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Arts & Entertainment

"A Raisin In The Sun" Shines at South Suburban College

The SSC Playhouse of South Suburban College, celebrating its 10th anniversary, announces a weeklong run of trailblazing with African-American playwright Lorraine Hansberry’s classic stage play, “A Raisin In The Sun.” 

Taking place in the 1950s Chicago South Side, it is the story of a black, middle-class family struggling to create a stable life and to create their own American dream. 

The curtain rises for the Younger family at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 12-16, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 16, and Sunday, April 17, in the Kindig Performing Arts Center.  Ticket sales are under way and the SSC box office is now open.
 
Hansberry’s play ushered in a new movement for black theatre artists. The Broadway production, directed by the late Lloyd Richards in 1959, was the first to be staged by a black director.  The play ran on Broadway for 530 performances in a little over a year, surprising investors who were hoping to simply break even.  The play was awarded the 1959 New York Drama Critics Circle Award.  The play inspired a generation as Hansberry’s voice spoke messages of fairness and equality that were on everyone’s lips at the time. It also expressed her disdain for the crass materialism and commercialism that was to become a burden of the next generation, both black and white. Miss Hansberry lived to see her play made into the 1961 Hollywood film starring Sidney Portier, but death from cancer in 1965 at the age of 35 cut her life short.
 
The cast of the SSC Playhouse’s 10th anniversary production includes Debbie R. Burt-Frazier, of Dolton, Joseph Turner, of Chicago, Bianca Borras, of Dolton, Ashley Currin, of Harvey, Jarvis Brown, of Harvey, Robert Kane "Robbie" Herron Jr., of Markham and Robert Smagacz, of Calumet City. 

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Carpentry is by Dean Scalzitti, of Lansing, lights are by Lydia Bellamy-Palma, of Park Forest with the assistance of Manuel “Manny” Medina, of Hegewisch, costumes are by Michelle Bryant, of Calumet City, with the assistance of Heather Jackson, of Calumet City, properties are by Irene Stewart, of South Holland, and sound and video is by Jarvis Brown, of Harvey. 

The production is stage managed by Samantha Pacyga, of Hazel Crest, with the production assistance of Raven Phillips, of South Holland.  Others involved in the production include Leffie Martin Jr., of Riverdale, Kendra Sterling, of Calumet City, Lakiasha Brooks, of Calumet City, Brittany Bova, of Tinley Park, Tene Roberts, of South Holland and Jeannda Welton, of Markham.

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SSC Playhouse director Bobbie Saltzman, of Beverly, directs the production. Saltzman has served as head of SSC’s theatre program since 2001 and is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and the Actors’ Equity Association.
 
Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 55 and older, non SSC-students and children under 14.  SSC students and employees always benefit from our “Buy One, Get One Free” special for $6.  Groups of 12 or more may purchase tickets at the special rate of $4. 

Members of the armed forces, veterans, firefighters, and police officers are invited to attend for no charge (one ticket only and with proper ID).
 
Seating is limited and reservations are strongly suggested. 

For information or to reserve tickets, call the box office voicemail at (708) 210-5741 and leave a detailed message – you will receive a call back.

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