The Celebration Copy

Boilerplate (Long)

During her all-too-brief life and career, Lorraine Hansberry left an indelible mark on the American theater. Goodman Theatre proudly presents The Lorraine Hansberry Celebration, a series of programs and performances that focus on the author’s roots, the forces which shaped her groundbreaking work and her remarkable legacy.

In addition to readings, scholarly analyses of her work and other events designed to highlight her life and career, the celebration will culminate in two major events:

Lorraine Hansberry Day on May 19, commemorating what would have been Hansberry’s 86th birthday.

The Lorraine Hansberry Awards on May 24, honoring six African American women, all natives of Chicago and contemporaries of Hansberry, whose work helped transform the American theater. Presented at the Chicago Cultural Center, this special awards ceremony will be hosted by Chicago artists, members of Hansberry’s family and representatives from the Lorraine Hansberry Literary Trust.

Boilerplate (Short)

During her all-too-brief life and career, Lorraine Hansberry left an indelible mark on the American theater. Goodman Theatre proudly presents The Lorraine Hansberry Celebration, a series of programs and performances that focus on the author’s Chicago roots, the forces which shaped her groundbreaking work and her remarkable legacy.

Events:

Monday, May 2 Chuck Smith Lecture Series: In her Own Words: The Lorraine Hansberry/ Interview 7:00pm | Owen Theatre FREE, Reservations Required After the historic Broadway premiere of A Raisin in the Sun, legendary Chicago journalist Studs Terkel spoke with Lorraine Hansberry resulting in one of her most incisive and personal interviews. Revisit this extraordinary look into Hansberry’s life and art with professor and Hansberry scholar Harvey Young and Goodman Resident Director Chuck Smith.

Sunday, May 8 Artist Encounter: The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window 5pm | Healy Rehearsal Room $5 for the general public; FREE for Subscribers, Donors and Students Join Anne Kauffman, director of the Goodman production of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, and Joi Gresham, executive director of the Lorraine Hansberry Literary Trust, as they discuss the complex historical, political and social themes and extraordinary prescience of Lorraine Hansberry’s final completed play.

Tuesday, May 10 Scholar Discussion: A Raisin in the Sun and The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window 7:00pm | Healy Rehearsal Room FREE, Reservations Required Harvey Young analyzes Lorraine Hansberry’s first and last plays, focusing on the author’s social activism and the political movements which each work predicted. Excerpts from each play will be read by some of Chicago’s most noted actors.

Saturday, May 14 Carl Hansberry: His World and Legacy A bus tour of South Side Chicago 10:30am departure from goodman theatre (tour lasts approximately two hours) | $15 for the general public; $10 for subscribers, Donors and students Architecture critic and writer Lee Bey leads a bus tour of the South Side neighborhoods where Lorraine Hansberry grew up—and tells the inspiring story of her father, realtor and activist Carl Hansberry, and his fight against some of the most restrictive housing laws in the country.

Monday, May 16 Scholar Discussion: The Drinking Gourd and What Use Are Flowers? With Coya Paz 7:00pm | Healy Rehearsal Room FREE, Reservations Required Director and writer Coya Paz leads an in-depth look at two unproduced works by Lorraine Hansberry, the teleplays The Drinking Gourd and What Use Are Flowers? The evening will feature excerpts from these rarely-performed works, as well as contextual discussions of race, justice and the power artists hold to incite change.

Tuesday, May 17 Scholar Discussion: Les Blancs With Ivy Wilson 7:00pm | Arts Incubator, 301 E. Garfield Blvd. FREE, Reservations Required Completed after her death and not performed until 1970, Lorraine Hansberry’s complex chronicle of race, oppression and an Africa on the brink of colonial revolt is discussed by Northwestern University professor Ivy Wilson, author of Specters of Democracy: Blackness and the Aesthetics of Nationalism. Scenes from the play will be performed by local actors.

Thursday, May 19 Lorraine Hansberry Day in Chicago The Alice Rapoport Center at Goodman Theatre On what would have been her 86th birthday, Lorraine Hansberry’s legacy is celebrated with a number of special events at the newly-opened Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement at Goodman Theatre. Events include: 12noon: Join Goodman artists and members of the cast of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window to celebrate the day with cake, refreshments and a special mayoral proclamation honoring Hansberry and her work.* 12:30pm: Goodman staff offer a special pre-performance look at the background and themes of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, currently onstage in the Albert Theatre. 5pm: Following the matinee performance of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, Goodman artists will lead a special post-performance discussion of the play. 6pm: A special presentation of the 1961 film version of A Raisin in the Sun, starring Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil and Diana Sands; the film will be introduced by Chicago actress and playwright Nambi E. Kelley.* 10:30pm: A post-show discussion featuring Goodman artists and cast members. *Free, reservation required

Monday, May 23 Scholar Discussion: To Be Young, Gifted and Black: How Much Has Changed? 6:30pm | Harold Washington Library Pritzker Auditorium, 400 S. State St. FREE, Reservations Required Director and critic Dani Snyder-Young explores Lorraine Hansberry’s autobiography in an interactive analysis of Hansberry’s background as it relates to contemporary urban education, intersections between race and class, and the ways in which African American women learn to navigate public life. Excerpts from the book will be performed by playwright and actress Lydia R. Diamond.

Tuesday, May 24 Lorraine Hansberry Awards Hosted by Chuck Smith and Woodie King, Jr. 7:00pm | Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. Accessible Entrance at 77 E. Randolph St. FREE, Reservations Required | LIMITED AVAILABILITY Presented by Goodman Resident Director Chuck Smith, New Federal Theatre Artistic Director Woodie King, Jr. and members of the Hansberry family, these one-time-only awards honor the unique cultural contributions of six Lorraine Hansberry contemporaries—African American women who were raised and educated in Chicago, and who went onto make indelible impacts on the American theater. Goodman Theatre is proud to honor these artists, whose work and legacies mirror the pioneering spirit of Hansberry.

The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window By Lorraine Hansberry | Directed by Anne Kauffman April 30 – June 5 Goodman Theatre | 170 N Dearborn St. Tickets at GoodmanTheatre.org

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see the heartfelt final work from A Raisin in the Sun playwright Lorraine Hansberry. Greenwich Village, 1964 —Sidney Brustein is living the intellectual bohemian’s dream with his young actress wife Iris. But when Sidney takes on a new job as a political activist for a local newspaper, his highly controversial views put him at odds with his closest inner circle. Is his crusade for change worth estranging the people he cares for most?