The Gallery Players Present A RAISIN IN THE SUN, Opening 3/17

The Gallery Players today announced cast and crew for Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun. Directed by Reginald L. Douglas and produced by Brian Michael Flanagan, The Gallery Players' production of this seminal American play opens Saturday March 17. 

This groundbreaking play set on Chicago's South Side revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family. 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, her son, has other plans, however: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha, her daughter, dreams of medical school. The tensions and prejudice they face form the backbone of this seminal American drama about retaining one's dignity within a harsh and changing world.

A Raisin in the Sun features Brittany Bellizeare, (Serial.Black.Face., The Living Theatre); Gil Charleston (Jitney, The Gallery Players); Gregory Cohan; Kwaku Driskell* (Jitney, The Gallery Players; Twelfth Night, The Drilling Company); Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris* (The Emperor Jones, Irish Repertory Theatre; TV: The Good Wife); Hope Harley; Shawn Herb; Ross Johnson and Arthur James Solomon* (Dream on Monkey Mountain, The Classical Theatre of Harlem) *Appearing courtesy Actor's Equity Association. 

Reginald L. Douglas directs The Gallery Players' A Raisin in the Sun. Mr. Douglas is the Co-Artistic Director of the 2012 Planet Connections Theatre Festivity and the inaugural Van Lier Directing Fellow at the Lark Play Development Center. Mr. Douglas' credits include the world premiere of Scared of Sarah by Laura Brienza, Assistant Director: Zach Braff's All New People, directed by Peter DuBois (Second Stage Theatre) and We Live Here by Zoe Kazan, directed by Sam Gold (Manhattan Theatre Club).

The producer of A Raisin in the Sun is Brian Michael Flanagan for The Gallery Players (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Bus Stop, Hamlet, The House of Blue Leaves, The Gallery Players). The production stage manger is Kristine Schlachter* (Crucible, The Gallery Players), the set designer and properties designer is Casha Jacot-Guillarmod, the technical director is Steven Brenman. Roejendra Adams designs the costumes, the
lighting is designed by Jake Fine and the sound designer is Jacob Subotnick (Macbeth, The Gallery Players; Any Given Monday, 59E59). The casting director is Destiny Lilly/Destiny Lilly Casting and the associate producer is Priya Sircar. 

A Raisin in the Sun opens Saturday, March 17 at 8pm and runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, final two Saturdays at 2 and Sundays at 3pm through Sunday, April 1. The Gallery Players will offer a special student matinee performance on Wednesday, March 28.  For more information, please contact boxoffice@galleryplayers.com or call (718) 595-0547.  A limited number of public tickets will be sold pending availability.

Tickets to A Raisin in the Sun are $18 for adults, $14 for Seniors & Children 12 and under. Individual tickets can be purchased by calling TheaterMania at (212) 352-3101, or online at www.galleryplayers.com. The Gallery Players is located at 199 14th St., between 4th and 5th Aves. in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Take the F Train to 4th Ave. or the R Train to 9th Street. By car: BQE to Hamilton Avenue to 14th Street.

A New York institution since 1967, The Gallery Players has served actors and audiences alike for more than 4 decades by showcasing burgeoning new talent and offering a home base for theater professionals. Its eclectic programming of intimate revivals and ambitious new work in inventive productions has earned it the reputation of "New York's Best Kept Secret." The Gallery Players is the recipient of the Off-Off Broadway Review's 2000 Award for Lifetime Achievement and was the recipient of New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical in 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2011 for their productions of Urinetown! the musical, Yank! A New Musical, Like You Like It and The Drowsy Chaperone. The Gallery Players' production of The Drowsy Chaperone also took home awards for Outstanding Costume Design, Choreography and Ensemble. Among the theatre's famous alumni are founding member Harvey Fierstein; Broadway regulars Nancy Anderson, Jeffry Denman and Diedre Goodwin; New York theater personality Seth Rudetsky and many others. 

The Gallery Players' 45th Season continues with Wonderful Town, April 28 - May 20, 2012 and The 15th Annual Black Box New Play Festival runs May 31-June 24, 2012. 

www.galleryplayers.com