A Raisin In The Sun at Arena Stage

A Raisin In The Sun

Arena Stage
1101 Sixth Street, SW Washington

Lorraine Hansberry's groundbreaking masterpiece follows the Younger family yearning for a better life far from the cramped confines of their Chicago tenement. Hope arrives in the form of an unexpected financial windfall, but when they realize they have differing definitions of the American dream, which dreams get realized and which deferred? A Raisin in the Sun paints the African-American experience in brilliant and powerful strokes, as vibrant and vital today as they were in 1959.

Thru - May 7, 2017

Show Type: Drama

Box Office: 202-488-3300

www.arenastage.com

Find Discounted Parking near Arena Stage for A Raisin In The Sun

A Raisin In The Sun Reviews

Average Rating based on 5 reviews

Highly Recommended
Recommended
Somewhat Recommended
Not Recommended

MetroWeekly - Highly Recommended

"...Against this backdrop, Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun is a profound re-calibration. Written mid-century, long before the onslaught of screens and soundbites, it - quite simply - has nothing to prove to a 21st century audience. Just take its premise: a poor, hardworking African-American family comes into some money and struggles with the chance to break free from the demoralizing grind of their urban existence. That's it. Yes, it is about the legacy of slavery, still fresh in the minds, hearts and economics of 1950s blacks. And yes, it touches mightily on the roles of women and men - be they on the cusp of liberation or trapped by all manner of necessity. But their story is told without gimmick or fanfare"

Read Full Review

- Kate Wingfield

Talkin Broadway - Recommended

"...Part of Hansberry's genius is how she integrates larger social issues into the family's interactions without coming across as preachy. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, and Ruth, a domestic worker, are barely scraping by; Walter Lee wants to use the insurance money to become part owner of a liquor store, but Lena wants to make a new start away from the decrepit apartment (well depicted in Donald Eastman's set, visible from all sides in the Fichandler Stage) and into their own house."

Read Full Review

- Susan Berlin

MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended

"...The entire cast delivers some of the greatest acting I have witnessed in the DC Metro area, and this is where "A Raisin in the Sun" truly shines. Cobbs shows Walter's manic side effectively, without veering too far in that direction. Jones makes Benethea's arrogance and know-it-all quality clear but still makes her likable."

Read Full Review

- Maria Materise

DCTheatreScene - Somewhat Recommended

"...Regrettably, with the exception of Mitchell's commanding presence, the performances don't rise to the power of the material. Cobbs is acceptable in the key role of Walter Lee, but is missing that last 10-20 percent of muscle that enlivens the role with passionate awe. It's a volcano of a role, one of the truly memorable parts in modern theater, in which the audience should feel every fuming silence as combustible, every sob as soul-wracking and every eruption as frightening. These turns were all present in Cobbs' measured portrayal, but in sorely lacking quantity. Put another way, you can see the performer acting. He's better in lighter areas, when Walter Lee drunkenly dances to Beneatha's African records or when he cheekily sidles up to his wife in a moment of ardor."

Read Full Review

- Roy Maurer

BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended

"...Lorraine Hansberry's groundbreaking play A Raisin in the Sun is making Arena Stage its home for the next five weeks and it should not be missed. This American masterpiece returns to Washington in a production that is exquisitely acted and extremely relevant to today's society."

Read Full Review

- Benjamin Tomchik

A Raisin In The Sun Photo Gallery

A Raisin In The Sun at Arena Stage