This story was originally published by ArtsATL.
“A Raisin in the Sun” is one of the great classics in American theater, produced year-round across the nation. The strength of the story means it’s difficult to do a poor job with Lorraine Hansberry’s seminal work, but, due to its ubiquity, individual productions have to work harder to differentiate themselves. Running through Oct. 6, the coproduction of “A Raisin in the Sun” between Theatrical Outfit and Dominion Entertainment is competent in its direction and performances, and manages to distinguish itself through its careful pacing and attention to detail.
The play opens sleepily, almost sluggishly, with a tired Ruth dragging her family members out of bed. Typically, this opening would be fraught with unspoken anxiety as the Youngers await the arrival of the late Big Walter’s life insurance check. That impatience is missing here, leaving a sense of ennui that initially feels slightly out of place. The actors seem almost as if they are sleepwalking, not quite settled into their characters.
Credit: Photo by Casey Gardner Ford
Credit: Photo by Casey Gardner Ford
However, this slower opening has its benefits — it keeps the play moving at a more measured pace. The tension builds more incrementally, methodically stacking one dramatic beat on top of the last without ever feeling like it’s racing toward a conclusion. Rather than feeling like we already know these characters, we get to know them as the play unfolds, with the actors coming into their performances as they go.
It is an approach that rewards the audience’s patience while leaning into the sense of dissatisfaction each member of the Younger family feels. There are some moments toward the end where one wishes the pacing would pick up a bit, but the climax is worth the wait.
Amari Cheatom is an animated Walter Lee, bringing a grandiosity to the role that is enjoyable, though it occasionally clashes with the other performances. It may be difficult to sense his connection with other characters, including Ruth and Lena, but that may be the point, given how much of Walter’s conflict derives from his self-centeredness. Cheatom’s Walter is indignant one moment and lively the next, alight with an almost manic energy. He is stranded on an island of his own ambition, unreachable by the more grounded and practical voices around him.
Cynthia D. Barker is remarkable as Ruth, exuding an understated strength mingled with bone-deep exhaustion. She carefully builds investment in her character, such that we are indignant on her behalf when she is hurt by Walter’s selfishness. And Jen Harper is a powerhouse as Lena, the matriarch of the Younger family. Her quiet strength anchors the production and drives some of its most affecting moments.
Credit: Photo by Casey Gardner Ford
Credit: Photo by Casey Gardner Ford
Director Robert John Connor has some fun with Aleigha Burt’s Beneatha, cashing in on Burt’s comedic chops and Beneatha’s fiery nature. She is naturally one of the funniest characters onstage, bringing a much needed levity, but Burt does well making her empathetic and charismatic. The actor plays well off Cheatom’s Walter and has sparkling chemistry with Marlon Andrew Burnley’s Joseph Asagai. There’s also a modernity to the way Burt’s Beneatha carries herself — a cadence and speech that contrasts strongly against her castmates.
Design-wise, this is not a flashy production, but there is a subtlety to its visual storytelling. Mike Wood’s lighting design casts a mood without feeling overbearing. Costume designer Deondré Cumberbatch cleverly matches the characters’ clothing to Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay’s detailed set, which clues the audience into each character’s relationship to the home.
Jeremiah Davison’s sound design is effective in creating a sense of ambience, utilizing melancholy transition music and lively African beats to pull the audience in and maintain the show’s momentum.
Connor brings the Younger home to life in a way that feels immersive, with subtle direction inviting the audience to lean in. It is a patient approach to Hansberry’s work that risks feeling lethargic but is bolstered by strong performances and the innate strength of the script.
THEATER REVIEW
“A Raisin in the Sun”
A Theatrical Outfit-Dominion Entertainment coproduction through Oct. 6 at Theatrical Outfit. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays. $45-$59. 84 Luckie St. NW, Atlanta. 678-528-1500, theatricaloutfit.org.
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Luke Evans is an Atlanta-based writer, critic and dramaturge. He covers theater for ArtsATL and Broadway World Atlanta and has worked with theaters such as the Alliance, Actor’s Express, Out Front Theatre and Woodstock Arts. He’s a graduate of Oglethorpe University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, and the University of Houston, where he earned his master’s.
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
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