Nightingale collects in one volume what he extols as the greatest moments in theatre.

Other Productions of A Raisin in the Sun

1959   Broadway
Broadway
1986   Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
2004   Broadway Broadway Revival
Broadway
2014   Broadway Broadway Revival
Broadway
2022   Off-Broadway Public Theater Off-Broadway Revival
Off-Broadway

A Raisin in the Sun - 1959 Broadway Awards and Nominations

Note: Award winners will appear on a background
Year Ceremony Category Nominee
1960 Tony Awards Best Direction of a Play Lloyd Richards
1960 Tony Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play Sidney Poitier
1960 Tony Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play Claudia McNeil
1960 Tony Awards Best Play Lorraine Hansberry
1959 New York Drama Critics Circle Awards Best American Play Lorraine Hansberry
1959 Outer Critics Circle Awards Best Drama Performance Diana Sands

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