Just in time for Black History month, the historic "A Raisin in the Sun" premieres Thursday at the Fairchild Theatre. Director Lamont Clegg said the timing is a total coincidence.
"We choose our seasons a year a head of time," he said. "This just happened to fall into place."
The play follows the difficulties of a 1950s black family, the Youngers. The family struggles with how to spend money they receive when a family member dies. Each one has his or her own idea on how it will get them out of dire straits but none seem to want to agree.
Eventually they decide the best way to improve their economic status is by buying a liquor store - a decision which eventually leads the family to move out of the inner city.
The classic play was written by Lorraine Hansberry and later turned into a 1961 movie starring Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil and Louis Gossett Jr.
Clegg said the play's issues of racism and sexism haven't changed since it was written in 1959.
With one day left before showtime, the cast and crew are working hard to prepare for the show. The stage is set up to look like a 1950s apartment, complete with working sink.
"The set represents some of the things I wanted to do," Clegg said about the apartment set-up. "I wanted to show how small it is."
Another addition is the use of jazz and blues music throughout the play. Clegg said he and the sound director discussed getting music which would be contemporary of the times.
"I wanted to bring out the city of Chicago," he said.
So far, Clegg said he is pleased with what the cast and crew has accomplished.
"As a former theater critic I will tell you if it is bad, and this is good," he said.
Cast member Terrence Tatum plays Walter Lee Younger, the play's protagonist. A dreamer, Walter wants to get rich with his friends, and the liquor store investment is his idea.
With a grin on his face and excitement in his voice, Tatum said this is his first chance at a leading role.
Preparing for opening night has been one of the best experiences of his life, the theater senior said.
"I've seen the movie version since I was a kid and I get to play the character who pushed me toward this direction."
Journalism senior Lenox Magee plays Bobo, a simple person brought in as a partner in the liquor store business.
"The cast is amazing," he said. "We have all read or performed the play in school."
Merchandising management senior Danielle Jeter, who said she tried out for the play on a whim, won the part of Mrs. Johnson, the Youngers' neighbor who takes advantage of the family's hospitality and warns them against moving into a predominately white neighborhood.
"We have been practicing for the past two months and its been a lot of hard work but it isn't like an actual job," she said with a smile.
