Review: A RAISIN IN THE SUN at The Classic Theatre Of San Antonio

I fell in love with this script during my first year of teaching Theatre, when I found myself standing in front of a room full of black students who were supposed to read the wonderful, Our Town by Thornton Wilder. This resulted in days of frustrating behavior problems, as that was a play that despite its brilliance could not grasp their attention. I knew I needed to pivot, and that’s when I saw A Raisin in the Sun on my bookshelf. A play written by Lorraine Hansberry, the first black woman to have her show produced on Broadway? Maybe this could work. We read the play out loud, as Hansberry’s brilliant words and memorable characters captured even the squirrelly minds of almost forty middle school kids. It drew us in and held us breathless. And as I sat at the opening night of The Classic Theatre of San Antonio’s production of this profoundly powerful play, I felt that breathlessness again. And I could tell I was feeling it collectively with an entranced audience.

We can attribute this intoxicating experience largely to the director of the production, Darcell Andre, who displayed a masterful ability to find a full palette of emotions in a script that could be mostly heavy and full of conflict. That, paired with his inventive staging in such an intimate space, drew us fully into that Chicago apartment. We could almost smell the coffee and feel the warmth of the hot iron. We shared their laughter as they danced or sang or dreamed. We felt their fear and anger with such fitful finesse. And our hearts broke right along with them as we ached for them to find peace and happiness instead of constant struggle.

At the beginning of the play we found out that Lena Youngers’ (Mama’s) husband had just passed away, leaving the family with a $10,000 insurance settlement. They all had dreams of what that money could bring, even though they knew it was Mama’s choice in the end. Cassandra L. Small, who played Mama, held our hearts from her first entrance and just never let go.  Her use of quiet powerfulness was astounding, and her intensity drew us in. Her son, Walter Lee Younger, played by Jeremiah Jordan, had his own ideas of what to do with the money--ideas that would bring him respect as a man and freedom from servitude. Jordan’s brilliant portrayal of this iconic role made us angry, made us laugh, brought us to tears, and made us want to cheer him on. Even in his darkest moments when he made his biggest mistakes, we still rooted for him. Maybe that’s because his wife, Ruth Younger, played by Danica McKinney, never stopped loving him and believing in him. She held so much inside that when she finally let it out, the audience held its collective breath. McKinney was a magnetic force in this role. She brought an authentic softness to the part, while finding masterful moments of comedy. The relationships she portrayed with every character were fully believable and heart wrenching, including the relationship she shared with her son, Travis, played by Keith Tubbs. His ability to focus and portray childlike reactions with big facial expressions won over the audience time and again. Walter’s sister, Beneatha Younger, played by Jessica Winston, was studying to be a doctor and brought all kinds of modern ideas into the house. Her ability to play subtle heartbreak was stunning, especially when Mama violently reminds her that “in Mama’s house there is still God.” 

Every guest or visitor to the apartment brought a uniquely impressive dynamic to the family’s endeavors and captivated the audience even further. Joseph Asagai, played by Ty Price, and George Murchinson, played by Joshua Cook, provided the perfect suitors to Beneatha in their own ways, presenting opposing ideas-each actor committed beautifully to the personality and quirks of his character. They were certainly more welcome in the home than Karl Linder, played by Byrd Bonner. Linder represents the “welcoming committee” from the white neighborhood where the Younger family has bought a home. Bonner plays this role honestly, as he refrains from playing an over-the-top villain. We believed him, making his moments on stage the cringe-worthy messes they were intended to be. Mrs. Johnson, their neighbor, played by Nerryl Williams, also pays them a visit when she learns they are moving into a white neighborhood. Her performance brought full applause from the audience, as her depiction of the nosy neighbor was pure perfection. And the final visitor to the home, Bobo, played by Carl E. Brooks, brought the worst possible news-literally bringing the family to their knees. And yet, his brief time on stage was superbly performed, achingly authentic, and brought the audience to an emotional peak.

The technical elements added tremendous attributes to the success of the show. The set, designed by Alfy Valdez, could not have been more perfect. The use of space brought the audience in and created a completely realistic atmosphere. Every detail in place. I cannot say enough about the costume and wig design by Sabrina Lopez, especially for Beneatha’s character. The design and execution of her wig had such a beautifully profound impact on the production.

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