A Raisin in the Sun is the groundbreaking play which starred Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeill, Ruby Dee and Diana Sands in the Broadway production which opened in 1959. Set on Chicago’s South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and family matriarch Lena, called Mama. When her deceased husband’s insurance money comes through, Mama dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. However, her son Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man while Beneatha dreams of attending medical school.
The tensions and prejudice they face form this seminal American drama, centering on sacrifice, trust and love among the Younger family and their heroic struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world. The play is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.