SUBMIT UPDATES
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.
- Lorraine Hansberry
Authors
Videos
 |
2024 Spring Concert
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (5/10 - 5/12) | |
|
ANDY
Denver Fringe (6/6 - 6/9) | |
|
Wicked
Buell Theatre- Denver Center for the Performing Arts (7/24 - 8/25) | |
|
Insight Colab Theatre presents 4000 Miles
Vintage Theatre (7/25 - 8/4) | ||
|
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical
Aurora Fox (6/1 - 6/23) | |
|
Frozen
Buell Theatre- Denver Center for the Performing Arts (6/20 - 6/30) | |
|
C.S. Lewis On Stage: Further Up & Further In
Ellie Caulkins Opera House at Denver Performing Arts Complex (6/1 - 6/1) | |
|
The Music Man
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre (6/14 - 8/23) | |
| VIEW SHOWS ADD A SHOW FIND A JOB | ||
Recommended For You
Get Denver's #1 Newsletter
Get the best news & discounts for Denver & beyond.
