TimeLine Theatre Company opens 2013-14 Season with Intimate Production of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun, August 20-November 17, 2013 -

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For Walter Lee Younger (Jerod Haynes), his wife Ruth (Toni Martin) and their son TravisÂ (Alex Henderson) the dream of a new life in a beautiful home appears just beyond their reach in TimeLine Theatre’s production ofÂ A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, directed by Ron OJ Parson, running August 20 – November 17, 2013 at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago.Â

CHICAGO, IL – TimeLine Theatre Company begins its 2013-14 season with the award-winning play that “changed American theater forever” (The New York Times).

A Raisin in the SunÂ by Lorraine Hansberry, directed by Ron OJ Parson, runs August 28 – November 17, 2013 (previews August 20 – 25) at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave, Chicago.Â Â

To purchase tickets or for more information,call the TimeLine Theatre Box Office at 773.281.8463 x6 or buy online at timelinetheatre.com.

A Raisin in the SunÂ brings together an extraordinary array of acclaimed artists from Chicago and beyond to tell the powerful story of an African-American family living in a crowded apartment on Chicago’s South Side during the 1950s. The cast, led by

Greta OglesbyÂ (Phylicia Rashad’s standby for the role of Lena Younger on Broadway and Jeff Award winner for Supporting Actress in a Play forÂ Do Lord Remember Me

at Chicago Theatre Company) as Lena “Mama” Younger and TimeLine Company MemberÂ Mildred Marie LangfordÂ (TimeLine’sÂ In DarfurÂ andÂ My Kind of Town) as Beneatha Younger, also featuresÂ Wardell Julius Clark,Â Justin James Farley,Â Jerod Haynes,Â Alex Henderson,Â Toni Martin,Â Chris Rickett,Â Daryl SatcherÂ andÂ Oscar Vasquez. Â Â Â Â Â Â

“Though written more than 50 years ago,Â A Raisin in the SunÂ -arguably the greatest play set in Chicago-has as much to say about our city now as it did in the 1950s, and our team of artists is delving into this classic in a way that intimately brings audiences inside the Youngers’ apartment and struggles,” said TimeLine Artistic Director PJ Powers. “For those who ask why we choose to tackleÂ A Raisin in the Sun now, I point to nearly every local headline that currently dominates our news and say: Because it’s a story about Chicago-then and now and hopefully not forever.”Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

A Raisin in the SunÂ is a poignant drama about the Younger family, who believe that a better life is just around the corner. But they are challenged when their plan to buy a home in the Clybourne Park neighborhood is thwarted by racial intolerance. This award-winning play celebrates faith, courage and the human spirit, even as it spotlights divisions that still plague Chicago more than 60 years after the play is set. Â Â Â Â Â Â

A Raisin in the SunÂ had its Broadway premiere at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on March 11, 1959, and the play was nominated for four Tony Awards in 1960. Resonating across generations, it served as inspiration for the Pulitzer Prize-winning

Clybourne ParkÂ by Bruce Norris and for Kwame Kwei-Armah’s new play

Beneatha’s Place, which premiered at Baltimore’s Center Stage in May 2013. Â Â Â Â Â Â

“It’s hard to put into words what this play means to me, and to be inside of it once again,” said director Ron OJ Parson. “It’s an ‘original’ American classic, which has changed my life forever-not only as a director, writer, actor and artist, but most of all, a human being.”

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE/EVENTS

PREVIEWS: Tuesday, August 20; Wednesday, August 21; Friday, August 23; and Saturday, August 24 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, August 25 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

OPENINGS: Press Opening on Wednesday, August 28 at 7:30 p.m.; Opening Night on Thursday, August 29 at 7:30 p.m.

REGULAR RUN: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through November 17, 2013.

DISCUSSIONS:Discussions are scheduled on Wednesday, September 4; Sunday, September 8; Thursday, September 26; Sunday, September 29; Thursday, October 3; Sunday, October 6; Wednesday, October 9; Thursday, October 17; and Sunday, October 20. For a description of planned discussions, visit timelinetheatre.com.

COMPANY MEMBER DISCUSSION:A free post-show discussion with TimeLine Company members will be held on Sunday, November 10.

BUYING TICKETS

Tickets are $35 (Wednesday through Friday), $45 (Saturday) and $48 (Sunday). Preview tickets are $22. Student discount is $10 off the regular ticket price with valid ID. Special rates for groups of 10 or more are available. Advance purchase is recommended as performances may sell out. To purchase tickets or for more information,call the TimeLine Theatre Box Office at 773.281.8463 x6 or buy online at timelinetheatre.com.

LOCATION/TRANSPORTATION/PARKING/ACCESSIBILITY

A Raisin in the SunÂ will take place at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. TimeLine Theatre is located near the corner of Wellington and Broadway, inside the Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ building, in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood. The location is served by multiple CTA trains and buses. The LAZ Parking Lot at 3012 N. Broadway is the closest parking and costs $6 for 1-5 hours. TimeLine also offers discounted parking at the Standard Parking garages at Broadway Center ($8 with validation; 2846 N. Broadway, at Surf) or the Century Mall ($9 with validation; 2836 N. Clark). There is also limited free and metered street parking. There are two flights of stairs (18 steps) between the street and the theater space, with no elevator.Â Â

PRODUCTION STAFF

The production staff for A Raisin in the Sun includesÂ Brian Sidney BembridgeÂ (Scenic and Lighting Design),Â Janice PytelÂ (Costume Design),Â Joshua HorvathÂ (Sound Design),Â Nick JacksonÂ (Properties Design),Â Tierra NovyÂ (Lobby Design),Â Alexis Jade LinksÂ (Dramaturg),Â Jinni PikeÂ (Stage Manager),Â Tyla AbercrumbieÂ (Assistant Director),Â Cordie NelsonÂ (Production Assistant),Â Ricky LurieÂ (Costume Design Associate),Â Austin PettingerÂ (Costume Design Assistant),Â Conor KeelanÂ (Sound Design Assistant) andÂ Mac VaugheyÂ (Master Electrician).Â

BIOGRAPHIESÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Lorraine HansberryÂ (Playwright) (1930-1965) was an African-American playwright, author and activist born and raised in Chicago. Her best-known work,Â A Raisin in the Sun, was inspired by her family’s battle against racial segregation. When the play opened on Broadway in 1959, it was the first to be produced by an African-American woman, and Hansberry became the first black playwright and the youngest American to win a New York Critics’ Circle award. Hansberry’s second play,Â The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, opened on Broadway in 1963 and closed the night sheÂ lost her battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 34. After her death, Hansberry’s ex-husband Robert Nemiroff became the executor for several unfinished manuscripts, completing her play Les Blancs, and adapting many of her writings into the play

To Be Young, Gifted and Black, which went on to become the longest-running Off Broadway play of the 1968-1969 season.Â

Ron OJ ParsonÂ (Director)Â is a native of Buffalo, New York, and a graduate of the University of Michigan’s professional theatre program. He is the co-founder and former Artistic Director of the Onyx Theatre Ensemble of Chicago, and a co-founder and co-director of Ripe Mango Productions. Parson currently resides in Chicago and is a Resident Artist at the Court Theatre. Since moving to Chicago from New York in 1994, he has worked as both actor and director. His Chicago credits include work with The Chicago Theatre Company, Victory Gardens Theater, Goodman Theatre, Â Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, Northlight Theatre, Court Theatre, Black Ensemble Theatre, ETA Creative Arts Foundation and Writers’ Theatre. Acting credits on television and film includeÂ ER,Â Early Edition,Â Turks,Â American Playhouse,Â Vamping,Â Ali,Â Barbershop 2,Â Primal Fear,Â Drop Squad, and most recently, Starz Network’sÂ Boss.Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY

TimeLine Theatre Company, named one of the nation’s top 10 emerging professional theatres (American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony AwardsÂ®), Best Theatre in Chicago (ChicagoÂ magazine, 2011) and the nation’s theater “Company of the Year”
(The Wall Street Journal, 2010), was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today’s social and political issues. Over 16 seasons, TimeLine’s history includes more than 50 productions, including nine world premieres and 19 Chicago premieres, and launching the Living History Education Program, which brings the company’s mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 47 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production nine times.Â

TimeLine Theatre is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Managing Director Elizabeth K. Auman and Board President Cindy Giacchetti. Company members are Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, PJ Powers, Maren Robinson and Benjamin Thiem.

Major supporters of TimeLine Theatre include Alphawood Foundation, The Crown Family, Forum Fund at The Chicago Community Trust, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, The Pauls Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation and The Shubert Foundation. TimeLine is a member of the League of Chicago Theatres, Theatre Communications Group and the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce.

Photo credit: t. HARRISON HILLMAN

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