A Raisin in the Sun

By Lorraine Hansberry

Set on Chicago’s South Side, Lorraine Hansberry's celebrated play concerns the divergent dreams and conflicts in three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena. When her deceased husband’s insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. Hansberry's portrait of one family’s struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.

About Playwright(s)

Country of publication

Cast Information

Cultural background of characters

Total number of characters

Minimum number of actors

Female roles

Male roles

Transgender roles

-

Non-Binary Gender Non-Conforming roles

-

Gender unespecified roles

-

Age of characters

Actor-Friendly Parts

Monologue level

-

Monologue details

-

Scene details

contains scenes

Production and Publication

First produced

1959, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City

Publication year

1988

Published by

Samuel French, Inc.

ISBN

9780573614637

More like this

See All Collection