On Friday, October 25th at 9:00pm, producers James Arntz and John Paulson, in collaboration with Maryland Public Television, present A Raisin in the Sun Revisited: The Raisin Cycle. Filmed at Baltimore's Center Stage, the one hour documentary explores the history and legacy of Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking 1959 drama through the staging of two contemporary plays it inspired: Bruce Norris’ Clybourne Park and Beneatha’s Place by Kwame Kwei-Armah, Center Stage Artistic Director.

This past spring, Center Stage mounted both plays in repertory as The Raisin Cycle. Filmmakers captured the drama and cultural significance of simultaneously running these two issue-driven plays. With two opening nights looming, rehearsals, meetings, and costume fittings are paired with footage of Center Stage’s performances, the 1961 film, and insights from theater historians.

Lorraine Hansberry's groundbreaking 1959 drama, A Raisin in the Sun, was the first Broadway play to depict the strength and humanity of an African-American family as it strives for a piece of the American dream by buying a house in a white working-class neighborhood in Chicago. More than 50 years later, playwright Bruce Norris created Clybourne Park, a sardonic Pulitzer Prize-winning prequel and sequel that takes place in the same Chicago house and revisits the questions of race, real estate and gentrification in America. 

Inspired by Hansberry's original and Norris' follow-up, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Artistic Director of Baltimore's Center Stage, penned a third play, Beneatha's Place, which follows two of the Raisin characters to Nigeria and its post-colonial struggles. Center Stage mounted Clybourne Park and Beneatha's Place as "The Raisin Cycle" and as part of its 50th anniversary season. 

Please enjoy these wonderful production photos by Richard Anderson. Click here for more information about both productions, including photo credits.

"How thrilling it is to partner with PBS on this project," said Kwame Kwei-Armah. "When I first came to Centerstage, one of my goals was to expand the role of this theatre in civic discussions, not just locally but nationally. 'A Raisin in the Sun Revisited' is the perfect opportunity to both explore the social impact of great art and to contribute to the ongoing dialogue around race and class in our nation."

“A Raisin in the Sun is a powerful story of perseverance that arts followers have come to know and love, and we think our viewers will be just as interested in learning more about the Clybourne Park and Beneatha’s Place storylines,” said PBS Vice President of Programming Donald Thoms. “PBS is committed to giving millions of viewers a front-row seat and a backstage pass to the best music, theater, dance, art, and cultural history programs on-air and online, and we’re excited that CENTERSTAGE will provide us with great content to feature this fall.”

A Raisin in the Sun Revisited: The Raisin Cycle was filmed as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival, a "multi-platform event anchored by seven films that highlight artists and performances from around the country, and related online content that together invite every American into the worlds of music, theatre, opera and cultural history." 

If you're in the area, Center Stage will be hosting a viewing party in honor of the PBS premiere. Starting at 8:00pm, enjoy complimentary drinks and snacks in the lobby. Then, at 9 pm watch A Raisin in the Sun Revisited—along with thousands of viewers nationwide. Click here to learn more.

Tomorrow, October 12th at 3:00pm, Hampton University Museum will present a student reading of my play, THE HAMPTON YEARS, as part of their Homecoming Festivities and in conjunction with the opening of The Diane Whitfield-Locke & Carnell Locke Collection: Building on Tradition. RSVP for both today by calling 757.727.5308. 

This will be my first time at Hampton University and I can hardly wait. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and share them here..

Hampton University Museum events for Saturday, October 12, 2013
3:00pm -THE HAMPTON YEARS: A READING written by Jacqueline E. Lawton, directed by Artisia Green at Little Theater, Armstrong Hall). Come hear the reading by HU students and meet the playwright!

About the Play
The Hampton Years explores the relationship between art professor Viktor Lowenfeld and his students, John Biggers and Samella Lewis. Lowenfeld joined the Hampton Institute in Virginia in 1939 as assistant professor of Industrial Arts and studio art teacher. He was later appointed as Chairman of the Art Department and in 1945, he was named curator of the distinguished collection of Black African Art at the Hampton Institute. Burgeoning artist John Biggers, who went on to become an internationally acclaimed painter, sculptor, teacher and philosopher, was his student. As was Samella Lewis, artist, printmaker and educator, with whom Lowenfeld had a contentious, but respectful relationship. The Hampton Years examines the impact of World War II on Jewish refugees living in the United States and their role in shaping the lives and careers of African American students in the segregated south.

Then, be sure to stop by the Hampton University Museum for the opening reception of the exhibit. More details below:

6:30pm - Opening Reception and Music by the Jason Jenkins Trio
7:30pm - Comments & Special Presentations
8:30pm - Opening Receptions Ends

The Diane Whitfield-Locke & Carnell Locke Collection: Building on Tradition

The exhibition will include master artists from both the 19th Century including Henry O. Tanner, Robert Duncanson, and Grafton Tyler Brown; from the Harlem Renaissance period with pieces from Aaron Douglass, a rare work by William H. Johnson, as well as works by Palmer Hayden, Jacob Lawrence; and from the modern tradition like Benny Andrews, Gwen Knight and Faith Ringgold. Additionally, the exhibition will also reflect the Locke's move towards collecting contemporary artists such as Clarissa Sligh, Betye Saar and James Phillips and feature twenty sculptures including works by Richard Hunt, Augusta Savage, Beulah Woodward, Richmond Barthe, and art historian and artist, Dr. David Driskell have been selected.

Co-curator, Woodson Reid states, "The Dianne Whitfield-Locke and Carnell Locke collection of African American art can be seen as a product of these groundbreaking years of research and inventiveness," begun by the many art historians and institutions that have focused on collecting African American art.

Vanessa Thaxton-Ward is the curator of collections at the Hampton University Museum and Shirley Woodson- Reid is a noted artist, educator and curator. Woodson-Reid resides in Michigan.

Click here to learn more.