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#76

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 11:18am

I saw the 03/15 matinee from second row orchestra and found it very enjoyable. I felt the cast did an excellent job with the females outshining the males but I attritube that more to how the parts were written. Washington was absolutely believable as a 40-year-old and his performance seemed heartfelt and not the sleepwalk others have hinted at. I'm currently working through all the seasons of St. Elsewhere and it's amazing to note how little he has aged--and how good of an actor he was even back then.

It's a very dated show in some respects but sadly, not in others. And because of that, I think the emotional level of the material is elevated. A play that should have been frozen in time--like I felt The Glass Menagerie was--still has relevance today.

Very few plays I've seen in the last year have kept my attention for 90 minutes let alone like Raisin did for 160. Without any intricate sets or dazzling costumes to occupy the audience's attention, it's the story and the performances that carry the show. And given the choice, I'll always take the latter over the former.

#77

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 11:19am

NeNe is so racist!

"Pardon my prior Mcfee slip. I know how to spell her name. I just don't know how to type it." -Talulah

#78

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 11:39am

Nene Leakes is colored. You get where she's coming from when she says it or for that matter any other colored person. It's not the same when someone from another race uses it.

Therein lies the difference.

I'm glad ray-andallthatjazz86 called out some of the racist bullsh!t that's written on these boards which is probably written by people who will cross the street in a nano-second if they see two African American men walking down the same sidewalk...just "because".

I seem to recall a lot of these thinly veiled and not-so-thinly veiled racial comments being made on this board about the Hispanic audiences attending the recent revival of EVITA.

Updated On: 3/18/14 at 11:39 AM

#79

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 11:44am

Colored.

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

#80

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 1:03pm

I'm sure CarlosAlberto means "Person of Color" and not Colored.

#81

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 1:06pm

I did... but I used the term colored on purpose.

#82

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 4:17pm

"the show came off a little more on the gospel side than I am used too for this play... if you understand what I mean. Yes the audience was involved (not really in a bad way), but the acting leaned in that direction too. Its hard to explain. Played to stereotype a little? As opposed to a more stolid performance relying on the dialogue to push the points?"

Are you actually typing these words?

#83

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 7:15pm

Thanks jaxandmci. Drop the mic!!!

#84

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 11:01pm

jaxandmci: People on Twitter who have seen are the show are all saying Washington is amazing in the role. It may just be a case of him fine-tuning the performance before opening night, and getting better with every performance. If i remember correctly, he got a similarly muted response on this board in previews for Fences, but critics and audiences really went for his performance in a huge way by the time the play actually opened, and he obviously ended up winning the Tony.

Not sure he'll win the Tony again, but judging by Twitter reactions, I think he'll be a strong contender again. I have Bryan Cranston and Mark Rylance as his major threats.

#85

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 11:18pm

He was terrible in Fences, but no one seemed to notice. I guess that happens when you are a big enough star.

#86

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 11:36pm

People love tearing down big Hollywood stars appearing on stage (Julia Roberts for example. Even Jessica Chastain got ripped for The Heiress after becoming a movie star) ... critics are probably not an exception. Being a megastar just makes Washington a bigger target than most, with more people more likely to nitpick his performance. I don't think anybody would have been afraid to call Washington out in Fences if he was poor, least of all the critics.

I think the anti-star/anti-Hollywood sentiment that reached fever pitch in 2010 (with Hunter Foster and his group), the year Washington won his Tony (along with Scarlett Johansson and Catherine Zeta Jones) still exists to an extent. Which is odd in Washington's case, because for an A-list movie star, he seems to be showing a long-term commitment to Broadway that's rivaled only by Hugh Jackman.

Updated On: 3/19/14 at 11:36 PM

#87

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 11:45pm

I saw the show tonight and really enjoyed it. In fact it was one of my favorite play offerings of the season.

I loved the three women A LOT; they need to interpolate "I Hate the Bus" for Anika so she can stop the show! I was initially disappointed when Diahann Carroll left the production, as it would have been a dream to see her live, but LaTanya Richardson Jackson is just wonderful as Lena. And Sophie Okonedo, making her Broadway debut, does nice work as Ruth.

All this worrying going on around here about Denzel being too old and them changing lines amounted to a hill of beans. I thought he was stronger here than in Fences, and his act two speeches were quite powerful.

My fantasy casting would have been to have Jeremy Shamos play Karl, even though I suppose there is a similar nerdy thrill seeing David Cromer on the other side of the director's notes.

The play is one of favorites and I still get chills in that final scene when Lena talks to Beneatha about when you should love someone the most and of course when Walter gives his final monologue. It still packs a punch today.

Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco. Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!

#88

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/18/14 at 11:52pm

Nice review Whizzermarvin.

Sounds like Washington is really gelling into the part. If he is better than he was in Fences, then he may likely end up being the Best Actor Tony frontrunner. It's interesting that Walter Lee Younger is a fairly iconic role, but no one has yet to win a Tony for it. Poitier came close with his nomination in 1960, as did Joe morton in the musical version. I think the stunt casting of Sean "P Diddy" Combs" in the revival was a problem, as it could have been a Tony winning role for any number of better actors. I could see Washington being the one who finally wins for playing Walter.

Updated On: 3/19/14 at 11:52 PM

#89

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/19/14 at 2:10am

I don't think any actor is going to win a Tony for playing Walter Lee, simply because this play is about the women, each of whom are KILLER roles for good actors.

Poitier's autobiography is interesting in that he talks about the conflict between himself and Claudia Mcneil, because Poitier thought the play was about Walter while McNeil believed it was about Lena. I dunno if it's about Lena specifically, but IMO the women are far more compelling in this play than Walter Lee is.

#90

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/19/14 at 5:08am

Blactor; That's very interesting. I do think a strong actor can occassionally change the balance of the roles in a play. For example, A Streetcar Named Desire was supposed to be Blanche's story and her part was supposed to resonate the most, but Marlon Brando's skill and stage presence gave Stanely more focus than was perhaps intended, which caused him to overshadow Jessica Tandy in the original Broadway production. More recent productions of Streetcar (like the one starring Cate Blanchett) have given more impetus back to Blanche. Joel Edgerton's Stanley barely registered to many in the Blanchett production. It's not always about the part, but the charisma and skill of the actor playing it.

Perhaps that was what Washington considered the challenge in this role. Making Walter more the standout role that many assumed it to be, like Brando did with Stanley.

#91

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/19/14 at 6:48am

Washington was outstanding in FENCES, bringing a completely different energy to the play than James Earl Jones had twenty five years or so earlier. I don't doubt, though, that Denzel's star-power overshadowed Alfred Molina, who I still wish had won that Tony all the same.

#92

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/19/14 at 7:40am

Looking at the history of the Best Actor In A Play award, star power has rarely been a determining factor in who wins. It often appears to ultimately be a hinderance, like last season where Tom Hanks lost to Tracy Letts, or the season before that where Philip Seymour Hoffman lost to James Corden. Dustin Hoffman at the peak of his reputation and starpower in 1990 lost to the non-starry Robert Morse. The likes of Paul Newman and Laurence Olivier never won (also losing out to less starry actors). Washington winning this category as a A-list movie star appears to be more the exception than the rule. Usually, bigger stars with Hollywood cache lose here. Almost as if to make a point that the Tonys are not the Oscars, where these guys can routinely triumph.

#93

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/19/14 at 8:33am

What's clear is that this has been an exceptional season for lead actors in a play. We had Rylance, Stewart, McKellen, Cranston, Denzel and the jewel in the crown Zach Quinto. And we still have a few things left to begin.

Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco. Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!

#94

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/19/14 at 9:41am

I wouldn't say Brando's skill and stage presence was what imbalanced the original Streetcar production; he was still a young actor at the time and Elia Kazan had to work with him just to get him to project to the back of the house.

Funny enough I just read the original NYT review the other day, which gushed over Tandy and barely mentioned Brando. From what I've read, what Brando did was generate a lot of laughs as Stanley, and audiences began to pay more attention to and SYMPATHIZE WITH him, as opposed to following Blanche's journey. Plus Brando's style of acting was, obviously, in stark contrast to Tandy's, which generated even more excitement.

Frankly I feel that if Denzel wanted to pursue the selfish goal of redefining a role he should have chosen more wisely than Walter Lee. Even in the film, Poitier's manic energy and magnetism can't quite overshadow the journey that the women, and the Youngers as a whole, take. Of course, I'm biased since I find Walter Lee to be insufferable. Washington's a great actor--I just wish he had decided to do something else in general.

#95

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/19/14 at 10:12am

Jessica Chastain gave the worst performance in a play I've ever seen. That includes Fringe shows, school plays, etc. She was just awful. Great actress on film, but oof.

As for this, I'd really love to see it. Never been exposed to this play.

#96

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/19/14 at 10:15am

I doubt Washington had it in mind to redefine this role. He probably loves the play, and wouldn't be the only star to enjoy a chance to do true ensemble work.

#97

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/23/14 at 2:22am

Jessica Chastain gave the worst performance in a play I've ever seen.

REALLY?!!? I could understand not liking her performance (I loved it), but wow RippedMan! We'll have to agree to very much disagree on that one! :)

---

As far as A RAISIN IN THE SUN goes, I thought this was a very strong production. It's got some great acting, it's directed with a gentle yet confident hand, and it packs an emotional wallop. All of the right ingredients for a successful production of RAISIN are there. And the show will only get tighter and stronger as time goes on.

All three women are exceptional. They each get great moments in which they really dig deep and show some pretty impressive acting chops. LaTanya Richardson Jackson should all but wash away any qualms about taking over for Carroll the instant she steps on the stage. You never once get that uneasy feeling that she's incapable of holding her own against anyone else on the stage or that she was just thrust into this role a couple of months ago. She is very impressive and moving. Anika Noni Rose is a wonderful Beneatha and Sophie Okonedo (where has this girl been since HOTEL RWANDA?!) is making a confident and assured Broadway debut. For me, Denzel's age was still a problem. Yes, they've tweaked some lines to accommodate this issue, but I still found him to be way too old for the part in a way that was a bit distracting and detrimental to his performance. But he does a very admirable job of overcoming that hurdle. I wasn't blown away by his work in FENCES and I'm not exactly sure I'd use the term "blown away" to describe my feelings about his performance here, but I would definitely say he's ultimately successful. He's a fantastic actor, no doubt. I just don't think he's been matched with a suitable stage character yet. But for being somewhat mismatched to the part, he absolutely makes the most of it.

The sets, lighting, and costumes were all wonderful. The sound design was great as well. I was up in the nosebleeds and could hear everything perfectly. This is one of my favorite plays and it was thrilling to see it performed by such great actors in such a strong production. It's definitely a highlight of this mostly disappointing season.

The less that is said about the audience behavior, the better. I'll just leave it at that.

Updated On: 3/23/14 at 02:22 AM

#98

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/23/14 at 8:17am

I asked this question on another thread and no one replied so I'll try again. RAISIN IN THE SUN is frequently revived, but there has never been a revival of the musical RAISIN. Based on the Original Broadway Cast Album it is pretty damn good ... so why no revival?

#99

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/23/14 at 8:58am

Haven't seen it, but two questions:

Is this the same production of the last revival of RAISIN with a new cast? I ask because it has the same director, Kenny Leon, and there is a parallel discussion of the current CABARET revival.

If so, since everyone seems to be talking about CABAREt not being tony eligible in certain categories (rather unconvincingly in other categories) because it's the same production as the last revival of CABARET, are the same questions on the table here?

Does anyone think that perhaps Kenny Leon is a better director of women than he is of men, at least when it comes to this play? I ask because the women in the last revival clearly outshone the men, and some, at least, are saying the same here. Of course, in terms of the last revival, thatl had to do with Coombs not being the most seasoned actor and being in a company of stellar women, but judging by some of the reviews posted here, I'm starting to wonder if perhaps Leon has something to do with the play being more about the women.

Ideally, the central male-female conflicts in Raisin and Streetcar, for control of both a household and way of looking at the world, should be grounded on both sides by great performances. With respect to Tandy and Brando having very different acting styles, I would think that would serve Streetcar and its conflict extremely well. As legend has it, it did.

#100

A Raisin in the Sun Previews

Posted: 3/23/14 at 12:01pm

This is not the same production as 2004. The cast and designers are all new, Leon is the only hold-over.

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