Reimagining A Raisin in the Sun

In 1959, Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun energised the conversation about how Americans live together across lines of race and difference. In Reimagining A Raisin in the Sun, Rebecca Ann Rugg and Harvey Young bring together four contemporary playsincluding 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner Clybourne Parkthat, in their engagement with Hansberrys play, illuminate the tensions and anxieties that still surround neighborhood integration. Although the playsRobert OHaras Etiquette of Vigilance, Gloria Bond Clunies Living Green, Branden Jacobs-Jenkinss Neighbours, and Bruce Norriss Clybourne Parkare distinct from one another in terms of style and perspective on their predecessor, they commonly feature characters who are forced to closely examine, and sometimes revise or abandon, their ideas concerning race and their notions of social and economic justice. Above all, the plays use the lenses of neighbourliness, privacy, and community to engage the large question of Americas common purpose. Each play is accompanied by an interview with the playwright about the influence of Hansberrys landmark work. The afterword includes an interview with George C. Wolfe, whose play The Coloured Museum laid the groundwork for the titles in this collection. The conversation around A Raisin in the Sun has continued unabated since its premiere fifty years ago. Rugg and Youngs book will serve as a valuable resource to fans, scholars, and students alike.