Topic: College of Fine Arts
January 23, 2015
Younger family, stars of 'A Raisin in the Sun'
“A Raisin in the Sun,” a bold play that provides an original take on racial and economical issues, will open at Ball State University at 7:30 p.m. Feb 6 in University Theatre. The production also will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 and Feb. 10-14, with a matinee performance at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 8.
The play tells the story of three generations of an African-American family on the South Side of Chicago during the 1950s. When the family receives a financial windfall, each character envisions a different path to success. Familial conflict, poverty and racism intertwine to create this groundbreaking American classic.
A notable aspect of the production is that the two co-directors, Dee Dee Batteast and Dwandra Lampkin, have strong ties to Ball State. Batteast, a Ball State alumna and assistant professor of acting, will also star as Lena Younger, called Mama. Lampkin, associate professor and director of multicultural theatre at Western Michigan University, is a former Ball State theatre
professor. “Dwandra was a faculty member and my mentor when I completed my bachelor’s degree at Ball State, so it’s pretty amazing to be on this journey together now," Batteast said.
"Ball State’s theater department is dedicated to a diverse season. The production committee had discussed ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ for several years, and this year was right because we had the students and the guest faculty to do it," said Batteast
Lampkin added, “‘A Raisin in the Sun’ gives students the opportunity to connect with a time in history that they wouldn’t otherwise get to experience. As a result, they come out of the process with a new-found appreciation, as artists and as human beings.”
The play remains popular more than 50 years after it was written.
"Despite the fact that society has made leaps racially, politically and socially, there are universal themes within this piece that are still relevant today," she said. "I have no doubt that this piece will be just as relevant 50 years from now as it is today."
Tickets for "A Raisin in the Sun" cost $15 for the general public, $14 for faculty and staff, $12 for senior citizens and $10 for students. They are available from the University Theatre Box Office, open from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact the box office at 765-285-8749 or visit bsu.edu/theatre for more information.