The Inspiring Classic “A Raisin in the Sun”

Shines on the Clarence Brown Theatre Mainstage

Lonette McKee and Jaymes Jorsling in the Clarence Brown Theatre’s “A Raisin in the Sun”

The Clarence Brown Theatre will bring to life Lorraine Hansberry’s inspiring classic story about a working class African American family struggling to make it in 1950s America February 21 – March 10, 2013 on the main stage. Directed by African American theatre icon, Woodie King, Jr., the production will feature actors Lonette McKee and Jaymes Jorsling in the lead roles.

“A Raisin in the Sun”whose title was inspired by the poem “Montage of a Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes, follows the experiences of the Youngers, a black family seeking self-worth in the fabric of the American Dream in Chicago during the 1950s. The Youngers’ lives are turned upside-down when Mama Younger, fulfilling a lifelong dream of owning a home, buys a house in an all-white neighborhood. A representative from the neighborhood tries to buy the Youngers out to save the community from racial tension.

“A Raisin in the Sun” was nominated for four Tony awards when it opened on Broadway in 1959, and hailed by “The New York Times” as a show that “changed American theater forever.” It was the first time in history that a production had an all-black principal cast, a black director and a black playwright. Its 29-year-old author became the youngest American and the first black playwright to win the New York Drama Critics’ Best play of the Year award.

“A Raisin in the Sun” was created from an incident in Hansberry’s childhood that profoundly affected her family’s life. In defiance of the “restrictive covenants” found in real estate contracts of that era barring African Americans from the most desirable residential neighborhoods, Hansberry’s father moved his family to an all-white area. Mobs gathered outside the Hansberry’s new home, and 8-year-old Lorraine was almost struck by a brick hurled through a window. The family was finally evicted by Illinois authorities, but Carl Hansberry and NAACP lawyers fought the state court decision all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, winning a landmark decision prohibiting restrictive racial covenants.

The production is directed by the iconic Woodie King, Jr. Kingfounded the New Federal Theatre (NFT) and National Black Touring Circuit, in 1970. This neighborhood-based professional theatre was originally funded by the Henry Street Settlement along with a small grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. NFT has provided emerging playwrights with the opportunity to have their works produced; it has brought minority actors, directors and designers to national attention and sponsored a variety of ethnic theatre groups and events.

Over 40 years later, it is almost impossible to turn on a television and not see a former student from NFT. Writers first presented at NFT are now part of the literary mainstream of American playwrights including: J.e Franklin, Ron Milner, Ed Bullins, Amiri Baraka, Ntozake Shange, David Henry Hwang, Laurence Holder, and others.

NFT actors on television and motion pictures include: Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad, Dick Anthony Williams, Glynn Turman, Samuel L. Jackson, Laurence Fishburne, Garrett Morris, Robert Downey, Jr., Lynn Whitfield, Ruby Dee, Leslie Uggams, Ella Joyce and more.

King’s work has earned him numerous nominations and awards over the years, including a 1988 NAACP Image Award, and 1993 AUDELCO Awards for Best Director and Best Play. King has received an Obie Award for Sustained Achievement. King has contributed to numerous magazines, such as Black World, Variety and The Tulane Drama Review, and has also written a number of books. He has earned the Paul Robeson Award, the Rosetta LeNoire Award and, in 2011, was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. In 2012, his theater, NFT, earned the prestigious Outstanding Theater of the Year by the National Theater Conference.

Visiting guest artist, Lonette McKee,(Lena Younger) exploded onto the screen in a feature film debut in the now cult-movie, “Sparkle.” Following were starring roles in films “Which Way is Up”, and “Brewster’s Millions”, “The Cotton Club”, and ‘Gardens of Stone” for renowned director, Francis Ford Coppola. Sundance Film Festival winner, “Lift”, earned Lonette a Black Reel Nomination. Other films include: “Cuba”, “Men of Honor”, “Jungle Fever”, “Malcolm X”, “He Got Game” and “She Hate Me.” Recently, she appeared in films, “A Day in Black and White’, “Honey”, and “LUV” to name a few.

Television films include, “Women of Brewster Place”, with Oprah Winfrey, “Having Our Say”, “Queen” and “Dangerous Passions” among others. She also had recurring appearances on “As The World Turns” and has enjoyed a recurring lead role on hit series “Third Watch.”

McKee earned a Tony Nomination for her performance in the Houston Grand Opera’s production of “Showboat”, for which she received the distinction of becoming the first African American actress to play the role in the US. She later reprised the role on Broadway for director Hal Prince. She earned a Drama Desk Nomination for her performance in the drama “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill.” She studied Film Directing at The New School in NYC and apprenticed directing under the tutelage of Spike Lee. Recently, she earned rave reviews in New York for her work Off Broadway in “Sowa’s Red Gravy.”

She continues to write and produce music and screenplays along with television concepts. “Dream Street”, an original screenplay for theatrical release will mark her directorial debut, and was chosen as a finalist in Sundance Film Lab. Currently, she is a Blog Contributor for the Huffington Post and teaches the Actor’s Workshop at The City College of New York Continuing and Professional Studies.

Visiting guest artist, Jaymes Jorsling,(Walter Lee Younger, Jr.) has performed in regional theaters across the country including the Flea Theatre, Ohio Theatre, Classical Theatre of Harlem, the Grove Street Playhouse where he earned an AUDELCO nomination, SoHo Rep, and the Billie Holiday Theatre, to name a few. His TV credits include: “666 Park Avenue”, “The Wire”, “Law & Order”, “Oz”, and “The Chris Rock Show.” His film work includes: “A-Alike”, “Lifted”, “Indelible”, “The Cycle”, and “Corporate Dawgz.” He also has done numerous commercials and voice over work for television. His writing awards and workshops include: Sundance Screenplay Finalist, Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference Fellow, UCross Foundation Fellow, and San Francisco Film Festival Screenplay Winner.

Kahlil Abdullah, (Travis Younger) is a sixth-grader at Bearden Middle School who recently moved from Memphis to Knoxville. He is self-taught in drum playing and loves the arts and music.

Visiting guest artist, Kristen Adele, (Ruth) originally hails from Dallas, Texas. She received her MFA in Acting from Rutgers University. She recently worked at the Ensemble Studio Theatre (NYC) and the New Harlem Arts Theatre (NYC). Television credits include: the HBO miniseries, “America’s Dream”, “Blue Bloods”, and “Orange is the New Black.” She also has appeared in several television commercials.

Sydney Clinkscales (Bobo) is a native of Knoxville. He has performed in 11 local stage plays, two television programs and completed filming on “The Identical” a motion picture schedule for a fall 2013 release.

Breyon L. Ewing (Moving Man) in an undergraduate student at UT working to receive dual bachelor’s degrees in both Vocal performance and Music Theory/Composition. CBT credits include “Sweeney Todd” and “Kiss Me Kate.” He also has performed with the Knoxville Opera and with the University of Tennessee Opera Theater.

Neil Friedman (Karl Lindner) is an Artist-in-Residence at the Clarence Brown Theatre. CBT credits: “Kiss Me Kate”; “Fuddy Meers”; “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play”, “Moonlight and Magnolias”; “The Music Man”, “The Merry Wives of Windsor”, “Man of La Mancha”; “Charley’s Aunt”; “Born Yesterday”; “A Christmas Carol” and “The Triumph of Love.” Chicago area credits include: The Court Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman Theatre, Marriott Lincolnshire, and The Peninsula Players. Regional credits include: Flat Rock Playhouse, NC; Utah Shakespeare Festival; Capitol Repertory, NY; The New Victory Theatre, NY; Coconut Grove Playhouse, FL; Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis; Austria’s Vienna English Theatre. Neil is a recipient of Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Awards.

Visiting guest artist, Margaret Odette, (Beneatha) from Harlem, New York City, is an alumna of Brown University where she was a Weston Acting Award recipient and The Bats resident acting company at The Flea Theater. Off Broadway credits include: “How 2BA New Yorker” (Sofia’s Downstairs), “Figaro” (U/S Pearl Theatre). She also has performed in New York at the Flea, Vampire Cowboys, Riverside Theatre and NY Fringe. Regional credits include Marcus Gardley’s “The House That Will Not Stand” (NY Stage and Film), and “The Bluest Eye” (Providence Black Rep, Motif Award recipient).

Visiting guest artist, Richard Prioleau, (Joseph Asagai) earned his bachelor’s degree at Fordham University at Lincoln Center and his master’s degree from The American Conservatory Theater. Regionally he has performed at the Arkansas Rep, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, The Gallery Players, Ohio Theatre, New York City and has toured nationally with Theatreworks USA. Television and film credits include: “As the World Turns”, “NBC’s 30 Rock” and “Three and a Half Thoughts” (winner of Best Short at the Harlem International Film Festival).

Ricky Sykes (Moving Man) is a senior working on his bachelor’s degree in Theatre at UT. A native of Memphis, he has performed with Strange Fruit On-Stage Productions and with the UT Film Committee. He has been involved with numerous films, commercials, music videos, and TV shows, including “Nashville” and “Sins & Secrets.” He is now filming the independent film “Fat Boys” with MissionWorx Productions.

Tramell Tillman (George Murchison) is a native of Largo, MD currently earning his master’s degree in Acting at UT. CBT credits include: “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”, “Kiss Me, Kate”, “The Little Prince” and “A Christmas Carol.” He has performed regionally in Jackson, MS, Huntsville, AL and New Orleans, LA.

Tyson Satchel Wood (Travis Younger) is a 10 year-old young man who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. He is a fifth grader at Farragut Primary School where he enjoys football, basketball, baseball, music and acting. This is his first time on the Clarence Brown stage.

Visiting Scenic Designer Felix E. Cochren, Jr., is an award winning designer of theatre, opera, dance, concerts and touring productions. He designed on Broadway and Off-Broadway. Other New York credits include the Joseph Papp Public Theatre, New Federal Theatre, Opera Ebony, New York Theatre Workshop and the Billie Holiday Theatre. His hundreds of designs have been seen nationally in productions for Syracuse Stage, Cleveland Play House, Crossroads Theatre, Freedom Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, the Alliance, the Goodman, the Huntington, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, McCarter Theatre and a variety of regional opera companies, including Opera Company of Philadelphia. His work has also been viewed internationally in Asia, Europe and Canada. Mr. Cochren participated in the 2005 World Stage Design International Exhibition, has been honored with six St. Louis Black Rep’s Woodie Awards, eight AUDELCO Awards including the 2011 Pioneer Award for work in New York City, a Cleveland Newspapers Tribute, the Black Theatre Network’s Winona Fletcher Award, the Detroit Free Press Award, nominations for Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award, a shared Obie Award for a New York production of “Black Nativity” and received the first-ever Award for Outstanding Scenic Design by the National Black Theatre Festival of 2009. He is associate professor of stage design at Syracuse University’s Department of Drama and is coordinator of its Theatre Design and Technology program.

Visiting Guest Costume Designer Nicole Jescinth Smith is a New York City-based costume designer and wardrobe stylist. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Costume Design from the University of Miami and her master’s degree in Costume Design from the University of Tennessee. Her most recent New York City theater credits include Associate Costume Designer for “All in the Timing”, “The Submission” and “Venus in Fur” on Broadway. Regional theatre credits include the Hangar Theater and the Williamstown Theater Festival. She currently is the Associate Stylist on the new MTV show “Blogger Girls” and also has worked as wardrobe stylist for VH1, Comedy Central, LOGO, HBO and Brooks Brothers. She also works at Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and was a production supervisor with the Metropolitan Opera Costume Shop for many years.

Timothy Hart (Lighting Designer) is a third year MFA Lighting Design student from St. Charles, Missouri. He earned his BFA at Missouri State University. CBT show credits include: “The Little Prince”, “Fuddy Meers”, and “Tartuffe.” He also has designed shows for the Stagedoor Manor, Pellissippi University, North Carolina Stage and The Great River Shakespeare Festival.

Visiting guest Sound Designer Joe Court is based in Chicago and currently teaches sound design at Ball State University. He also is a company member of Mary Archie Theatre Company, where he has designed many productions, including “The Homecoming”, “The Caretaker”, and “Saved.” He received a Jeff nomination for his design for “The Unseen” at A Red Orchid Theatre, where he has also designed several shows. He also has designed regionally across the country.

In addition, Klaus van den Berg served as dramaturg, Casey Sams served as choreographer and John Sipes served as fight choreographer.

The production is part of the Schaad Mainstage Series with additional corporate support from Pilot Travel Centers. Grant and foundation support received from the Scripps Howard Foundation, Knox County Tourism Consortia, the City of Knoxville and the Tennessee Arts Commission. Media sponsors are WUOT, WUTK, WBIR, Comcast, Knoxville News Sentinel, B97.5, and East Tennessee PBS.

Preview for the show is February 21, 2013. Opening night is February 22, 2013. The show runs through March 10, 2013. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Matinees begin at 2 p.m. Ticket prices vary. For tickets, call the Clarence Brown Theatre box office at 865-974-5161, Tickets Unlimited at 865-656-4444 or online at www.clarencebrowntheatre.com.