A Raisin in the Sun
Drama - Original
Ethel Barrymore Theatre (March 11, 1959 - October 17, 1959)
Belasco Theatre (October 19, 1959 - June 25, 1960)
Data not verified
- First Preview: March 10, 1959
- Opening Date: March 11, 1959
- Closing Date: June 25, 1960
- Previews: 1
- Performances: 530
Playwright: Lorraine Hansberry
Synopsis
Lorraine Hansberry's landmark drama was one of the first on Broadway to examine African-American life on the cusp of the civil rights era. Walter Younger and his mother, Lena, both yearn to move their family out of Chicago's Southside ghetto. When Lena's late husband's insurance check arrives, Lena hopes to use it to buy a house in a white neighborhood — while Walter hopes to invest it in a liquor business.
Opening Night Cast
 |
Sidney Poitier | Walter Lee Younger |
| Ruby Dee | Ruth Younger | |
| Ivan Dixon | Joseph Asagai | |
| Lonne Elder III | Bobo | |
| John Fiedler | Karl Lindner | |
| Ed Hall | Moving Man | |
| Claudia McNeil | Lena Younger | |
| Diana Sands | Beneatha Younger |
Opening Night Production Credits
 |
Lorraine Hansberry | Writer |
| Lloyd Richards | Director | |
| Ralph Alswang | Designed | |
| Virginia Volland | Costumes | |
| Ralph Alswang | Lighted | |
| Masque Sound Engineering Company | Sound Design |
Awards
New York Drama Critics' Circle
| Year | Category | Name | Winner/Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Best American Play | Lorraine Hansberry | Winner |
Outer Critics Circle
| Year | Category | Name | Winner/Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Outstanding Actress in a Play | Diana Sands | Winner |
Tony Award
| Year | Category | Name | Winner/Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Actor in a Play | Sidney Poitier | Nominee |
| 1960 | Actress in a Play | Claudia McNeil | Nominee |
| 1960 | Direction of a Play | Lloyd Richards | Nominee |
| 1960 | Play | Nominee |
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