Broadway comes to Hillside with a production of A Raisin In The Sun


Walter Younger, played by Daniel Johnson, talks to his sister Beneatha Younger, played by Taylor Owens, about Beneatha’s recent embrace of her African heritage. Walter’s wife Ruth, played by Shelby Miles, listens in. The play A Raisin In The Sun explores issues of African American integration into Ameri- can society. (Hillside Chronicle photo by Maria Bartolo)

Walter Younger, played by Daniel Johnson, talks to his sister Beneatha Younger, played by Taylor Owens, about Beneatha’s recent embrace of her African heritage. Walter’s wife Ruth, played by Shelby Miles, listens in. The play A Raisin In The Sun explores issues of African American integration into Ameri- can society. (Hillside Chronicle photo by Maria Bartolo)

Broadway came to Hillside High School with the February production of “A Raisin in the Sun.”

Students from schools all around North Carolina came to see the play, directed by Theater Director Wendell Tabb.

Tabb said that he decided to do this play because of Black History Month.

Lorraine Hansberry created the drama and the actors included students from Hillside as well as students from Shepard Middle School.

Students from local schools enjoy their chance to see a Hillside production. The audience had an emotional reaction to several scenes in the play, particularly one in which Ruth Younger announces that she is contemplating getting an abortion. (Hillside Chronicle photo by Maria Bartolo)

Students from local schools enjoy their chance to see a Hillside production. The audience had an emotional reaction to several scenes in the play, particularly one in which Ruth Younger announces that she is contemplating getting an abortion. (Hillside Chronicle photo by Maria Bartolo)

The plot is about a lower-class African American family who receives $10,000 from their father’s insurance. The son, Walter, played by Daniel Johnson, was a drunk who wanted to invest money into a liquor store with his friends.

However, he was robbed by one of his closest buddies, named Willy Harris, who ran off with his money.

Before the money was received, everyone had plans about what they would like to do with it.

The mother, Lena Younger, who is played by Symone Crews, decides she wants to buy a new house for Walter and his wife, Ruth Younger, played by Shelby Miles.

Beneatha Younger, who was played by Taylor Owens, and son Travis Younger, played by Joshua Wright, want the money to move into a new neighborhood so that they can start fresh and live a better life.

Before moving into a new community, they had to withstand many racial obstacles.

A white woman named Karl Linder, played by Lucia Amado-Gonzales, was on the welcoming committee. Her husband, Mr. Linder, tells the Younger family that it would be more convenient for them not to move into an all- white community because they did not want the other residents to feel uncomfortable. However, the Younger family still decides to move into Clybourne Park.

The actors did a fantastic job performing this play.

Katherine Taylor, a junior at Middle College said she read the play in her English class. She also said that she was “really excited to be at the play” and she enjoyed it.

“I was really impressed by the strange passion that was put into the performances,” said Taylor.

Avauni Manago, a fifth grader at Burton Elementary, was also excited to see the performance.

“I was really excited to see who was going to play the mama in the play,” she said.