 | A Raisin in the Sun: Encyclopedia - A Raisin in the Sun
A Raisin in the Sun
A Raisin in the Sun is a 1959 play written by Lorraine Hansberry. It is the story of the Younger family, based on Hansberry's own experiences growing up in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood. A Raisin in the Sun was the first play written by a black woman to be produced on Broadway. The title comes from a poem by Langston Hughes.
The play concerns the working-class Younger family, who dream of leaving behind the delapidated tenement apartment where they have lived for decades. Son Walter, a chauffeur, dreams of making a fortune but foolishly gives his money to start a liquor store to a con artist. His sister Beneatha, a somewhat flighty college student, tries to find her identity and embraces a "back to Africa" philosophy, inspired by a Nigerian friend. Their mother, the matriarch, realizes her late husband's dream by buying a home, which happens to be in an all-white neighborhood. A racist neighbor, feigning friendliness and good intentions, tries to buy them out to prevent the neighborhood's integration, but Walter takes a stand and refuses to be intimidated or bought out; in this, he stops deferring his family's dreams and helps them advance.
A Raisin in the Sun - Other versions
In 1961, A Raisin in the Sun was adapted into a feature film starring its first-run Broadway cast of Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Roy Glenn and Claudia McNeil.
In 1973, the play was turned into an acclaimed musical, Raisin.
In the late 1980s, it was adapted into a made for TV movie starring Danny Glover and Esther Rolle.
A Raisin in the Sun - Revival on Broadway
The play was revived for a limited run of fifteen weeks on Broadway in 2004 at the Royale Theatre. The revival featured Tony Award winning performances from Phylicia Rashad and Audra McDonald, a Tony Award nominated performance from Sanaa Lathan and the well publicized performance of Sean Combs. The show recouped quickly and became the second highest grossing play in Broadway history. The production was noted for attracting a diverse audience and repeatedly breaking ticket sale records at the Royale.
A Raisin in the Sun - Trivia
Spike Lee's 1994 film Crooklyn is heavily influenced by A Raisin in the Sun.
A Raisin in the Sun - External link
- ISU Play Concordances: A Raisin in the Sun
Category: American plays
Other related archives1959, 1961, 1973, 1980s, 1994, 2004, A Raisin in the Sun, American plays, Audra McDonald, Broadway, Chicago, Crooklyn, Danny Glover, Esther Rolle, Langston Hughes, Lorraine Hansberry, Phylicia Rashad, Raisin, Roy Glenn, Royale Theatre, Ruby Dee, Sanaa Lathan, Sean Combs, Sidney Poitier, Spike Lee, Tony Award, Woodlawn, black, feature film, play
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "A Raisin in the Sun", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
