Theater
Hansberry’s triumph ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ winningly revived at Arena Stage
Lesbian-penned classic is Chicago-set African-American classic
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2017/04/Dawn_Ursula_and_Will_Cobbs_in_A_Raisin_in_the_Sun_460x470_courtesy_C_Stanley_Photography.jpg)
![Arena Raisin, gay news, Washington Blade](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2017/04/Dawn_Ursula_and_Will_Cobbs_in_A_Raisin_in_the_Sun_insert_courtesy_C_Stanley_Photography.jpg)
Dawn Ursula, left, as Ruth Younger and Will Cobbs as Walter in āA Raisin in the Sunā at Arena Stage. (Photo courtesy C. Stanley Photography)
āA Raisin in the SunāĀ
Through May 7
Arena Stage
1101 Sixth St., S.W.
$40-111
202-488-3300
āA Raisin in the Sunā is a family drama thatās both intimate and epic. Set solely in a cramped tenement apartment on Chicagoās Southside, playwright Lorraine Hansberryās groundbreaking 1959 work explores the struggles of the African-American Younger family as they bump up against racism, classicism and conflicting ambitions.
After presenting definitive works by playwrights Lillian Hellman and Joan Didion, Arena Stage is now nearing the close of its season with Hansberryās classic.Ā Staged in the round by Tazewell Thompson, whoās internationally known for directing both theater and opera, the production crackles with compelling performances, particularly New York actress Lizan Mitchell who plays Lena Younger, the aging family matriarch. Sheās not the lumbering Lena found in many interpretations but rather a feisty, slender woman, filled with humor and concern. Her phenomenal portrayal embodies the characterās southern sharecropper roots along with her more modern city experience.
The play opens almost like any other Younger morning with family members readying for school and work, and jockeying to be the next to get into the hall bathroom they share with neighbors. But this day is different because thereās talk of a big check expected in the post. Through death, Mr. Younger, a lifelong laborer, has offered his family opportunity. As the story unfolds, dreams that hopefully wonāt be deferred are revealed: new home, new business and medical school.
Restless and angry, Lenaās son Walter Lee (Will Cobbs) wants to use the money to buy a liquor store. At 35, heās tired of chauffeuring businessmen and wants to become one himself. His affected but charming sister Beneatha (the delightful Joy Jones) expects some of the money to go toward her medical school tuition. But Lena and Walter Leeās wife Ruth (played as tired but cheerful by local actor Dawn Ursula) wouldnāt mind a nice little house where Ruthās young son Travis (Jeremiah Hasty) would have a bedroom.
The Youngerās shabby two-bedroom apartment is a character in itself. Designer Donald Eastman does his best to create a cramped space defined by heavy worn furniture in Arenaās cavernous Fichlander Stage. Lena and Walter Sr. took the flat early in their marriage with the idea of staying for one year, but life took hold, time passed and they never left. Itās a rat trap says Ruth, but Lenaās relationship with her home is more complicated. For her, itās a safe, memory-filled haven where she is called mama and her word is law. Itās where suitors call for her daughter Beneatha whoās currently juggling George Murchison (Keith L. Royal Smith), an assimilated bougie college student, and Asagai (Bueka Uwemedimo), a far-thinking Nigerian intellectual. And itās where Walter Leeās pal Bobo (Mack Leamon) and the rare white visitor Mr. Linder (Thomas Adrian Simpson) come separately to deliver bad news.
The mood is further set with Fabian Obispoās original jazz music, and Harry Nadalās costumes: Georgeās white bucks, Walter Leeās cool jacket and Beneathaās slim skirts.
After seeing āA Raisin in the Sunā on Broadway, famed gay African American-writer James Baldwin was impressed by his pal Hansberryās effort: “Never before, in the entire history of the American theater, had so much of the truth of black people’s lives been seen on the stage.” Others took note too. At 29, Hansberry was the first black playwright and the youngest American to win a New York Critics’ Circle award.
But it wasnāt until long after her tragically premature death from cancer at 34 that the groundbreaking playwright was revealed to be gay. In various letters she wrote to the Ladder, the first subscription-based lesbian publication in the United States, she touched on the interconnected struggles of women, lesbians and African Americans, and describes herself as a “heterosexually married lesbian.ā
Arenaās production plumbs both the well-made, sometimes-sentimental playās crowd-pleasing aspects ā mostly relatable family and generational squabbles ā and the sting of its equally relevant and searing contemporary social issues. But on exiting the theater into the night, mostly youāll remember mama.
Theater
Stephen Mark Lukas makes sublime turn in āFunny Girlā
Updated take at Kennedy Center features fabulous score
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2024/06/Stephen_Mark_Lukas_insert_courtesy_Stephen_Mark_Lukas.jpg)
āFunny Girlā
Through July 14
The Kennedy Center
$49-$189
Kennedy-center.org
With his striking good looks and sublime singing voice, out actor Stephen Mark Lucas is the ideal musical theater leading man, a title he both nails and thoroughly enjoys.Ā
Heās played Elder Price in “The Book of Mormon” both on Broadway and on tour, and regionally, heās wowed audiences performing classic parts like Sky Masterson in “Guys and Dolls,” Joe Hardy in “Damn Yankees,” Lancelot in “Camelot,” and Curly in “Oklahoma.ā
Heās now playing Nick Arnstein, the love interest of Katerina McCrimmonās Fanny Brice in the national tour of the Broadway revival of āFunny Girl.ā Composed by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, itās the musical story of comedian Briceās rise from anonymity to stardom via vaudeville, Ziegfeld Follies, radio, and some film. While cementing the Brice legend, the show also became inextricably linked to Barbra Streisand through the 1964 Broadway hit and later movie musical that made her a star.
When we meet Arnstein, a suave, mustachioed gambler, he seems on top of the world, but that soon proves otherwise. Lukas says, āHe serves as a bit of an antagonist, but his shortcomings are what pave the way for Fannyās triumphant ending.ā
Certainly, the show still features fabulous tuneful hits like “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.ā But now thereās an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, which strives to make Arnstein a little more likeable, he says.
Lukas, who understudied Ramin Karimloo as Nick while on Broadway before taking the part on tour, says, āMy character exists in relation to Fanny. The musical is her memories. So, the way I do the role has a lot to do with the actor whoās playing Fanny. So far there have been six including the well-received Lea Michele.āĀ
The quality of Fannyās ambition is stronger in the first act while the second act spotlights the demise of her romantic life with Nick, something audiences donāt always anticipate, says Lukas.
He says McCrimmon captures the blind ambition of the younger Fanny, adding, āher voice is out of this world. People arenāt prepared for what she brings to the part vocally. Sheās young yet possesses an old Hollywood quality, and she gets the humor of the role. My favorite song is a duet added to the second act. Itās really beautiful.ā
Lukas says heās never had a problem playing straight romantic characters, explaining that his acting takes care of that.
He has noticed that over the years the business has changed from more of a ādonāt ask donāt tellā policy to something freer: āWhen I started in the profession, it was a different time. The public perception of queerness for actors has changed.ā
For instance, Lukas is very open about his longtime relationship with former Broadway dancer Brian Letendre ā the pair are slated to tie the knot after the āFunny Girlā tour ends.
Most of his roles have dealt with masculinity in some way, says Lukas. āA lot of characters I play start with confidence and unravel as the show goes on. What does it mean to be a man? What is masculinity? What does it mean to be a husband and a father?ā
Growing up in Kennebunkport, Maine, he enjoyed annual visits to New York to see Broadway shows. He boarded at the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, and studied theater at NYU. Heās remained based in New York City thereafter.
His life on the road is enjoyable yet disciplined. Lukas says, āthe spaces where we perform are interesting for this show in particular. āFunny Girlā is in many ways a show about theater, and we play some of the old vaudeville theaters and movie palaces where Fanny Brice in fact performed.ā
While moving from town to town, Lukas takes care of his voice. He makes sure to eat and sleep well, and works out regularly as evidenced by his impressive build. He also prioritizes visits with his partner whenever possible.
āThese older book musicals are character driven and have great scores,ā says Lukas. āItās what makes them relevant today. On the surface they might feel dated, but thereās also the contemporary humor and romance.ā
Whatās more, the work is never stagnant, he adds.
āIncreasingly, I approach the work as an actor first and thatās what informs the singing; itās that intersection that goes from scene into song, and that makes a difference.ā
Theater
Sophie Zmorrod embracing life on the road in āKite Runnerā
First national tour comes to Eisenhower Theater on June 25
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2024/06/Sophie_Zmorrod_insert_courtesy_Sophie_Zmorrod.jpg)
āThe Kite Runnerā
June 25 – 30
The Kennedy Center
$39-$149
Kennedy-center.org
Newly single, Sophie Zmorrod is enjoying life on the road in the first national tour of āThe Kite Runner,ā Matthew Spanglerās play with music based on Khaled Hosseini’s gripping novel about damaged relationships and longed for redemption.
āItās a wonderful time for me,ā says Zmorrod. āIām past the breakup pain and feeling empowered to explore new cities. A lot of us in the cast are queer, so we figure out the scene wherever the show goes.ā
Whatās more, the New York-based actor has fallen in love with the work. āI love how the playās central character Amir is flawed. He is our antihero. He has faults. As a privileged boy in Kabul, he bears witness to his best friendās assault and doesnāt intervene. He lives with that guilt for decades and gets that redemption in the end.ā
āHe does what he can to right wrongs. For me whoās regretted things, and wished I could go back in time, it resonates. Watching someone forgive themselves and do the right thing is beautiful.ā
Via phone from Chicago (the tourās stop before moving on to Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater on June 25), Zmorrod, whose background is Lebanese, happily chats about sexuality, ethnicity, and acting.
WASHINGTON BLADE: Looking at your resume, I see youāve been cast in roles traditionally played by men. And have you played queer characters?
SOPHIE ZMORROD: Oh yes, both. Whether or not theyāre written on the page as queer, they sometimes turn out that way. And that holds true for this show too.
With āThe Winterās Taleā at Trinity Rep, I played Leontes ā the king who banishes his wife ā as a woman. So, in that production it was about two women and touched on the violence that women sometimes inflict on other women.
And there was Beadle Bamford in Sondheimās āSweeney Toddā also at Trinity Rep; I played him as a woman who was masculine and wore a suit. It was a great opportunity to explore myself and gender expression. That was a really good experience.
BLADE: Are you an actor whoās often be called in for queer roles?
ZMORROD: Not really. Iām what you might call straight passing. Sometimes Iāve had to advocate for my queerness. To be a part of something.Ā
Similarly with my ethnicity. Iām called in to audition for the white and Arab roles. It gets tricky because Iām not the exactly the white girl next door and Iām not exactly Jasmine from Disneyās āAladdinā either.
This is one of the reasons, I really want people to come see āThe Kite Runner,ā Audiences need to experience the reality of the wide diversity of Middle Eastern people on the stage. Weāre all very different.
And not incidentally, from this 14-person cast, Iāve met some great people to add to those I know from the Middle Eastern affinity spaces and groups Iām connected to in New York.
BLADE: In āThe Kite Runnerā what parts do you play?
Ā ZMORROD: Three characters. All women, I think. In the first act, Iām an elderly eccentric pomegranate seller in the Afghan market, waddling around, speaking in Dari [the lingua franca of Afghanistan]; and the second act, Iām young hip and sell records in a San Francisco market; and at the end, Iām a buttoned-down American immigration bureaucrat advising Amir about adoption.
BLADE: Your training is impressive: BA cum laude in music from Columbia University, an MFA in acting from Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company, and youāre also accomplished in opera and playwrighting, to name a few things. Does āThe Kite Runnerā allow you to flex your many muscles?
ZMORROD: Very much. Playing multiple roles is always fun for an actor ā we like malleability. Also, there are instruments on stage. I like working with the singing bowl; itās usually used in yoga as a soothing sound, but here we save it for the dramatic, uncomfortable moments. I also sing from offstage.
We are creating the world of the play on a very minimal set. Oh, and we do kite flying. So yeah, lots of challenges. Itās great.
BLADE: It sounds like youāre in a good place both professionally and personally.
ZMORROD: Itās taken a long time to feel comfortable. But Iām on the journey and excited to be where I am, and who I am.
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2024/06/77th-annual-Tony-Awards.jpg)
It was a banner night for queer theater artists at the 77thĀ annual Tony Awards, honoring the best in Broadway theater at the Lincoln Center in New York on Sunday. Some of the biggest honors of the night went to the revival of the Stephen Sondheim musicalĀ “Merrily We Roll Along”Ā and the dance-musical based on Sufjan Stephensā albumĀ “Illinoise.“
“Merrily We Roll Along,” which follows three friends as their lives change over the course of 20 years, told in reverse chronological order, picked up the awards for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Orchestrations.Ā
Out actor Jonathan Groff picked up his first Tony Award for his leading role as Franklin Shepard in the show, while his costar Daniel Radcliffe earned his first Tony Award for featured performance as Charley Kringas.
Groff gave a heartfelt and teary acceptance speech about how he used to watch the Tony Awards as a child in Lancaster County, Pa.
āThank you for letting me dress up like Mary Poppins when I was three,ā he said to his parents in the audience. āEven if they didnāt understand me, my family knew the life-saving power of fanning the flame of a young personās passions without judgment.ā
Groff also thanked the everyone in the production of “Spring Awakening,” where he made his Broadway debut in 2006, for inspiring him to come out at the age of 23.
āTo actually be able to be a part of making theatre in this city, and just as much to be able to watch the work of this incredible community has been the greatest pleasure of my life,ā he said.
This was Groffās third Tony nomination, having been previously nominated for his leading role inĀ “Spring Awakening”Ā and for his featured performance as King George III inĀ “Hamilton.”Ā
Radcliffe, who is best known for starring in theĀ “Harry Potter”Ā series of movies, has long been an ally of the LGBTQ community, and has recently been known to spar withĀ “Harry Potter” creator JK Rowling over her extreme opposition to trans rights on social media and in interviews. It was Radcliffeās first Tony nomination and win.
Lesbian icon Sarah Paulson won her first Tony Award for her starring role in the playĀ “Appropriate,” about a family coming to terms with the legacy of their slave-owning ancestors as they attempt to sell their late fatherās estate. It was her first nomination and win.
In her acceptance speech, she thanked her partner Holland Taylor āfor loving me.ā Along with Paulsonās Emmy win forĀ “American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson,” she is halfway to EGOT status.
The Sufjan Stephens dance-musicalĀ “Illinoise,” based on his album of the same name, took home the award for Best Choreography for choreographer Justin Peck. It was his second win.
During the ceremony, the cast ofĀ “Illinoise”Ā performed āThe Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us!ā, a moving dance number about a queer romance.
A big winner of the night was the adaptation of the S.E. Hinton novelĀ “The Outsiders,” which dominated the musical categories, earning Best Director, Sound Design, Lighting Design, and Best Musical, which earned LGBTQ ally Angelina Jolie her first Tony Award.
Also a big winner wasĀ “Stereophonic,” which dominated the play categories, winning the awards for Best Play, Featured Actor, Director, Sound Design, and Scenic Design.
“Suffs,” a musical about the fight for womenās suffrage in the U.S., which acknowledges the lesbian relationship that suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt had in song called āIf We Were Married,ā took home awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Score, both for creator Shaina Taub.Ā
HadĀ “Suffs”Ā also won for Best Musical, producers Hilary Clinton and Malala Yousafzai would have won their first Tony Awards.Ā
Other winners include Maleah Joi Moon for her lead role and Kecia Lewis for her featured role in the Alicia Keys musicalĀ “Hellās Kitchen,” Jeremy Strong for his lead role inĀ An Enemy of the People, and Kara Young for her featured role inĀ “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch.”
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