Review: RAISIN at The Black Rep Still Resonates with Socially Relevant Themes

The musical Raisin, currently on stage at The Black Rep, is based on Lorraine Hansberry's 1950’s drama A Raisin in the Sun. The story tells of three generations of the Younger family sharing a cramped inner-city apartment on Chicago’s southside. The patriarch of the family is recently deceased and his widow, Lena, is expecting a $10,000 insurance check that will significantly improve the family’s financial situation.

Lena and her children, Walter Lee and Ruth, each have ideas for how the money can help the Younger family build a better life. Lena plans to make a downpayment on a home to free the family from their impoverished living conditions. Walter Lee is looking at a risky business deal, and Ruth has plans to attend medical school.

Raisin examines racism, migration, housing discrimination, and families living in extreme poverty. Many of the themes of Raisin are still relevant today, but the period drama is a story of its time.

In the early 1950’s a few thousand dollars would have been a downpayment that was a significant percentage of the cost of a small suburban home. What seems like a small amount of money today, may not have been life changing, but would have significantly helped to improve the outlook for the Younger family.

Raisin premiered on Broadway in 1973, won the Tony Award for Best Musical in the following year, and ran for 847 performances. Since that time the musical has rarely been produced. In a recent New York Times article, The Black Rep’s production was mentioned as one of shows that needed to be seen this fall. Broadway World St. Louis also listed it as one of their top 6 anticipated shows of the fall season.

Follow its pre-Broadway premiere at Arena Stage in Washington D.C., The New York Times critic Clive Barnes called it a “warm and loving work," noting the strength of writers’ Robert B. Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg’s book. It is the strength of the book that propels Raisin, more so than Judd Woldin and Robert Brittan’s sleepy, uninspiring, and dated score.

The lack of appreciation for the score does not take away from the fine vocal performances of Anita Michelle Jackson, Duane Martin Foster, and De-Rance Blaylock. The three powerhouse actors and singers wow with their dramatic portrayals and the timbre of their rich voices. Jackson and Foster envelop the lyrics with a richly resonant blend of chest and head voice complimented by their gorgeous vibratos. Blaylock’s soprano is a glass-shattering force. She and Jackson combine to make the gospel inspired “He Come Down This Morning” a musical highlight.

Eleven-year-old Jaron Bentley is a standout as Walter Lee’s son Travis. From the moment Bentley takes the stage his professional maturity and presence is felt. The tween actor holds his own with a naturally authentic portrayal. He impresses with his comfort leading a solo center stage. Bentley is a young actor to watch as his acting career blossoms.

The other musical highlight was the comedically sarcastic “Not Anymore.” Foster, Adrianna Jones (Walter Lee’s wife Ruth), and Andrea Mouton (Walter Lee’s younger sister Beneatha) feed Lena a dose of sardonic reality juxtaposed by a lighthearted delivery and Kirven Douthit-Boyd’s bubby choreography reminiscent of Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor’s playful “Good Morning” from Singing in the Rain.

Douthit-Boyd’s choreography is a blend of jazz, contemporary, and traditional African dance styles. Dance captain Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, Demetrius Malik Lee, and Aaliyah Weston deliver a rousing and athletic “African Dance.” Douthit-Boyd’s movement creates imaginative and interesting shapes for his ensemble of dancers.

Music director Jermaine Manor and the rest of the orchestra support the performers with solid orchestrations and mostly on point accompaniment. The Judd Woldin score is percussion heavy. Drummer James Belk wows with his rhythmic proficiency on multiple instruments. His notable work is presented with virtuosic technique.

In the program notes, director Ron Himes discusses his emotional experience directing Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun last season at a theater in South Carolina. He speaks of how little the world has changed in the half-decade since Hansberry penned the original work that Raisin is based upon.

Himes direction of Raisin, while paced too slowly in the first act, captures the relevant themes of both the original play and the musical adaptation. He elicits strong performances from his company of talented actors and delivers a powerful second act conclusion that resonates with cultural relevance.

Raisin continues at The Black Rep through September 21, 2025. Performances are at The Edison Theatre on The Washington University Campus. Tickets can be purchased by clicking the link below. For more information visit The Black Rep’s website at theblackrep.org.

Photo Credit: Keshon Campbell