Weathervane Playhouse
"A Raisin in the Sun" at Weathervane Playhouse
Weathervane Playhouse in Akron, Ohio, presents Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" -- live on stage from Jan. 29 to Feb. 15.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Set during the early 1950s, "A Raisin in the Sun" tells the timeless story of one family’s grasp for a piece of the American Dream — and the explosive backlash that erupts when they seek to become the first black family to move into an all-white neighborhood.
The play revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Youngers, a black family living in a cramped apartment in Chicago’s racially segregated Southside neighborhood. The family’s struggle for dignity and their quest for a better life shape the powerful drama in this ground-breaking masterpiece of the American theater
Younger family matriarch Lena (whom everyone calls “Mama”) is the strong, moral heart of her clan, but she clashes frequently with her extended family. The family’s “man of the house” is her son Walter Lee, who works as a chauffeur but remains frustrated by his dead-end position in both life and the workplace. Walter’s wife is Ruth, who masks her discontent by directing all her energies toward her husband and their young son, Travis. Walter’s sister, Beneatha, is a young dreamer who dabbles in various hobbies and activities but embraces a strong desire to become a doctor.
When the insurance money from her deceased husband’s insurance policy comes through, Mama dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood. But Walter Lee, who describes himself as a volcano full of internalized regrets and pipe dreams, has other plans: he wants to buy a liquor store and be “his own man.” Meanwhile, Beneatha wants to spend the money on her medical schooling. The tensions within the family and the blatant prejudice they receive from outside their home combine to shape the rich dramatic texture in this seminal American play.
THE CAST
TAMICKA SCRUGGS
Ruth Younger
BRIAN KENNETH ARMOUR
Walter Lee Younger
JOHNTAE LIPSCOMB
Travis Younger
TAYLOR ADAMS
Beneatha Younger
KEEYA CHAPMAN-LANGFORD
Lena Younger
MICHAEL SWAIN
Joseph Asagai
BRIAN STEELE
George Murchison
CHACE COULTER
Karl Lindner
KYM WILLIAMS
Bobo
THE CREATIVE TEAM
JIMMIE WOODY
Director
TABA ALEEM
Stage Manager
SCOTT CRIM
Lighting Designer
AUDREY FLIEGEL
Sound Designer
JOE HUNTER
Properties Designer
JASEN J. SMITH
Costume Designer
TODD DIERINGER
Scenic Co-Designer
KATHY KOHL
Scenic Co-Designer and Assistant Technical Director
The photos in this Flickr set were shot for Weathervane Playhouse by Scott Diese at the show's final dress rehearsal on Jan. 28, 2015.
"A Raisin in the Sun" at Weathervane Playhouse
Weathervane Playhouse in Akron, Ohio, presents Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" -- live on stage from Jan. 29 to Feb. 15.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Set during the early 1950s, "A Raisin in the Sun" tells the timeless story of one family’s grasp for a piece of the American Dream — and the explosive backlash that erupts when they seek to become the first black family to move into an all-white neighborhood.
The play revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Youngers, a black family living in a cramped apartment in Chicago’s racially segregated Southside neighborhood. The family’s struggle for dignity and their quest for a better life shape the powerful drama in this ground-breaking masterpiece of the American theater
Younger family matriarch Lena (whom everyone calls “Mama”) is the strong, moral heart of her clan, but she clashes frequently with her extended family. The family’s “man of the house” is her son Walter Lee, who works as a chauffeur but remains frustrated by his dead-end position in both life and the workplace. Walter’s wife is Ruth, who masks her discontent by directing all her energies toward her husband and their young son, Travis. Walter’s sister, Beneatha, is a young dreamer who dabbles in various hobbies and activities but embraces a strong desire to become a doctor.
When the insurance money from her deceased husband’s insurance policy comes through, Mama dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood. But Walter Lee, who describes himself as a volcano full of internalized regrets and pipe dreams, has other plans: he wants to buy a liquor store and be “his own man.” Meanwhile, Beneatha wants to spend the money on her medical schooling. The tensions within the family and the blatant prejudice they receive from outside their home combine to shape the rich dramatic texture in this seminal American play.
THE CAST
TAMICKA SCRUGGS
Ruth Younger
BRIAN KENNETH ARMOUR
Walter Lee Younger
JOHNTAE LIPSCOMB
Travis Younger
TAYLOR ADAMS
Beneatha Younger
KEEYA CHAPMAN-LANGFORD
Lena Younger
MICHAEL SWAIN
Joseph Asagai
BRIAN STEELE
George Murchison
CHACE COULTER
Karl Lindner
KYM WILLIAMS
Bobo
THE CREATIVE TEAM
JIMMIE WOODY
Director
TABA ALEEM
Stage Manager
SCOTT CRIM
Lighting Designer
AUDREY FLIEGEL
Sound Designer
JOE HUNTER
Properties Designer
JASEN J. SMITH
Costume Designer
TODD DIERINGER
Scenic Co-Designer
KATHY KOHL
Scenic Co-Designer and Assistant Technical Director
The photos in this Flickr set were shot for Weathervane Playhouse by Scott Diese at the show's final dress rehearsal on Jan. 28, 2015.