Raisin In The Sun Coming Soon

Raisin+In+The+Sun+Coming+Soon

Bradley Gardini, Staff Writer

A Raisin in the Sun will be on April 25th and 26th at 7 p.m. and April 27th at 2 p.m. in Griswold Theatre. It is open to all and free to see so be sure to come and see.

 

AIC’s theater program is turning up the heat for “A Raisin in the Sun.”

With the high-energy cast and crew this play is shaping up to be a great show.

Director Frank Borrelli said the play will be entertaining as well as enlightening.

The Theater Arts Program at AIC is committed to producing plays that speak to our students and the surrounding community about issues that promote dialogue and social change,” Borrelli said.

“We are educators and so our primary responsibility is to educate our students about the world they live in. It has been stated that we now live in a post racial society that does not see color. Although that would be ideal it is not the reality of the situation at hand. There is a very active conversation still brewing surrounding race and cultural identity that is shifting and changing as new generations come to the table,” Borrelli added.

He noted that AIC is a diverse community whose students bring  ideas and concerns to our administration and faculty that force us to think critically about our own actions and our ability to be culturally aware.

Borrelli believes theater is a tool that can be used to affect social change, and his choices of productions each semester reflect that philosophy.

This spring semester play is also marks two firsts for the Theater Program as both the set, props and costumes are being created by the students in the play production course and the costume course.

‘A Raisin in the Sun’ is a play that brings the ideas of generational, class and race issues to the surface.  The cast of characters who are living in a small tenement house in South-side Chicago struggle to make their dreams come true in the 1950’s era of segregation and oppression.  The play also shows how love can help overcome anything.

A Raisin in the Sun, at its core focuses on a families ability to rise above generational, financial and societal challenges to move forward to a triumphant end. We must teach our students to rise above adversity, to seek light where there is darkness and to have pride in themselves.” Borrelli said.

The all-star cast includes: Frank P. Borrelli, Director and actors

Jalil Oates, Nengi Omegbekuse, Dawn Shaw, Elizabeth Williams, Travis McNulty, Shane Duplice, Casey William Hines, Samuel Walker, Kyle Jamison, and Mitchell Despain.

Backstage workers and understudies includesRobert Crowley, Amanda Rich, Abigail Hunter, T’ana Pertillar, Joao Costa, Bradley Gardini, Shalana Ford, Drahcir Dickson, Adrean Mejias and Kyla Bivens.