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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.
- Lorraine Hansberry
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News About A Raisin in the Sun at Yale Repertory Theatre
Cast and Creative Team Set for ESCAPED ALONE World Premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre
January 23, 2024Yale Repertory Theatre will continue its 2023–24 Season with Escaped Alone by Caryl Churchill, directed by Liz Diamond.
Cast and Creative Team Set for the World Premiere of THE SALVAGERS at Yale Repertory Theatre
October 17, 2023Discover the cast and creative team behind the highly anticipated world premiere of THE SALVAGERS by Harrison David Rivers. Get all the details on this exciting new production.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is Coming to Palace Theater Waterbury in November
October 03, 2023Get all the details on the complete casting for 'To Kill a Mockingbird' at Palace Theater Waterbury in November. Emmy Award winner Richard Thomas and original film 'Scout' Mary Badham headline this critically acclaimed production based on Harper Lee's classic novel. Don't miss out on this must-see show!
Cast Announced for Third Season of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Tour; First Look!
September 12, 2023The complete cast has been announced for the third touring season of the First National Tour of tTo Kill a Mockingbird. Learn more about the cast and check out all new photos here!
Yale Rep's WISH YOU WERE HERE Cast and Creative Team Revealed
August 22, 2023Yale Repertory Theatre begins its 2023–24 season with Wish You Were Here by Sanaz Toossi, directed by Sivan Battat, October 5–28, at Yale Repertory Theatre. Opening Night is Thursday, October 12, which is also press night.
Yale Repertory Theatre Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Yale Repertory Theatre is at 1120 Chapel St, New Haven, Connecticut.
Yale Repertory Theatre, the internationally celebrated professional theatre in residence at David Geffen School of Drama, has championed new work since 1966, producing well over 100 premieres—including two Pulitzer Prize winners and four other nominated finalists—by emerging and established playwrights. Seventeen Yale Rep productions have advanced to Broadway, garnering more than 40 Tony Award nominations and 10 Tony Awards. Yale Rep is also the recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Established in 2008, Yale’s Binger Center for New Theatre has distinguished itself as one of the nation’s most robust and innovative new play programs. To date, the Binger Center has supported the work of more than 60 commissioned artists and underwritten the world premieres and subsequent productions of more than 30 new plays and musicals at Yale Rep and theatres across the country.
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