A Raisin in the Sun 1959 - Articles Page 1.8

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.


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VIDEO: First Look - PBS Presents Documentary on A RAISIN IN THE SUN Playwright Lorraine Hansberry
by Caryn Robbins - Dec 4, 2017


One week after the anniversary of her death, American Masters -- Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart premieres nationwide Friday, January 19 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) and will stream the following day at pbs.org/americanmasters and PBS apps. Check out the trailer below!

Rogue Machine Theatre LES BLANCS Opens 5/27
by A.A. Cristi - May 9, 2017


Lorraine Hansberry considered this to be her most important play. It was her final work. Directed by Gregg T. Daniel, Les Blancs depicts the waning days of colonialism crossing into the 20th century as it reveals the impossible moral choices faced by individuals who must reconcile personal happiness with idealism. What happens when what we want and what we think is right is not what must be done? This play is rich with music and dance and set in and around a mission compound in Africa. The time is yesterday, today, and tomorrow-- but not very long after that.  

CLYBOURNE PARK Opens Maryland Ensemble Theatre's 17th Season Tonight
by BWW News Desk - Sep 12, 2014


Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) will present the first play in its seventeenth Mainstage season, 'Clybourne Park'. Bruce Norris' satirical comedy won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize Award and the 2012 Tony Award for Best Play. 'Clybourne Park' will be directed by Peter Wray and will run every Thursday through Sunday at Maryland Ensemble Theatre from tonight, September 12 through October 5.

CLYBOURNE PARK to Open Maryland Ensemble Theatre's 17th Season, 9/12
by BWW News Desk - Aug 27, 2014


Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) will present the first play in its seventeenth Mainstage season, 'Clybourne Park'. Bruce Norris' satirical comedy won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize Award and the 2012 Tony Award for Best Play. 'Clybourne Park' will be directed by Peter Wray and will run every Thursday through Sunday at Maryland Ensemble Theatre from September 12 through October 5.

MET Sets 2014-15 Mainstage Season: CLYBOURNE PARK, THE ELEPHANT MAN & More
by Tyler Peterson - May 21, 2014


Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) is proud to announce its 2014-2015 Mainstage season. MET's seventeenth mainstage season will run from September of 2014 through June of 2015 and will feature a classic Shakespeare comedy, a German masterpiece, a World Premiere original, and contemporary crowd pleasers. Season subscriptions are on sale now at a special early bird rate. MET Artistic Director Tad Janes shared his excitement about all the plays, 'This season brings such great plays to the MET! Two very exciting newer plays, Clybourne Park and Good People, both have a great sense of humor, but also have a real depth of message. The Arsonists is a very funny, bordering on absurd, comedy, and we feature two excellent timeless pieces with The Elephant Man and Twelfth Night. Next season also brings a new MET created piece, brought to us by MET Mainstage writing alumni Reiner Prochaska.'

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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