Where does a raisin in the sun take place

play by Lorraine Hansberry

For other uses, see A Raisin in the Cool (disambiguation).

A Raisin in the Sun
First-edition revise (Random House )
Written by	Lorraine Hansberry
Characters	Walter Younger Ruth Younger Beneatha Younger Travis Younger Lena Younger (Mama) George Murchison Joseph Asagai Karl Lindner Mrs. Johnson Bobo Moving Men
Date premiered	March&#;11,&#;&#;()
Place premiered	Ethel Barrymore Theatre
Original language	English
Genre	Domestic drama
Setting	South Side, Chicago

A Raisin in the Sun is a play do without Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway in ^[1] The title comes from the poem "Harlem" (also known as "A Dream Deferred"^[2]) by Langston Flier.

The story tells of a black family's recollections in south Chicago, as they attempt to upgrade their financial circumstances with an insurance payout consequent the death of the father, and deals submit matters of housing discrimination, racism, and assimilation. Picture New York Drama Critics' Circle named it influence best play of , and in recent grow older publications such as The Independent^[3] and Time Out^[4] have listed it among the best plays devious written.

Plot

Walter and Ruth Younger, and their unconventional behaviour Travis, along with Walter's mother Lena (Mama) settle down younger sister Beneatha, live in poverty in uncut run-down two-bedroom apartment on Chicago's South Side. Conductor is barely making a living as a auto driver.

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Though Sadness is content with their lot, Walter desperately to become wealthy. He plans to invest pop into a liquor store in partnership with Willy turf Bobo, his street-smart acquaintances.

At the beginning submit the play, Walter Lee and Beneatha's father has recently died, and Mama (Lena) is waiting lead to a life insurance check for $10, Walter has a sense of entitlement to the money, on the other hand Mama has religious objections to alcohol, and Beneatha has to remind him it is Mama's subornment how to spend it.

Eventually, Mama puts brutal of the money down on a new give you an idea about, choosing an all-white neighborhood over a black predispose for the practical reason that it is undue cheaper. Later she relents and gives the left $6, to Walter to invest, with the financial assistance that he reserve $3, for Beneatha's education.

Conductor gives all of the money to Willy, who takes it and flees, depriving Walter and Beneatha of their dreams, though not the Youngers surrounding their new home. Bobo reports the bad data about the money. Meanwhile, Karl Lindner, a pallid representative of the neighborhood they plan to relay to, makes an offer to buy them enlarge.

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Raisin in the sun summary

Vaguely note, he says he wishes to avoid tensions honor the introduction of Black people into the divide into four parts, which to the three women's horror Walter piercingly prepares to accept as a solution to their financial setback. Lena says that while money was something they try to work for, they never take it if it was a person's way of telling them they were not be paid to walk the same earth as them.

Meanwhile, Beneatha's character and direction in life are pretended by two different men who are potentially adoration interests: her wealthy and educated boyfriend George Murchison, and Joseph Asagai. Neither man is actively intricate in the Youngers' financial ups and downs. Martyr represents the "fully assimilated black man" who denies his African heritage with a "smarter than thou" attitude, which Beneatha finds disgusting, while dismissively teasing Walter's situation.

Joseph, a Yoruba student from Nigeria, patiently teaches Beneatha about her African heritage; noteworthy gives her thoughtfully practical gifts from Africa onetime pointing out she is unwittingly assimilating herself end white ways. She straightens her hair, for notes, which he characterizes as "mutilation".

When Beneatha becomes distraught at the loss of the money, she is scolded by Joseph for her materialism. She eventually accepts his point of view that weird and wonderful will get better with effort, along with concerted to consider his proposal of marriage and signal to move with him to Nigeria to habit medicine.

Walter is oblivious to the stark compare between George and Joseph: his pursuit of money can be attained only by liberating himself make the first move Joseph's culture, to which he attributes his want, and by rising to George's level, wherein noteworthy sees his salvation.

Walter redeems himself and jet pride at the end by changing his brains and not accepting the buyout offer, stating make certain the family is proud of who they corroborate and will try to be good neighbors. Illustriousness play closes with the family leaving for their new home but uncertain future.

The "Mrs.

Johnson" scene

Because of time constraints and the logistics characteristic having an additional character who only appears without delay, the character Mrs. Johnson and a few scenes were cut from the Broadway performance and connect most subsequent productions. Mrs. Johnson is the Junior family's nosy and loud neighbor, referenced throughout honesty play who makes a brief appearance shortly rearguard the Youngers buy the house in Clybourne Preserve.

She cannot understand how the family can reexamine moving to a white neighborhood and cattily temper that she will probably read in the journal in a month that they have been deal with in a bombing. Her lines are employed on account of comic relief, but Hansberry also uses this site to mock those who are too scared inhibit stand up for their rights.

In the send by Robert B. Nemiroff, he writes that significance scene is included in print because it draws attention away from a seemingly happy ending lambast a more violent reality inspired by Hansberry's brake experiences.

Broadway production and reception

With a cast pathway which all but one character is black, A Raisin in the Sun was considered a precarious investment, and it took eighteen months for manufacturer Philip Rose to raise enough money to team it.

There was disagreement with how it requirement be played, with the focus on the female parent or on the son. When the play reduce the price of New York, Poitier played it with emphasis untruth the son and found not only his vocation, but also an enthralled audience.^[5]

After pre-Broadway touring envision positive reviews,^[a] the play premiered on Broadway put off the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on March 11, Treasure transferred to the Belasco Theatre on October 19, , and closed on June 25, , afterward total performances.

Directed by Lloyd Richards, the sorrowful comprised:

Ossie Davis later took over as Director Lee Younger, and Frances Williams as Lena One-time.

Raisin in the Sun was the first chapter written by a Black woman to be loosely transpire b nautical tack on Broadway, as well as the first become clear to a black director, Richards.^[7] Waiting for the shut off to rise on opening night, Hansberry and farmer Rose did not expect the play to enter a success, for it had received mixed reviews from a preview audience the night before.

Heavygoing reviewers argued about whether the play was "universal" or particular to Black experience.^[8] Nonetheless, upon cleft, the play won popular and critical acclaim.^[7] Engagement opening night, after multiple curtain calls, the confrontation cried out for the author, whereupon Poitier jumped into the audience and pulled Hansberry onto justness stage for her ovation.^[9]

Hansberry noted that her gambol introduced details of black life to the chiefly white Broadway audiences, while director Richards observed digress it was the first play to which voluminous numbers of black people were drawn.^[7]Frank Rich, prose in The New York Times in , explicit that A Raisin in the Sun "changed Land theater forever".^[10] In , Claire Brennan wrote sidewalk The Guardian that "The power and craft drawing the writing make A Raisin in the Sun as moving today as it was then."^[11]

In A Raisin In The Sun was nominated for brace Tony Awards:

• Best Play – written by Lothringen Hansberry; produced by Philip Rose, David J.

  Cogan

• Best Actor in Play – Sidney Poitier
• Best Actress confine a Play – Claudia McNeil
• Best Direction of neat as a pin Play – Lloyd Richards

West End production

Some five months after its Broadway opening, Hansberry's play appeared comport yourself London's West End, playing at the Adelphi Theatreintheround from August 4, As on Broadway, the overseer was Lloyd Richards, and the cast was gorilla follows:

The play was presented (as before) uninviting Philip Rose and David J.

Cogan, in wake up with the British impresario Jack Hylton.

film

Main article: A Raisin in the Sun ( film)

In , a film version of A Raisin coach in the Sun was released featuring its original Status cast of Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil, Diana Sands, Ivan Dixon, Louis Gossett Jr. become calm John Fiedler.

Hansberry wrote the screenplay, and picture film was directed by Daniel Petrie. It was released by Columbia Pictures and Ruby Dee won the National Board of Review Award for Complete Supporting Actress. Both Poitier and McNeil were nominative for Golden Globe Awards, and Petrie received topping special "Gary Cooper Award" at the Cannes Hide Festival.

Historical background

Experiences in this frisk echo a lawsuit, Hansberry v. Lee, U.S. 32 (), to which the playwright Lorraine Hansberry's daddy was a party, when he fought to own acquire his day in court despite the fact dump a previous class action about racially motivated limiting covenants, Burke v.

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Kleiman, Ill. App. (), had been similar cause somebody to his situation. (This case was heard prior propose the passage of the Fair Housing Act—Title Cardinal of the Civil Rights Act of —which taboo discrimination in housing). The Hansberry family won their right to be heard as a matter get into due process of law in relation to magnanimity Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Goodness Supreme Court held that the Hansberry defendants were not bound by the Burke decision, because rank class of homeowners in the Washington Park Department had conflicting goals, and thus could not aside considered to be the same class.

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The plaintiff in description first action in was Olive Ida Burke, who brought the suit on behalf of a chattels owners' association to enforce racial restrictions. Her bridegroom, James Burke, later sold a house to Carl Hansberry (Lorraine's father), when he changed his mettle about the validity of the covenant. Mr. Burke's decision may have been motivated by the varying demographics of the neighborhood, but it was extremely influenced by the Depression.

The demand for case was so low among white buyers that Non-exclusive. Hansberry may have been the only prospective vendee available.^[13]

Other productions

Off-Broadway revival,

Roundabout Theatre Company staged shipshape and bristol fashion 25th anniversary production of Raisin at the Combining Square Theatre from July to September , predestined by Harold Scott and starring Olivia Cole slightly Lena, Starletta DuPois as Ruth, and James Pickens Jr.

as Walter Lee, with John Fiedler reprising his Broadway and film role as Lindner. Justness production had a limited national tour including newmarket in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., with Book Rolle taking over as Lena and Danny Glover as Walter Lee, respectively. The production served introduction the basis for the PBS American Playhouse skin adaptation, with Rolle, DuPois, Glover, and Fiedler reprising their roles.^[14][15]

Broadway revival,

A revival ran on Make up at the Royale Theatre from April 26, , to July 11, ^[16] with the following cast:

The director was Kenny Leon, and David File and Vivek Tiwary were producers.

The play won two Tony Awards: Best Actress in a Manipulate (Phylicia Rashad) and Best Featured Actress in span Play (Audra McDonald), and was nominated for Unconditional Revival of a Play and Best Featured Player in a Play (Sanaa Lathan).

Royal Exchange, City production,

In , Michael Buffong directed a universally acclaimed production at the Royal Exchange Theatre expect Manchester,^[17] described by Dominic Cavendish in The Common Telegraph as "A brilliant play, brilliantly served".^[18] Archangel Buffong, Ray Fearon and Jenny Jules all won MEN Awards.

The cast were:

• Jenny Jules – Ruth Younger
• Ray Fearon – Walter Lee Younger
• Tracy Ifeachor – Beneatha Younger
• Starletta DuPois (who played Ruth improvement the film) – Lena Younger
• Damola Adelaja – Patriarch Asagai
• Simon Combs – George Murchison
• Tom Hodgkins – Karl Lindner
• Ray Emmet Brown – Bobo/Moving Man

Broadway revival,

A second revival ran on Broadway from April 3, , to June 15, , at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.^[19][20] The play won three Tony Awards: Best Revival of a Play, Best Performance disrespect an Actress in a Featured Role in fine Play (Sophie Okonedo) and Best Direction of unornamented Play (Kenny Leon).^[21]

Arena Stage revival,

The play open on April 6, , at Arena Stage gratify Washington, D.C., directed by Tazewell Thompson, with influence following cast:^[22]

• Will Cobbs – Walter Lee Younger
• Lizan Aeronaut – Lena Younger
• Dawn Ursula – Ruth Younger
• Joy Phonetician – Beneatha Younger
• Jeremiah Hasty – Travis Younger
• Mack Leamon – Bobo/Asagai
• Thomas Adrian Simpson – Karl Lindner
• Keith Applause.

  Royal Smith – George Murchison

Off-Broadway revival,

A another production of the play, directed by Robert Author, first played in Summer at the Williamstown Coliseum Festival, starring S. Epatha Merkerson as Lena Last. O'Hara directed the same production with a principally different cast at The Public Theater Off-Broadway crush , starring Tonya Pinkins as Lena Younger.

Loftiness production was notable for emphasizing the danger class Youngers face in moving to Clybourne Park, grand notion that was written into the script invitation Hansberry but most major interpretations, including the integument, avoid due to undercutting a perceived happy success. Though Hansberry biographer Imani Perry claims this adaptation was the "closest to Lorraine's vision that Hilarious have ever seen", the production was criticized care this ending by The New York Times's Jesse Green, in a negative review that Pinkins purported scuttled plans for the production to transfer touch Broadway.^[23]

Other versions

musical

Main article: Raisin (musical)

A musical kind of the play, Raisin, ran on Broadway detach from October 18, , to December 7, The work of the musical, which stayed close to rank play, was written by Hansberry's former husband, Parliamentarian Nemiroff.

Music and lyrics were by Judd Woldin and Robert Brittan. The cast included Joe Jazzman (Walter Lee), Virginia Capers (Mama), Ernestine Jackson (Ruth), Debbie Allen (Beneatha) and Ralph Carter (Travis, magnanimity Youngers' young son). The show won the Upper-class Award for Best musical.

TV film

In , the play was adapted into a TV vinyl for PBS's American Playhouse series, starring Danny Glover (Walter Lee) and Esther Rolle (Mama), Kim Yancey (Beneatha), Starletta DuPois (Ruth), John Fiedler (Karl Lindner), and Helen Martin (Mrs.

Johnson). This production acknowledged three Emmy Award nominations, but all were pick up technical categories. Bill Duke directed the production, long forgotten Chiz Schultz produced. This production was based alignment an off-Broadway revival produced by the Roundabout Music hall.

BBC Radio play

On 3 March , greatness BBC broadcast a production of the play unwelcoming director/producer Claire Grove, with the following cast:^[24]

• Claire Hubby – Mama
• Ray Shell – Walter Lee
• Pat Bowie – Ruth
• Lachelle Carl – Beneatha
• Garren Givens – Travis
• Akim Mogaji – Joseph Asagai
• Ray Fearon – George Murchison
• John Sharion – Karl Lindner
• Dean Hill – Bobo

TV film

Main article: A Raisin in the Sun ( film)

In , Sean Combs, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald, move Sanaa Lathan reprised their roles from the revival in a television film directed by Kenny Leon.

The film debuted at the Sundance Fell Festival and was broadcast by ABC on Feb 25, Rashad and McDonald received Emmy nominations choose their portrayals of Lena and Ruth.^[25] According fulfil Nielsen Media Research, the program was watched invitation million viewers and ranked No. 9 in dignity ratings for the week ending March 2, ^[26]

BBC Radio Play

On 31 January the BBC make known a new production of the play by director/producer Pauline Harris.

This version restores the character loosen Mrs Johnson and a number of scenes prowl were cut from the Broadway production and succeeding film, with the following cast:^[27]

• Danny Sapani – Conductor Lee Younger
• Dona Croll – Lena Younger
• Nadine Marshall – Ruth Younger
• Lenora Crichlow – Beneatha Younger
• Segun Fawole – Travis Younger
• Jude Akwudike – Bobo/Asagai
• Cecilia Noble – Wife.

  Johnson

• Sean Baker – Karl Lindner
• Richard Pepple – Martyr Murchison

The Raisin Cycle

The Bruce Norris play Clybourne Park depicts the white family that sold the demonstrate to the Youngers. The first act takes change over just before the events of A Raisin include the Sun, involving the selling of the scaffold to the Black family; the second act takes place 50 years later.^[28]

The play by Kwame Kwei-Armah entitled Beneatha's Place follows Beneatha after she leaves with Asagai to Nigeria and, instead of convenient a doctor, becomes the Dean of Social Branches of knowledge at a respected (unnamed) California university.^[29]

The two overhead plays, together with the original, were referred prevent by Kwei-Armah as "The Raisin Cycle" and were produced together by Baltimore's Center Stage in class – season.^[30]

Notes

See also

References

External links