Tonya Pinkins, Francois Battiste To Lead Public Theater’s ‘A Raisin In The Sun’ Off Broadway

Greg Evans
·2 min read
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Tonya Pinkins and Francois Battiste are among the cast announced today for the Public Theater’s upcoming production of A Raisin In The Sun, Lorraine Hansberry’s classic drama to be directed by Robert O’Hara (Tony nominated for his direction of Slave Play).

The production, which marks a Public Theater debut for Hansberry, reunites O’Hara with some of his cast from a 2019 Raisin In The Sun staging at the Williamstown Theater Festival, including Battiste (Ten Days in the Valley, New Amsterdam), who will play Walter Lee Younger, and Mandi Masden, as Ruth Younger. Pinkins, a Tony winner for Jelly’s Last Jam, will play Walter Lee’s mother Lena Younger (played by S. Epatha Merkerson in the Williamstown staging).

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The play begins performances at the Public’s Newman Theater Off Broadway with a Joseph Papp Free Performance on Tuesday, Sept. 27. The engagement officially opens on Wednesday, Oct. 19 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 6.

Also in the cast: Paige Gilbert (Beneatha Younger), Toussaint Battiste and Camden McKinnon (Travis Younger alternates), John Clay III (Joseph Asagai), Calvin Dutton (Bobo), Mister Fitzgerald (George Murchison), Jesse Pennington (Karl Lindner), and Perri Gaffney (Mrs. Johnson). Skyler Gallun and N’yomi Stewart are understudies.

“I am filled with curiosity and excitement by what this tremendous cast that The Public has assembled will bring to a play I consider simply the best ever written,” said O’Hara in a statement. “Having them all with me and our brilliant designers in this exploration of this essential classic and doing it at The Public Theater where I debuted as a writer and director is a dream come true. A dream that I didn’t have to defer because there were works like A Raisin in the Sun that I held as my guiding light and which blazed the path for me and countless others.”

The production will feature scenic design by Clint Ramos, costume design by Karen Perry, lighting design by Alex Jainchill, sound design by Elisheba Ittoop, sound system design by Will Pickens, hair and wig design by Nikiya Mathis, and video design by Brittany Bland.

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