Last year, Black Rep Founder and Producing Director Ron Himes directed “A Raisin in the Sun” for the University of South Carolina.
A staple of the American theater canon, working on Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking 1959 play reminded him of its brilliance.
“Lorraine was so ahead of her time,” Himes said.
The experience also reconnected him with the Judd Woldin, Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg 1973 musical that the play inspired.
No one in the company of actors he directed knew the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation existed. He took full advantage of the teachable moment.
“There would be days when I was rehearsing and I would remember where a song went,” Himes said. “I have the songs in my playlist and I started playing the songs when we were rehearsing. I got back here and started thinking about the season, and it just stayed with me.”
“Raisin” opens The Black Rep’s 49th season this week at Washington University’s Edison Theatre – twenty years since they last staged the production. The show, directed by Himes, stars St. Louis stage favorites Anita Jackson and Duane Foster and a robust team of talented supporting players and ensemble performers. The musical will run through September 21.
“I thought, what a wonderful two for one – you get a raisin in the sun, and you get the musical,” said Himes. “So many of the issues are still prevalent. Different era, same problems.”
The story centers around a South Side Chicago family in the 1950s. Despite being place bound due to segregation and racism, the matriarch of the Younger family has been diligently saving to move her family to the suburbs. Staging the production this season has additional significance in the wake of the tornado that devastated portions of the region, historically Black neighborhoods in particular.
“It’s a lot like what we are looking at now in North St. Louis [in the aftermath of the tornado],” Himes said. “We can’t get contractors. We can’t get developers to rebuild property for the people who have lived there for generations.”
The musical – and the play – follows a Black family who is individually and collectively striving to get their piece of the American Dream.
“For Walter, it is economic freedom – to be able to build wealth for his son and the next generation following him,” Himes said. “For Beneatha, it’s to go to medical school and become a doctor. For Mama it’s to move into a nice home with a yard for her family.”
“Raisin” also comes with a cautionary tale.
“The lesson that Walter learns – and hopefully our audience learns – is that there are no shortcuts in the pursuit of success,” Himes said. “So much of it is timeless. The issues are the same. The urges are the same and the dreams are the same.”
He can’t wait for Black Rep audiences to see the 2025 staging.
“I think it is an outstanding cast, with Anita Jackson as Lena Younger and Duane Foster as Walter Lee are just doing phenomenal work,” said Himes. “Jermaine Manor is doing an amazing job as musical director. We have ten pieces in the pit.”
“Lush and delicious” is how he described the newest iteration as he sang the praises of choreographer Kirven Douthit-Boyd, scenic designer Tim Jones and costume designer Gregory Horton.
“Greg actually choreographed the production 20 years ago and is back revisiting by designing the costumes for the show,” Himes said. “People are going to have a wonderful, entertaining evening.”
On the cusp of five decades
As season 49 kicks off, so does the reality that The Black Rep will reach the milestone of 50 years next season. With the distinction, the St. Louis cultural gem will be come one of the longest continuously producing Black theatre companies in the nation.
“It is a testament to the commitment and hard work of a lot of people,” Himes said. “We started to fill a void. And unfortunately, in so many ways, the void persists.”
For Himes, the past 49 years of presenting world-class theatrical productions and related programming was achieved one day at a time.
“The focus was always about getting through the week, getting through the month, getting through the next production – one at a time,” Himes said. “Then all of a sudden you look up and you are celebrating the ten-year anniversary. Then it’s like ‘Oh, wow, we are celebrating 25.’”
He credits the tremendous support he has received – both from the artists who have helped The Black Rep maintain its reputation by sharing their gifts – and the audiences.
The approaching anniversary means new goals for the organization.
“As we turn fifty, I have been thinking about how far we have come and how far we still have to go,” Himes said.
Reflecting on the journey makes him think of the famous Andre DeShields quote, “The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next one.”
“Fifty is a major milestone, but it’s only half a century,” Himes said. “There is still another half to go.”
The Black Rep’s 49th season opening production ‘Raisin’ will run through September 21 at Washington University’s Edison Theatre, 6465 Forsyth Blvd. For more information, visit www.theblackrep.org or call 314.534.3807.
Living It content is produced with funding by the ARPA for the Arts grants program in partnership with the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and the Community Development Administration.
