Bentley Directs 'A Raisin in the Sun'
10/05/2024
Guest artist Kathryn Bentley recently directed a successful production of Lorraine Hansberry's 'A Raisin in the Sun.'
Set on Chicago’s South Side, Lorraine Hansberry's celebrated play concerns the divergent dreams and conflicts in three generations of the Younger family. 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.
Â鶹´«Ã½ the Director
Kathryn has an extensive career as an actor, director and arts educator. She has performed with companies such as Portland Stage, Cleveland Playhouse, Buffalo Studio Arena and The St. Louis Black Repertory Company. A few of her directing credits include 'Love at the River’s Edge' (Shakespeare Festival St. Louis), 'Bold, Brave and Curious' (Metro Theater Company) and 'Action' (Action Art Collaborative), which she co-produced. From 2018-2021, she was the Artistic Director of Bread & Roses Missouri, directing The Workers’ Theater Project and the company’s first full length productions of 'Jailbird' in 2019 and the radio drama 'Mrs. Palmer’s Honey' in 2021.
She is a 2002 Fellow of the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission (RAC) Community Arts Training Institute, and currently serves on their advisory board. In 2014, she was one of the inaugural recipients of the RAC Artist Fellowship and in 2020 she received the Outstanding Working Artist St. Louis Visionary Award. Kathryn is a Professor Emeritus of SIUE and a Certified Diversity FaciliTrainer/Cultural Sensitivity Specialist. As the Founder and Curator of The Alaiyo Collective, she is dedicated to developing new creative works and community-engaged arts collaborations utilizing inclusive theater practices. Kathryn strives to create compassionate artistic experiences, using theater to lift social consciousness.
A Black family sits in their living room with the matriarch looking happily at her
gift of a hat
Director's Note
It is an absolute honor to celebrate Lorraine Hansberry’s brilliant work. 65 years ago, 'A Raisin in the Sun' was produced on Broadway, bringing voice to overlooked Black lives that had previously only been shown in gross stereotypes. I have immense gratitude for Lorraine Hansberry’s vision. This play was pivotal to my development as an artist and now the opportunity to share this work with a new generation of scholar-artivists is truly inspiring.
I am so grateful to this cast and for their willingness to take on this masterpiece! We have had rich family meetings where we discussed everything from the grief that the Younger family is experiencing to what was happening in the world, in Chicago, in the 1950’s. We discussed how some aspects of being Black in America have not changed—how we are still dealing with issues like racism and redlining. We discussed what it means to have a dream deferred.
In addition to the students—Maiah, Dwayne, Mayokun, Sena, Martin, Tony, Jake, Madelyn and our youngest actor, Jackson—I have heartfelt gratitude for the professional actors who have been part of this journey. Much thanks Anita, Alex and LaWanda for the talent, mentorship, and generous spirit you have offered to this experience.
Thank you to the designers: Joe, Anjle, AhSa-Ti, Denisse and all of the SLU team for your creativity and collaborative energy!
This entire process has been one of love—a recognition of life’s complex challenges and a celebration of Black joy, family, forgiveness, and dreams. And for that, I am grateful.
I invite you to receive this work in the spirit of celebratory reverence in which it was created.
Kathryn Bentley
Upcoming Productions
Up next, SLU Theatre & Dance proudly presents 'Three Sisters,' adapted and directed by Theatre & Dance Program Director Lucy Cashion.
This original adaption follows the lives of Olga, Masha, and Irina, who yearn to return to Moscow. Set in a small Russian town, the play delves into their struggles with unfulfilling relationships and the passage of time. Despite their dreams, the sisters find themselves stuck, reflecting the broader sense of disillusionment in Russian society at the time. Through rich characters and poignant dialogue, 'Three Sisters' offers a timeless exploration of human longing and the quest for purpose. This production is sponsored by Tom and Kathy Day
The cast features SLU students James Bryce, Madeline Chatham, Celeste Gardner, Owen Gillming, David Joseph, Aadi Kadam, Jordan Miller, Madelyn Purcell, Jake Santhuff, Shahin Shamsipour, Alexia Thornton, and Lottie Wheeler.
Free tickets are available for SLU students at the door, subject to availability. General admission tickets are $10. Non-SLU students, faculty and staff, and groups of 10 receive a discount of $5 per ticket. Advance tickets are available through Metrotix.