A Raisin in the Sun

A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

A Raisin in the Sun

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

Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Hansberry's groundbreaking drama, a searing and timeless portrait of a family on Chicago's South Side, is an American classic.

Image: 2019 Williamstown Theatre Festival Production (Jeremy Daniel)

A Raisin in the Sun

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3f, 7m, 1boy(s)
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Period
  • Suggested Use
    • Cutting Approved for Competition
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 2023 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Revival
    Winner! Three 2014 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play
    Nominee: Four 2004 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play
    Nominee: Four 1960 Tony Awards, including Best Play
    Winner! 1959 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Best Play of the Year
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Raisin

Details

Summary
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.

History
A Raisin in the Sun premiered on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on March 11, 1959. Directed by Lloyd Richards, the production featured Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee and Claudia McNeil. On April 26, 2004, the play returned to Broadway, directed by Kenny Leon and featuring Sean Combs, Audra McDonald and Phylicia Rashad. A third Broadway production opened on April 3, 2014. Again directed by Leon, this production featured Denzel Washington, Sophie Okonedo and LaTanya Richardson Jackson.
Keywords
Performing Groups
  • Time Period 1950s
  • Setting The Youngers' apartment in the slums of Chicago's Southside, 1950s.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

“A milestone in the American Theatre.” – Ebony
“[A] pivotal play in the history of the American Black theatre.” – Newsweek


Videos

  • Denzel Washington & Co. on "A Raisin in the Sun" - Broadway.com youtube thumbnail

    Denzel Washington & Co. on "A Raisin in the Sun" - Broadway.com

  • A Raisin in the Sun: An Introduction youtube thumbnail

    A Raisin in the Sun: An Introduction

  • A Raisin in the Sun - Timeline Theatre Company youtube thumbnail

    A Raisin in the Sun - Timeline Theatre Company

Photos

  • A Raisin in the Sun

    Image: 2019 Williamstown Theatre Festival Production (Jeremy Daniel)

  • A Raisin in the Sun

    Image: 2019 Williamstown Theatre Festival Production (Jeremy Daniel)

  • A Raisin in the Sun

    Image: 2022 Public Theater Production (Joan Marcus)

  • A Raisin in the Sun

    Image: 2022 Public Theater Production (Joan Marcus)

  • A Raisin in the Sun

    Image: © Justin “Squigs” Robertson

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Music

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

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:
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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 29, 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. ...

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