Three Leeds students have been cast in a fresh new staging of A Raisin in the Sun by acclaimed director Tinuke Craig (Trouble in Butetown, Jitney, Crave, The Color Purple), which premieres at Leeds Playhouse next month before going on a national tour.
The role of Travis will be performed in Leeds and at Oxford Playhouse by Jayden Dias, Josh Ndlovu and Adiel Magaji – all members of the Youth Theatre at Leeds Playhouse.
Eleanor Manners, Youth Theatre Director at the Playhouse, said: “I’m so excited for these three young actors – they are all super performers! I’m also excited to see the incredible progress they will make through this process. Working with director Tinuke Craig and this wonderful creative team will be really special for them.
“It’s rare that young people get the priceless opportunity to work on their skills in such a concentrated way. I’m sure they will come back to Youth Theatre after being in a professional show with new energy, confidence and skills that will inspire other members and further enrich the whole group.”
Jayden, Josh and Adiel will be working with top-flight professional actors in Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking and challenging play – the first play by a Black woman on Broadway. It’s not the first time that Jayden and Josh have performed at the Playhouse. They shared the role of Fleance in director Amy Leach’s brutal, bold and beautiful production of Macbeth earlier this year.
Jayden Dias, 14, a student at Cockburn School, said: “I am grateful for this role and feel like it will be another big challenge, opportunity and responsibility; one I need to grab with both hands. Macbeth was an unforgettable experience. It taught me so much about stage performance and that successful performances require actors to work as a team. The play was a big success and the fact that the cast felt like a big family helped me get into the spirit and contribute positively.”
Josh Ndlovu, 14, a student at Trinity Academy, said: “I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to play back-to-back roles at the Playhouse. When I go on stage it’s like a dream that I never want to wake up from. Being part of the Youth Theatre has really helped me feel at ease when auditioning. The staff are extremely welcoming – the Playhouse is a real wonder!”
Adiel Magaji, 13, is a student at Allerton High School and is a member of the Playhouse’s satellite Youth Theatre at RJC in Chapeltown. His previous work includes The Midwich Cuckoos on Sky Atlantic and Andy And The Band on CBBC.
He said: “A Raisin in the Sun shines brightly because it is a mighty symbol of perseverance and courage. I am ecstatic to be a part of a play with this much meaning.”
A Raisin in the Sun is a Headlong, Leeds Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse co-production of this classic family drama full of humour and heart that remains relevant and powerful in a world still divided by inequality.
In a rented apartment on Chicago’s South Side, the Younger family is full of hope, dreams, grief, and big plans. Their beloved father has died, and the money from his life insurance policy could change their lives. Mama wants to put down roots in a home of her own. Her daughter Beneatha has her heart set on becoming a doctor. But her son Walter Lee thinks the money is his to spend — and he’s willing to sacrifice his values and his family to get what he wants. Each must face what it means to escape the confines of a segregated society. How do you create a meaningful life in a world designed to keep you down?
Leeds Playhouse offers lots of opportunities for young people, including Youth Theatre at the Playhouse and its satellite centres at RJC in Chapeltown and DAZL in Middleton, holiday courses, and drop-in sessions for young refugees and asylum seekers. Click here to find out more.
Listings info
Leeds Playhouse, Headlong, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith and Nottingham Playhouse production
A Raisin in the Sun
Courtyard Theatre, Leeds Playhouse
13-28 September
Age 14+
Box office 0113 213 7700
Book online leedsplayhouse.org.uk
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