Family seeks dream in drama
by Mary Barrera, south news editor

    The South Campus theater department is rehearsing A Raisin in the Sun, which opens next week in the Joe B. Rushing Performance Hall.

   The play’s director, Patty McCormick, offered insight into the story.

   “The play tells of a family reaching for the American dream and the obstacles they have to overcome,” she said.

   Lorraine Hansberry, the author of A Raisin in the Sun, provides a look back to 1950s society.

   The play centers around the Youngers, an African-American family living in Chicago.

   According to McCormick, the family has to take a gamble and be brave in order to make their dreams come to fruition.

   Lena Younger, played by Gina Monday, is a recent widow and mother of two adult children.

   She has come into some money, and she gathers together her entire family to try to decide what to do with it.

   “The play has a lot of social and racial issues,” the student actress said.

   Lena is a conservative and traditional woman who wants her family together, strong and socially accepted.

   The play takes place before the days of integration, and writing it took a lot of guts, Monday said.

   Monday has been performing at TCC since 1978.

   Djemal Burris returns to the stage to play Lena’s son, Walter.

   Walter is a man with a young family and wants a better life for them.

   “The play is so rich. There are so many things going on in the main story,” he said.

   “It is an emotional roller coaster ride and everything comes full circle,” he said.

   Burris was in last semester’s The Wiz and is currently in a Texas Lottery commercial.

   “Each character is a strong individual and the audience gets the feel of everybody, not just one character,” Teekoya Nickson, said.

   Nickson plays Walter’s wife, Ruth.

   The actress is in her first TCC production.

   Lena has a strong-willed daughter, Beneatha, played by La Shada Jackson, who is in her first drama.

   The play puts forth the message of taking a stand and not caring what other people think, but doing what one thinks is best for the family, Jackson said.

   Michael Wilborn, who was also in The Wiz, plays Beneatha’s boyfriend, Asagai.

   Wilborn said he likes the reality of the play.

   “It makes me think about my family. It hits close to home,” he said.

   A Raisin in the Sun runs Tuesday-Friday, March 5-8, at 8 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee Thursday.

   Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children under 12. TCC students, faculty and staff are admitted free. For reservations, call the box office at 817-515-4642.