A Raisin in the Sun 1959 - Articles Page 19

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 19

Ebony Repertory Theatre Announces Phylicia Rashad to Direct A RAISIN IN THE SUN
by BWW News Desk - Nov 1, 2010


Ebony Repertory Theatre (ERT), Founder/Producer Wren T. Brown, announced today, that Phylicia Rashad is set to make her Los Angeles directorial debut with its production of Lorraine Hansberry's classic play A RAISIN IN THE SUN.

Rashad to Direct A RAISIN IN THE SUN in LA, Mar. 2011
by Jessica Lewis - Oct 29, 2010


Ebony Repertory Theatre (ERT), Founder/Producer Wren T. Brown, announced today, that Phylicia Rashad is set to make her Los Angeles directorial debut with its production of Lorraine Hansberry's classic play A RAISIN IN THE SUN. ERT is proud to return this groundbreaking play to Los Angeles for its first fully-staged production in over twenty years. Preview performances begin on March 23, 2011, with the official press opening on March 25, 2011 at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center (4718 W. Washington Blvd.) in Los Angeles. Single tickets go on sale November 1, 2010.

TRAIN TO 2010, A RAISIN IN THE SUN, et al. Set for Crossroads Theatre Company Season
by BWW News Desk - Oct 24, 2010


The Crossroads Theatre Company's current season will continue with TRAIN TO 2010, opening on October 13 and running through October 24.

Juilliard Presents 2010-2011 Season Feat. Fourth Year Actors
by BWW News Desk - Oct 11, 2010


Juilliard's Drama Division announced the complete schedule for its 2010-2011 season of fully-staged productions featuring students in their fourth and final year of acting training at Juilliard. This season's plays include Lorraine Hansberry's A RAISIN IN THE SUN, directed by Jade King Carroll, October 20-24; David Auburn's PROOF, directed by Harris Yulin, November 11-15; and Chekhov's THE SEAGULL, directed by Richard Feldman, December 9-13.

TRAIN TO 2010, A RAISIN IN THE SUN, et al. Set for Crossroads Theatre Company Season
by Lauren Wolman - Sep 4, 2010


The Crossroads Theatre Company's current season will continue with TRAIN TO 2010, opening on October 13 and running through October 24.

Juilliard Presents 2010-2011 Season Feat. Fourth Year Actors
by Molly Hagan - Aug 16, 2010


Juilliard's Drama Division announced the complete schedule for its 2010-2011 season of fully-staged productions featuring students in their fourth and final year of acting training at Juilliard. This season's plays include Lorraine Hansberry's A RAISIN IN THE SUN, directed by Jade King Carroll, October 20-24; David Auburn's PROOF, directed by Harris Yulin, November 11-15; and Chekhov's THE SEAGULL, directed by Richard Feldman, December 9-13.

Juilliard School's Drama Division Announces its 2010-2011 Season
by Gabrielle Sierra - Jul 1, 2010


Juilliard's Drama Division presents a series of fully-staged productions during the 2010-2011 season featuring students in their fourth and final year of acting training at Juilliard.

NY Philharmonic's Star Studded SONDHEIM: THE BIRTHDAY CONCERT to Feature LuPone, Peters, Cerveris, Patinkin, McDonald & More, 3/16
by BWW News Desk - Mar 16, 2010


The New York Philharmonic will present SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert on March 15 and Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. This celebration of the 80th birthday of the great Broadway and film composer/lyricist will include his most enduring orchestral music and songs - performed, in some cases, by the stars of the original Broadway cast productions - in addition to rarely-heard material. Joining the celebration will be (in alphabetical order) Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Jason Danieley, Nathan Gunn, George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, and others to be announced, including surprise guests. Paul Gemignani, Mr. Sondheim's longtime collaborator, will conduct the New York Philharmonic; Lonny Price is the director; and Mr. Price and Matt Cowart are the producers.

Playwrights Horizons Announces Frank Wood, Annie Parisse And More To Star In CLYBOURNE PARK
by BWW News Desk - Feb 21, 2010


Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced complete casting for the World Premiere of CLYBOURNE PARK, a new play by Bruce Norris (The Pain and the Itch at Playwrights Horizons/PH 2006-2007 Season).

The Theatre School's A RAISIN IN THE SUN Closes on Feb. 14
by BWW News Desk - Feb 14, 2010


The Theatre School Showcase: Contemporary Plays and Classics Presents: A RAISIN IN THE SUN directed by Phyllis E. Griffin From February 1959 to February 2010 - A Chicago Story on Stage Where it Debuted. The production will close on February 14, 2010.

The Theatre School Showcase: Contemporary Plays and Classics Presents A RAISIN IN THE SUN
by BWW News Desk - Feb 5, 2010


The Theatre School Showcase: Contemporary Plays and Classics Presents: A RAISIN IN THE SUN directed by Phyllis E. Griffin From February 1959 to February 2010 - A Chicago Story on Stage Where it Debuted

Playwrights Horizons Announces Frank Wood, Annie Parisse And More To Star In CLYBOURNE PARK
by BWW News Desk - Jan 29, 2010


Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced complete casting for the World Premiere of CLYBOURNE PARK, a new play by Bruce Norris (The Pain and the Itch at Playwrights Horizons/PH 2006-2007 Season).

The Theatre School Showcase: Contemporary Plays and Classics Presents A RAISIN IN THE SUN
by Gabrielle Sierra - Jan 15, 2010


The Theatre School Showcase: Contemporary Plays and Classics Presents: A RAISIN IN THE SUN directed by Phyllis E. Griffin From February 1959 to February 2010 - A Chicago Story on Stage Where it Debuted

NY Philharmonic's Star Studded SONDHEIM: THE BIRTHDAY CONCERT to Feature LuPone, Peters, Cerveris, Patinkin, McDonald, and More, 3/15 & 3/16
by Jeff Dennhardt - Nov 16, 2009


The New York Philharmonic will present SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert on March 15 and Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. This celebration of the 80th birthday of the great Broadway and film composer/lyricist will include his most enduring orchestral music and songs - performed, in some cases, by the stars of the original Broadway cast productions - in addition to rarely-heard material. Joining the celebration will be (in alphabetical order) Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Jason Danieley, Nathan Gunn, George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, and others to be announced, including surprise guests. Paul Gemignani, Mr. Sondheim's longtime collaborator, will conduct the New York Philharmonic; Lonny Price is the director; and Mr. Price and Matt Cowart are the producers.

The Guthrie Presents A RAISIN IN THE SUN 3/13-4/11
by BWW News Desk - Mar 13, 2009


The Guthrie is proud to present Penumbra Theatre's production of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, directed by Lou Bellamy. A co-production with Arizona Theatre Company and The Cleveland Play House, this presentation marks the 50th anniversary of the show's groundbreaking Broadway opening, and arrives at the Guthrie on the heels of two highly-lauded regional runs in Ohio and Arizona. A Raisin in the Sun previews March 12, opens March 13 and plays through April 11, 2009 on the McGuire Proscenium Stage. Single tickets are priced from $24 to $60, with opening night prices ranging from $49 to $70. Tickets are now on sale through the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE, 612.225.6244 (Group Sales) and online at www.guthrietheater.org. A recent widow, Lena Younger (Franchelle Stewart Dorn) wants to use her husband's insurance money to buy a home for her family, freeing them from the cramped tenement in which she, her two children, daughter-in-law and grandson live. Her son, Walter Lee (David Alan Anderson), is determined to invest the money in a business - an opportunity for him to be his own man and not just the driver for his white boss. Lena refuses; in her eyes a house is a sturdy thing to build a dream on, one that can relieve the strains that poverty has put on the family. But when a white representative of the neighborhood 'welcoming committee' presents the Youngers with an offer to buy them out of their home to prevent integration in their community, the dream of the house quickly becomes a nightmare. The title comes from the opening lines of 'Harlem,' a poem by Langston Hughes ('What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / like a raisin in the sun?'). Throughout the play, the idea of deferred dreams is a prominent theme, as each member of the Younger family attempts to find his or her place amidst a number of difficult situations. While their future neighbors resist the Youngers' move, Walter Lee for the first time begins to value what money can't buy, and in the process achieves a new level of self respect and pride.

The Guthrie Presents A RAISIN IN THE SUN 3/13-4/11
by Gabrielle Sierra - Jan 20, 2009


The Guthrie is proud to present Penumbra Theatre's production of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, directed by Lou Bellamy. A co-production with Arizona Theatre Company and The Cleveland Play House, this presentation marks the 50th anniversary of the show's groundbreaking Broadway opening, and arrives at the Guthrie on the heels of two highly-lauded regional runs in Ohio and Arizona. A Raisin in the Sun previews March 12, opens March 13 and plays through April 11, 2009 on the McGuire Proscenium Stage. Single tickets are priced from $24 to $60, with opening night prices ranging from $49 to $70. Tickets are now on sale through the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE, 612.225.6244 (Group Sales) and online at www.guthrietheater.org. A recent widow, Lena Younger (Franchelle Stewart Dorn) wants to use her husband's insurance money to buy a home for her family, freeing them from the cramped tenement in which she, her two children, daughter-in-law and grandson live. Her son, Walter Lee (David Alan Anderson), is determined to invest the money in a business - an opportunity for him to be his own man and not just the driver for his white boss. Lena refuses; in her eyes a house is a sturdy thing to build a dream on, one that can relieve the strains that poverty has put on the family. But when a white representative of the neighborhood 'welcoming committee' presents the Youngers with an offer to buy them out of their home to prevent integration in their community, the dream of the house quickly becomes a nightmare. The title comes from the opening lines of 'Harlem,' a poem by Langston Hughes ('What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / like a raisin in the sun?'). Throughout the play, the idea of deferred dreams is a prominent theme, as each member of the Younger family attempts to find his or her place amidst a number of difficult situations. While their future neighbors resist the Youngers' move, Walter Lee for the first time begins to value what money can't buy, and in the process achieves a new level of self respect and pride.

Free Reading 'A Raisin In The Sun'
by Beau Higgins - Nov 3, 2008


Winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle award, A Raisin In The Sun opened on Broadway in 1959. Starring Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee, the play went on to become a critically acclaimed film two years later. A couple of seasons ago, it was back on Broadway in an acclaimed revival. It was also the basis for the Tony winning Best musical, Raisin.

Cleveland Play House's Season to Include NOISES OFF, A RAISIN IN THE SUN, and CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
by Faetra Petillo - Oct 16, 2008


The Cleveland Play House will present the following productions throughout their 2008-09 season:

'A Raisin in the Sun' DVD Released May 6
by BWW News Desk - Feb 29, 2008


The critically acclaimed, Sony Pictures Television movie adaptation of the Tony award-winning Broadway revival, A Raisin in the Sun will debut on DVD May 6

TV: A Closer Look at ABC's Feb. 25 World Premiere Movie Event 'A Raisin in the Sun'
by Craig Brockman - Feb 22, 2008


The highly anticipated 'ABC World Premiere Movie Event: A Raisin in the Sun' is set to air on February 25th, 2008. BroadwayWorld.com brings you this special closer look video featuring interviews with the cast and creative plus scenes from the screen adaptation!

TV: A Sneak Peek at ABC's 'A Raisin in the Sun'
by BWW News Desk - Nov 30, 2007


The highly anticipated 'ABC World Premiere Movie Event: A Raisin in the Sun' is set to air on February 25th, 2008. BroadwayWorld.com brings you this sneak peek video at this stage to small screen adaptation.

'A Raisin in the Sun' Premieres at Sundance, Airs on ABC Feb.25
by BWW News Desk - Nov 30, 2007


The highly anticipated 'ABC World Premiere Movie Event: A Raisin in the Sun' has been selected to be screened (out of competition) at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, January 23, 2008, it was announced yesterday by the Sundance Institute. This will be the first time that a broadcast network film will be featured at the celebrated festival.

Nunn, Thomas, Etc. Join Cast of ABC's 'Raisin' Movie
by BWW News Desk - Nov 29, 2006


More stars have joined ABC's upcoming television version of Lorraine Hansbury's grounbreaking 1959 play A Raisin in the Sun

John Stamos Joins Cast of ABC's 'Raisin in the Sun'
by BWW News Desk - Nov 27, 2006


TV and stage star John Stamos has signed on to the cast of the upcoming TV version of 'A Raisin in the Sun.'

Tony Award-Winning Director Lloyd Richards Dies at 87
by BWW News Desk - Jun 30, 2006


Tony Award-winning director Lloyd Richards, whose distinguished career in the theatre lasted half a century and who nurtured the work of playwrights such as August Wilson, has passed away at the age of 87

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

Videos