I am delighted to welcome you to the McGuire Proscenium Stage for this Penumbra Theatre production of Lorraine Hansberry's masterpiece, A Raisin in the Sun. When we came to choose the writers to be represented in the large photographs outside the new Guthrie, Ms. Hansberry was an obvious choice. A great American writer, whose seminal work has entertained and thrilled audiences since its first Broadway presentation 50 years ago, she is a fitting companion for the other great playwrights watching over our new theater. This is the first time her work has been presented at the Guthrie, and it is absolutely fitting that we should welcome Lou Bellamy and the Penumbra Theatre cast with this anniversary production.

The Penumbra Theatre is a jewel in the crown of this community and, increasingly, becoming a vital part of the national theater scene. The Twin Cities are fortunate to have the skill and dedication of Lou Bellamy, whose work for over a quarter of a century has offered his audience a unique insight into the literature of African American culture. We have been honored to present the work of Penumbra a number of times since Lou first directed here with Big White Fog in 1994. Last year, with the production of August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean, we began a relationship between our two theaters that, hopefully, will continue for many years to come. Working together, we have the chance to expand our horizons and to off er you, our audience, a range of theatrical experiences that deepen the understanding of the world around us.

I hope that you enjoy the show.

Joe Dowling
Guthrie Artistic Director

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It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 50th anniversary production of A Raisin in the Sun. This timeless classic is still a relevant and poignant portrait of the American dream. Today we celebrate how wide that dream has grown.

We now have a black family living in the White House - the house that novelist Ralph Ellison once suggested was painted with the "purest white that can be found," a specifically American brand of paint that gleamed so brilliantly white only after ten drops of black had been added to it and stirred until they disappeared. Now more than ever black Americans are visible and undeniably part of the nation's fabric. It seems apt to honor the struggle with this brave and important play.

Fifty years ago, Lorraine Hansberry offered the American theater going public the unique opportunity to see a loving representation of a black family onstage. Believe it or not, this was a revolutionary act. Hansberry directly challenged the assortment of stereotypes about black life and culture to which American audiences had grown accustomed with complex, three dimensional characters.

Hansberry died before the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement could come to fruition; many of us would argue that the struggle continues today. Her role in that struggle, however, was profoundly important. What she created for the stage was an opportunity for hearts and minds to be opened and affirmed. It was a precious gift indeed.

Lou Bellamy
Penumbra Artistic Director

© 2012 Penumbra Theatre