BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//jEvents 2.0 for Joomla//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20241103T010000 RDATE:20250309T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:America/New_York EST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20251102T010000 RDATE:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:America/New_York EST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20261101T010000 RDATE:20270314T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:America/New_York EST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20271107T010000 RDATE:20280312T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:America/New_York EST END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20240918T000000 RDATE:20241103T010000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:America/New_York EDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20250309T030000 RDATE:20251102T010000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:America/New_York EDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 RDATE:20261101T010000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:America/New_York EDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20270314T030000 RDATE:20271107T010000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:America/New_York EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:8aff89b7f07692b47fa752e7a9fec610 CATEGORIES:Family Fun SUMMARY:A Raisin in the Sun LOCATION:Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts 100 East McDowell Street Matthews , NC 28105 DESCRIPTION;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:A gripping domestic drama that captures the African American experience thr ough the pursuit of the American Dream.

MATTHEWS, NC — Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts, in partnership with BNS Productions, prou dly opens its 30th Mainstage Season with Lorraine Hansberry’s seminal drama A Raisin in the Sun, directed by Dr. Corlis Hayes. Performances will run f rom September 19 through September 28, 2025, at the Matthews Community Cent er Theatre.

When A Raisin in the Sun was produced in 1959, Hansb erry became the first Black woman to have a play produced on Broadway. Cele brated writer James Baldwin said that “never before in the entire history o f the American theatre had so much of the truth of Black people’s lives bee n seen on the stage.”

Set on Chicago’s South Side in the 1950s, A Raisin in the Sun follows the Younger family as they contend with inherit ed dreams, generational divides, and systemic injustice. When an insurance check arrives following the death of the family patriarch, each member must decide how to move forward—and whether their dreams can survive a harsh an d often discriminatory world. Hansberry’s groundbreaking work remains one o f the most influential American plays of the 20th century, rich in emotiona l depth, racial truth, and familial resilience.

“What drew my in terest in directing A Raisin in the Sun is its similarities to August Wilso n's Fences,” said Director, Dr. Corlis Hayes. “Family matters and power rel ations are two themes shared by both masterpieces. Clearly, in these two dr amas, The Youngers go through issues like the death of a loved one, just li ke Troy's family in Fences. Hansberry's classic work A Raisin in the Sun, like Wilson's Fences, proves that a play set in 50's with themes that portr ay the black experience are just as relevant today,” says Dr. Hayes. “Now y ou know the story..... Now come check out the play!” continues Dr. Hayes.
Dr. Hayes has received numerous awards for her work. They include two Best Drama Awards from Creative Loafing: 2014's SIZWE BANSI IS DEAD (C arolina Actors Studio Theatre), and 2017's JITNEY (Brand New Sheriff Produc tions). She received a 2020 Broadway World Award (Best Play and Director) f or FENCES, and a 2019 Metrolina Theatre Association Award (Best Play and Di rector) for TWO TRAINS RUNNING, both with Brand New Sheriff Productions. In 2022, she received another Metrolina Theatre Association Award (Best Direc tor) for MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM. Born and raised in "The Gateway City" of St. Louis, Dr. Hayes now resides in Charlotte. She holds a PhD from Southe rn Illinois University, where she also received a Distinguished Alumni Awar d from the College of Liberal Arts.

A Raisin in the Sun broke do wn barriers on and off stage. Each of the Youngers, a Black family, has a d ifferent view of how to spend their father’s life insurance settlement to b etter the family. Will they open a business, send Beneatha to medical schoo l, or move to an all-white suburb? Hansberry’s masterpiece seeks answers to the still-relevant questions posed in Langston Hughes’ poem Harlem: What happens to a dream deferred?

CAST

Ruth Younger – Rene e Welch Noel / Nasha Shandri
Walter Lee Younger – Jonavan Adams'/ Just in Peoples
Lena “Mama” Younger – Lillie Oden
Travis Younger – Tha ddeus Faustin / Solomon Doleman
Beneatha Younger - Mikayla Broome / K. Alana Jones
Joseph Asagai – Dionte Darko / Kahlil Allen
George M urchison – Sha’Heed J. Brooks
Bobo – Bobby Tyson
Karl Lindner – H enk Bouhuys
Mrs. Johnson – Shar Marlin / Ericka Ross
Movers – Rob ert Rankin, Dionte Darko, Rory Sheriff

Performance Schedule
All evening shows at 7:30 PM; matinees at 2:00 PM

• Fri, Sept. 19 | Sat, Sept. 20 | Sun, Sept. 21
• Thu, Sept. 25 (Pay-What-You-Can)< br />• Fri, Sept. 26 | Sat, Sept. 27 | Sun, Sept. 28

Pay‑What‑Yo u‑Can Night - Thursday, September 25 at 7:30 PM – General admission seating ; suggested donation of $10.

Events:
Saturday, September 20 , from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM - Character Analysis workshop.
Saturday, Se ptember 27, after the 2 PM Matinee - Panel Discussion - Black home ownershi p disparity and additional themes from A Raisin in the Sun.

Tick ets:

Adults – Premium: $30 | Zone 2: $26 | Zone 3: $23

Seniors / Military / Students / Children – Premium: $27 | Zone 2: $23 | Z one 3: $20

Tickets can be purchased online at matthewsplayhouse. com or at the door (door sales are Premium price only).

Run Time & Audience - Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

About Matthews Playhouse

Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts is a nonprofit community theater dedicated to enrich ing lives through the performing arts. Now celebrating its 30th Mainstage S eason, the Playhouse provides high-quality productions, theatre education, and outreach in the Charlotte-Matthews area.

About BNS Productio ns

BNS is an award-winning professional theatre company, and the only Black repertory theatre company in the greater Charlotte area. Their mission is to inspire, help, teach, and learn together as we heal and love each other. They aspire to educate, amaze, and inform through the creation and performance of relevant and provocative African American theater produc tions. Learn more at bnsproductions.org.


This is a Weekly Recurring Event
Runs from Sep 19, 2025 to Sep 28, 2025 and happens eve ry:
Fridays: 7:30pm - 9:30pm Timezone: EDT
Saturdays: 2:00pm - 4: 00pm Timezone: EDT
Saturdays: 7:30pm - 9:30pm Timezone: EDT
Sunda ys: 2:00pm - 4:00pm Timezone: EDT
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