NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

4/16/2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES- Lorraine Hansberry's drama about an African-American family seeking the American dream, "A Raisin in the Sun" will be presented by the Northwestern Theatre April 22-25 and 27-29 at 7:30 p.m. in Theatre West. Dr. Vicki Parrish is the director.

The play tells the story of a few weeks in the life of the Youngers, an African-American family living on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s. When the play opens, the Youngers are about to receive an insurance check for $10,000 from the deceased Mr. Younger's life insurance policy.

Each of the adult members of the family has an idea as to what he or she would like to do with this money. The matriarch of the family decides to put a down payment on a house located in an all-white neighborhood. The Youngers eventually move into the home fulfilling the family's long-held dream. Their future seems uncertain and slightly dangerous, but they are optimistic and determined to live a better life.

The play was the first by an African-American woman to be produced on Broadway. "A Raisin in the Sun" was later made into a film starring Sidney Portier. Hansberry died of cancer in 1965 at age 34.

"This is a masterful piece that stands beside the works of Tennessee Williams, Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller as one of the greatest theatrical interpretations of the human condition," said Parrish. "All of us who dream know about the loss of a dream that is unfulfilled."

The cast is Harvard Taylor of Shreveport and Bryan Williams of Baton Rouge as Walter Lee, Ida Henderson of Shreveport and Lawana Felton of New Orleans as Mama, Krystal McBay of Dallas as Beneatha and Lawryn Wallace of Baton Rouge as Ruth. The cast also includes Royal Hampton III of New Orleans as Mr. Asagai, Shawndray King of Baton Rouge as Mrs. Johnson, Shane Stelly of Abbeville as Mr. Linder, Todd Williams of Cecilia as Bo-Bo, Sonny Iyasere of Baton Rouge as Otis and Natchitoches Central High School student Mario Fox as Travis. Jessica Klug of Winter Haven, Fla. is the stage manager and Ashley Syll of Mandeville is assistant stage manager.

For ticket information, call (318) 357-5814.

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