A dream for the future

A Raisin in the Sun is an iconic work of American theatre, a testament to the power of family and a hymn to the Black experience.

Lorraine Hansberry wrote A Raisin in the Sun when she was just 29 years-old and the play swiftly became a mainstay of the modern theatre canon. When it premiered in 1959, the play was the first by an African American woman to be shown on Broadway and it continues to challenge and move audiences generations later.

Living in Chicago during the 1950s and optimistic about rising above the injustices that have shaped their lives, the five members of the Younger family are all looking for ways to improve their lot: some through activism, some through fortune and some through simple acts of self-determination. The arrival of a change of circumstance – in the form of a life insurance cheque – gives the close-knit family a chance to consider the possibility of a better life. But the distance between dreams and reality proves further than any of them anticipated.

Directed by our new Resident Director Shari Sebbens, this production marks the first time ever that A Raisin in the Sun will be performed on an Australian mainstage. We are thrilled to welcome back Zahra Newman and Bert La Bonté to lead an exceptional cast. Don’t miss this gripping and moving story of one family which, through unparalleled writing, contains all the pathos and resilience of the human spirit.