The Play That Changed Broadway Forever

“Never before in the entire history of the American theater has so much of the truth of Black people’s lives been seen on stage.” Those are the words James Baldwin used to describe A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking play. Set between the end of WWII and 1958, the play follows a working-class Black family on the South Side of Chicago as they await a $10,000 life insurance payout they hope will change their lives. Hansberry was only 28 when the play debuted in 1959 and immediately made history. In addition to being nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Play and Best Direction, it racked up a litany of firsts: It became the first play by a Black woman, and the first play with a Black director (Lloyd Richards), to be performed on Broadway. Hansberry was both the first Black playwright and the youngest to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award 🎧 Join Rebecca and Jeff on Zero to Well-Read for a conversation about A Raisin in the Sun and its continuing impact on American theater. Find it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find podcasts, and scroll for some Extra Credit. Book Deals Sign up for our Book Deals newsletter and get up to 80%...