Goodman plans major Lorraine Hansberry celebration

She was just 34 years old when she died of pancreatic cancer in 1965. But Chicago-bred Lorraine Hansberry had already left an indelible imprint on the American theater with her landmark 1959 drama, “A Raisin in the Sun,” which was the first play by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway, and which was subsequently translated into more than three dozen languages and performed worldwide.

Hansberry (the inspiration for Nina Simone’s song “To Be Young, Gifted and Black”) would go on to write another play, “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window,” a quasi-autobiographical tale of her bohemian life in Greenwich Village, which ran for 101 performances on Broadway, and closed the night she died. Now, that quasi-autobiographical play is about to receive a rare revival at the Goodman Theatre (April 30 – June 5), under the direction of Obie Award-winner Anne Kauffman. The production also will serve as the catalyst for a citywide celebration of Hansberry’s life and legacy that will include everything from a South Side bus tour to the neighborhoods she knew, to scholarly discussions, a Lorraine Hansberry Day (declared for May 19), and the Hansberry Awards, honoring five African American women from Chicago who have “made indelible impacts on the American theater.”

The Hansberry celebration, curated by Goodman resident director Chuck Smith, and running April 30 – June 5, will honor Hansberry’s life and career, focusing on the author’s Chicago roots, the forces that shaped her groundbreaking work and her legacy.

In a prepared statement, Smith, who directed a major revival of “A Raisin in the Sun” at the Goodman in 2000, said: “During her all-too-brief life and career, Lorraine Hansberry left an indelible mark on the American theater. It has been an honor and a pleasure to curate the celebration of this great literary giant—one of my personal heroes. The rich history of the Hansberry family in Chicago is always worthy of discussion. Since performances of ‘The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window’ are scheduled throughout May, the month of Lorraine’s birth, a celebration seemed in order. Highlights include exploring Lorraine’s lesser-known works like ‘Les Blancs’ and ‘To Be Young, Gifted and Black’.”

Here is a closer look at the Hansberry celebration events, all of which will take place at the Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, unless otherwise noted. For additional information call (312) 443-3800 or visit http://www.GoodmanTheatre.org.

+ Production of “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” (April 30 – June 5), which follows the title character in the Greenwich Village of 1964—a magnet for ideals and activism of every stripe. Brustein’s apartment is the gathering place for an eclectic group of bohemians during a time of rapid change, but as Sidney becomes increasingly swept up in the radical issues of the day, he ignores the equally dangerous tension mounting between himself and his wife Iris, the one person he holds most dear. Tickets ($25 – $75).

+ The Chuck Smith Lecture Series: “In Her Own Words: The Lorraine Hansberry/Studs Terkel Interview” (May 2 at 7 p.m.; free, but reservations required): Following the historic Broadway premiere of “A Raisin in the Sun,” legendary Chicago journalist Studs Terkel spoke with Lorraine Hansberry, resulting in one of her most incisive and personal interviews. Northwestern University professor and Hansberry scholar Harvey Young will join Chuck Smith for a discussion.

+ Artist Encounter: “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” (May 8 at 5 p.m.; $5 for the general public; free for subscribers, donors and students): Director Anne Kauffman and Joi Gresham, executive director of the Lorraine Hansberry Literary Trust, will discuss the complex historical, political and social themes of Hansberry’s final play.

+ Scholar Discussion: “A Raisin in the Sun” and “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” (May 10 at 7 p.m.; free but reservations required): Harvey Young analyzes Lorraine Hansberry’s first and last plays, focusing on the author’s social activism and the political movements each work predicted. Noted Chicago actors will read excerpts from each play.

+ Carl Hansberry: His World and Legacy, A Bus Tour of South Side Chicago (May 14 with 10:30 a.m. departure from the Goodman Theatre. The tour, which will last approximately two hours is $15 for the general public; $10 for subscribers, donors and students.) Architecture critic and writer Lee Bey will lead a bus tour of the South Side neighborhoods where Hansberry grew up, and will tell the inspiring story of her father, realtor and activist Carl Hansberry, and his fight against some of the most restrictive housing laws in the country.

+ Scholar Discussion: “The Drinking Gourd” and “What Use Are Flowers?” (May 16 at 7 p.m.; free but reservations required): Director and writer Coya Paz will lead an in-depth look at two of Hansberry’s un-produced works – the teleplays “The Drinking Gourd” and “What Use Are Flowers?” The evening will feature excerpts from these rarely-performed works, as well as contextual discussions of race, justice and the power artists hold to incite change.

+ Scholar Discussion: “Les Blancs” (Tuesday, May 17 at 7 p.m. at the Arts Incubator, 301 E. Garfield; free, but reservations required): Completed after her death, and not performed until 1970, “Les Blancs” is Hansberry’s complex chronicle of race, oppression and an Africa on the brink of colonial revolt. It will be discussed by Northwestern University professor Ivy Wilson, author of “Specters of Democracy: Blackness and the Aesthetics of Nationalism.” Scenes from the play will be performed by local actors.

+ “Lorraine Hansberry Day” (May 19, with activities at the Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement, Goodman Theatre; free, but reservations required): On what would have been her 86^th birthday, the City of Chicago and Mayor Rahm Emanuel will proclaim May 19 as “Lorraine Hansberry Day” in Chicago in honor of her life, legacy and impact on the city of Chicago and the American theater. Check the Goodman website for activities on this day including a free screening of “A Raisin in the Sun.”

+ Scholar Discussion: To Be Young, Gifted and Black: How Much Has Changed? (May 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Harold Washington Library Pritzker Auditorium, 400 S. State; free, but reservations required): Director and critic Dani Snyder-Young explores Hansberry’s autobiography in an interactive analysis of the playwright’s background as it relates to contemporary urban education, intersections between race and class and the ways in which African American women learn to navigate public life. Excerpts from the book will be performed by playwright and actor Lydia R. Diamond.

+ The Lorraine Hansberry Awards, hosted by Chuck Smith and Woodie King, Jr.(May 24 at 7 p.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington; free, but reservations required and there is limited availability): Presented by Chuck Smith, New Federal Theatre artistic director Woodie King, Jr. and members of the Hansberry family, these one-time-only awards honor the unique cultural contributions of five Lorraine Hansberry contemporaries—African American women who were raised and educated in Chicago, and who went on to make indelible impacts on the American theater. The honorees include: Micki Grant, singer, actress and composer; Lynn Hamilton, actress; Shauneille Perry, playwright and director; Dr. Glory Van Scott, actress, dancer and educator and Camille Yarbrough, musician, actress, poet, producer and activist.