Fresno State’s University Theatre will present the first production of its 2025-26 Mainstage Season, “A Raisin in the Sun,” written by Lorraine Hansberry and directed by Thomas-Whit Ellis.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3 and 4 and Oct. 7 through 11 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, at the Dennis and Cheryl Woods Theatre on campus. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for Fresno State faculty, staff, alumni and military and $10 for all students. Children under the age of 5 will not be admitted.
A special talkback with the director and cast will be held after the Tuesday, Oct. 7 performance. This event is free and open to the public, and offers a unique chance to hear insights, ask questions and engage in conversation about the production.
Set on Chicago’s South Side, Lorraine Hansberry’s celebrated play concerns the divergent dreams and conflicts in three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis and matriarch Lena. When her deceased husband’s insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. Hansberry’s portrait of one family’s struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.
“Considered a landmark of American theatre, ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ is remembered for its groundbreaking exploration of race, family and the pursuit of dreams,” Ellis said. “Hansberry’s play has been widely studied and celebrated for its social and historical significance, but this production focuses on the human story at its heart. We dive into the Younger family’s hopes, struggles and contradictions, showing a family that is at once deeply specific and universally relatable.”
The production features performances from students Marazay Ashford, Ananda Schaffer and Jayaughn Sterns; alumnus TeRoy Roberts; and community members Matthew Scheiner, Ellis Cayden Sheppard Jr., Kenny Umeh and Levetta Wheeler.
Doors open 30 minutes before the curtain. Latecomers will not be permitted, and no refunds or exchanges will be offered. The box office is open from noon to 3 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, and one hour before each performance. It accepts cash, check and credit card payments.
Parking is free for shows on Friday through Sunday night. For shows on Tuesday through Thursday night, parking permits are required and can be purchased at dispensers in parking lots on campus.
For more information, contact the box office at 559.278.2216 or universitytheatre@csufresno.edu.
(Story by Miguel A. Gastelum)
