Digital Theatre+ adds fresh resources for A Raisin in the Sun to support students across the US and UK

Image credit: Ikin Yum

Digital Theatre+ has made new teaching resources available for Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, offering educators in the United States and United Kingdom access to exclusive materials including scene extracts, cast interviews, and supporting resources.

These additions are designed to enhance students’ understanding of Hansberry’s play through a mix of live performance footage and contextual learning tools.

The resources are drawn from the 2024 production directed by Tinuke Craig, a collaboration between Headlong, Leeds Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, and Nottingham Playhouse. Key scenes were recorded live and paired with cast interviews and educational materials to support classroom discussions on literature, theatre, and social justice.

First staged on Broadway in 1959, A Raisin in the Sun was the first play by a Black woman to appear on the Broadway stage. It has since become a significant text in education, exploring themes of racial inequality, economic hardship, and generational aspiration.

The addition of A Raisin in the Sun to Digital Theatre+ comes at a time when the play remains widely studied in U.S. schools, particularly in grades 9 to 11, where it features on many state reading lists and aligns with Common Core standards. While it is not currently part of the main GCSE or A-Level set texts in the UK, it is often used in enrichment contexts, particularly in drama and theatre studies or when exploring civil rights and American literature.

Supporting curriculum delivery

Clare Turner, CEO of Digital Theatre+, stated:

“We are thrilled to bring key scene extracts and cast interviews from Tinuke Craig's fantastic production of A Raisin in the Sun to Digital Theatre+ users in the US and UK. Our mission is to provide every teacher with dynamic, engaging resources that will light up their classrooms, and today’s announcement is a perfect example of how we are achieving that goal.”

Holly Race Roughan, Artistic Director of Headlong, added:

“Headlong is delighted to be collaborating with Digital Theatre on A Raisin in the Sun. It’s thrilling to see scenes from Tinuke Craig’s exceptional production continue to live on this platform, ensuring Hansberry’s vital story remains accessible to students internationally.”

The new package includes eight recorded scene extracts such as “Lena and Ruth Discuss the Insurance” and “Mr. Lindner Hears the Youngers’ Decision,” alongside interviews with cast members including Solomon Israel, Doreene Blackstock, and Joséphine-Fransilja Brookman. These are supported by written and e-learning materials aimed at comparative analysis, historical context, and performance interpretation.

Educators with existing DT+ subscriptions can access the content via edu.digitaltheatreplus.com. Schools without a subscription can request further information through the Digital Theatre+ website.