“A RAISIN IN THE SUN” REVIEW

by Sydney Lawson
The entire crowd stands as the cast bows, and Mrs. Gina Alvarado-Otero grins and claps her hands in excitement, they leave the stage — the thundering applause echoing behind them.
“I sometimes beat myself up afterwards,” she says in regards to her being so hard on the cast during rehearsals, “but this is a really hard industry.” Mrs. Alvarado feels that she would have been doing her students and cast a disservice if she didn’t work them to their full potential while she had the opportunity. Gina and Mrs. Tammy O’Donnell worked tirelessly to put this piece of art on stage, and oh has their work paid off.
Gina dances a bit in her stage manager’s chair, laughing into the headset she wears and smiles, gushing with pride from everyone’s hard work. She thanks the crew over and over, while congratulating the cast. Gina’s love for her students is more than apparent as she rushes to the dressing room in thanks, staring at the cast almost in tears.
The road to the opening day of “A Raisin in the Sun” was a long one. It was rough, sleep-depriving, stressful, and extremely irritating. The arrival, however, was nothing short of smooth, fresh-faced, and full of the youthful dramatic charm we have become accustomed to witnessing from the students and faculty of Prince George’s Community College. The show was nothing short of moving and, at times, hit so close to home that you leaned in closer just to keep the feeling going.
The beautifully designed 1950s set and lights were completely authentic, right down to the water-stained walls and crappy refrigerator. The furniture was properly spent, shabby and worn. The lights were moody and specific, with the skyline of inner-city Chicago hanging hauntingly in the background. Strong moments, such as Mama’s final exit, were accentuated by a special light that left the entire apartment shrouded in darkness. As she clutched her precious plant, the one light casted a strange halo over her long-awaited moment of peace. The music was wonderful. Billie Holiday and warm gospel sounds filled the theatre and cemented an already drowned audience in the world of Mama Younger and her family’s struggle for survival.
Sha’ahn (Ruth Younger), Freddie Bryant III (Bobo), and Jane Talbert (Mrs. Johnson) are completely new to the stage. Though this epic historically immortal show was their first production, you couldn’t tell. These scene-stealers are naturals, holding their own among veterans like Gina Boyd (Mama Younger), Demetrius Green (Walter Lee) and Samantha Smith (Beneatha Younger), creating a smooth and lilting world that swept you up and didn’t let you down until the lights came up. The cast created characters so real, you half expected them to almost notice you were watching their lives.
Speaking of which, Ms. Gina Boyd, 24, and NOT a senior citizen, stole the show with her slight limp, charmingly cracked voice, and quietly powerful presence. “It will be strange to see her play someone her own age,” a crewmember backstage mentioned, “she plays this part so well.” Indeed she does.
Demetrius Green set the bar as Walter Lee, putting himself so into character that he literally bloodied his knees every night of rehearsal falling to them while delivering one of the most moving monologues in the entire play.
Samantha Smith strutted her stuff as Beneatha. She almost brought the audience to tears as she pled with Mama, after listening to her brother admit to practically selling his soul for money. Hardly needing to step too far out of her own character to play her, Samantha brings a strange sense of fragility to the intensely opinionated Beneatha. “My mom thinks I am just like her,” she laughs.
The play was an intense rollercoaster ride, bringing the audience to laughter one moment and tensed silence the next.
“This is a monster of a play,” a representative of the Kennedy Center National College Theatre Festival admitted, “This is something I wouldn’t even attempt in grad school.” The compliment was not lost on his audience as he addressed the cast and crew after the show to discuss his viewing experience. “I really enjoyed myself, and I would never say something I didn’t mean.” Thank you oh so very much sir.
The cast nodded gratefully, pulling their coats on to either celebrate or fall into bed for a very, well-deserved rest.