Twenty years of experiencing A Raisin in the Sun (September 18)

Gavin with students

Caption: APT’s Gavin Lawrence coached Odyssey students in readings from A Raisin in the Sun.

Just tell me where you want to go to school and you’ll go. Just tell me what it is you want to be—and you’ll BE it. Whatever you want to be—Yessir! You just name it, son, and I hand you the world!”

—Walter in A Raisin in the Sun

For all 20 years of Odyssey’s history, our students have acted out scenes from Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, the groundbreaking story of one Black family’s struggle on Chicago’s South Side to achieve their dreams. Thanks to our partnership with American Players Theatre (APT), we will bring 150 Odyssey students to see a performance of the play for free on Sunday, September 18, at 6 p.m., including a pre-show picnic dinner and engaging conversation with APT core company member Gavin Lawrence about his iconic role as Walter Lee.

Group photo from APT

Will you join us? We have reserved an additional block of 100 tickets for Odyssey supporters. To purchase tickets and/or to donate to help cover dinner and transportation costs for Odyssey students, visit Odyssey’s 20th Anniversary. Bus tickets are also available on the APT website if you would prefer not to drive.

To sponsor this outing or discuss other funding opportunities, please contact Jenny Pressman, Odyssey’s director of development and community partnerships, at jenny.pressman@wisc.edu or 608-332-9557.