A Raisin in the Sun

by  Lorraine Hansberry

Full Length Play, Drama  /  7m, 3f, 1boy(s)

Set on Chicago’s South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within 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. The tensions and prejudice they face form this seminal American drama. The Younger family’s heroic struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.

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A Raisin in the Sun

by  Lorraine Hansberry

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A Raisin in the Sun

  • Cast Size

    Cast Size

    7m, 3f, 1boy(s)
  • Duration

    Duration

    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre

    Subgenre

    Period
  • Accolades

    Accolades

    Tony, From Broadway
  • Suggested Use

    Suggested Use

    • Cutting Approved for Competition
    • UIL Approved
    • Competition or audition material
  • Audience

    Target Audience

    • Adult

Additional Info

"Pivotal play in the history of the American Black theatre." - Newsweek

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Accolades

  • Winner! 2014 Tony® Awards: Best Revival of a Play, Best Director of a Play, Best Supporting Actress
    Nominee! 2014 Drama Desk Awards: Best Actor & Best Supporting Actress in a Revival
    Nominee! 2014 Outer Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress in a Revival
    Winner! 1959 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Best Play of the Year

Reviews


"Pivotal play in the history of the American Black theatre." - Newsweek

"A milestone in the American Theatre." - Ebony

Videos

  • Denzel Washington & Co. on "A Raisin in the Sun" - Broadway.com
  • A Raisin in the Sun - Timeline Theatre Company
  • A Raisin in the Sun: An Introduction
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Keywords

Love, Marriage, Parenting/Family, Black/African-American Interest

Considerations

Performing Groups

  • High School/Secondary
  • College Theatre / Student
  • Community Theatre
  • Professional Theatre
  • Reader's Theatre

Cautions

  • Caution Mild Adult Mild Adult Themes

License details

  • Minimum Fee: $125 per performance

Production

Details

  • Time Period: 1950s
  • Duration: More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Setting: The Youngers' apartment in the slums of Chicago's Southside, 1950s.
  • Features / Contains: Period Costumes

Music

  • Musical Style: N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal Demands: N/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size: N/A (Not a musical)

Casting

7m, 3f, 1boy(s)

RUTH YOUNGER
TRAVIS YOUNGER
WALTER LEE YOUNGER
BENEATHA YOUNGER
LENA YOUNGER (MAMA)
JOSEPH ASAGAI
GEORGE MURCHISON
BOBO
KARL LINDER
MOVING MEN

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Cast Attributes

  • Role(s) for Black Actor(s)
  • Multicultural casting
  • Strong Role for Leading Woman (Star Vehicle)

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Authors

Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Hansberry

When Lorraine Hansberry’s (1930-1965) A Raisin in the Sun appeared on Broadway in 1959, the artist became at twenty-nine the youngest American playwright, the fifth woman, and the only African American to date to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play of the Year. The play represented a landmark. In ...

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A Raisin in the Sun was first presented at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City on March 11, 1959. Directed by Lloyd Richards.

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