Review - Raisin in the SunTriangle Theatre Review: A Weekly Theatrical Newsletter Set in the dilapidated "projects" of Southside of Chicago, in the Not So Good Old Days, when de facto segregation barred black families from white suburbs, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a searing portrait of the deleterious effect that thwarted dreams and frustrated ambitions have on an African-American inner-city family, circa 1959, who hope to parlay the $10,000 proceeds of their recently deceased patriarch's life-insurance policy into a better life for his widow, two children, daughter-in-law, and grandchild. The current Raleigh Little Theatre production, provocatively staged by RLT youth theater and education director Linda O'Day Young, unfolds on a wonderfully detailed recreation of a cold-water flat designed by Rick Young, in eye-catching Fifties costumes by Vicki Olson, under moody lighting by Roger Bridges. In addition to its savvy staging and striking design elements, RLT's rendition of A Raisin in the Sun greatly benefits from crisp characterizations by an all-star cast headed by Joan J. as indomitable matriarch Lena Younger and Joseph Callender as her resentful son Walter Lee Younger, a big-talking dreamer who pressures his mama to give him the lion's share of the money for his latest get-rich-quick scheme. Joan J.'s Lena and Joseph Callender's Walter Lee have nice chemistry. They are formidable adversaries as they bicker over the family's future. Jackie Marriott is also excellent as Walter Lee's hard-working and long-suffering wife Ruth, and Juston Alford is good as their son -- and hope for a brighter future -- Travis. Lakeisha Coffey is effective as Walter Lee's studious sister Beneatha, who wants to parlay her brains and determination to rise above her surroundings into a medical degree; and Preston Campbell and especially Rob Bryant provide a nice contrast as Beneatha's two very different suitors: the well-heeled but dull businessman's son George Murchison and the more exciting Nigerian college friend Joseph Asagai, respectively. Corey Banks is good as Walter Lee's hapless business associate Bobo, and Shawn Smith is thoroughly hissable as the play's villain, white Clybourne Park Improvement Association chairman Karl Lindner, who wants to keep the Youngers from moving on up to his racially exclusive neighborhood. Although some of these performances have rough spots, taken together the RLT cast does a good job of breathing life into these colorful characters whose frustrated ambitions drive Lorraine Hansberry's masterpiece of African-American theater. Last Saturday night's performance of A Raisin in the Sun received a rare (for RLT) standing ovation, and should only get stronger and more polished as its run progresses. Raleigh Little Theatre presents A Raisin in the Sun Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 15-17 and 22-24; and Sunday, Feb. 18 and 25, at 3 p.m. at 301 Pogue St., Raleigh, North Carolina. $17 ($13 students and seniors 62+). 919/821-3111 or http://www.etix.com/ticket/servlet/onlineSearch?action=previousCalendar&venue_id=2 79&display_month=2&display_year=2007&cobrand=RLT. NOTE: All shows are wheelchair accessible, and assistive listening devices are available for all shows. RALEIGH LITTLE THEATRE: http://raleighlittletheatre.org/performances/raisin.html. INTERNET BROADWAY DATABASE: http://www.ibdb.com/show.asp?ID=1252. 2004 BROADWAY REVIVAL: http://www.raisinonbroadway.com/. INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055353/. WHAT: The TRIANGLE THEATER REVIEW is a FREE weekly e-mail theatrical newsletter, featuring previews and reviews by Robert W. McDowell and reviews by Alan R. Hall and others. (For brief bios of our critics, see the CVNC biographies page.) Classical Voice of North Carolina, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and this state's leading performing-arts platform, not only pays our reviewers but also makes continued publication of TTR possible. The online versions of our critics' theater reviews are now listed on the CVNC Reviews page. CVNC also publishes a comprehensive list of Triangle Theatre Openings and an extensive list of Theater and Film Links. DONATIONS: If you value the comprehensive, in-depth local theater coverage that TTR and CVNC provide, please mail a check today to Classical Voice of North Carolina, 3305 Ruffin Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-4025; or use your credit card to donate online via PayPal. Because CVNC is a 501(c)(3) organization, all financial contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Be sure to indicate that you want to support continued online publication of the TRIANGLE THEATER REVIEW. You may also donate to CVNC through the Triangle Community Foundation, based in Research Triangle Park. You can find current information about CVNC at Philanthropy Central, an online service operated by the Triangle Community Foundation. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE: E-mail RobertM748@aol.com and type SUBSCRIBE TTR in the Subject: line. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: E-mail RobertM748@aol.com and type UNSUBSCRIBE TTR in the Subject: line. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? E-mail RobertM748@aol.com. COPYRIGHT: Editorial content and all formats © 2012 CVNC and the respective authors. Reproduction in any form without authorization of Classical Voice of North Carolina and the respective authors is prohibited. CVNC will maintain an archive of standard previews and reviews from past issues for at least a year. To request copies of web articles from 2005 and earlier, e-mail cvnc1@earthlink.net. You are here: Home > Reviews and articles about the theatre's productions > Review - Raisin in the Sun |