Ruth Younger- I chose Taraji P. Henson to play Ruth Younger because Ruth was pretty but is now very tired with the life she lives. Taraji is a very pretty actress but has played the role of the tired wife before. Taraji is 40 years old, but could pass for a woman in her 30's. Ruth is a strong woman who not only stands by her man, but her entire family. She’s willing to do anything for them. She’s even willing to get an abortion because they can’t afford another mouth to feed, and don’t have space for another person in their apartment. In Act 2 Scene 1 Mama tells Walter " When the world gets ugly enough a woman will do anything for her family. The part that's already living." This describes Ruth well.
She can sense that something is going wrong in her relationship with Walter, and she tries so hard to stop it. In Act 2 Scene 1 she says to Walter, “Honey why cant you stop fighting me ?" She goes against her own opinion of Walters' dream of opening a liquor store, and tries to take her husband's side although she doesn’t agree with him. In Act 1 Scene 1 she tells Mama “ No, Mama, something's happening between Walter and me. I don’t know what it is but he needs something ,something I cant' give him anymore. He needs this chance, Lena.” Ruth knows something is wrong between her and Walter and desperately wants to fix it.
Lena Younger “Mama”- I chose Loretta Divine to play Mama because she's also in her 60’s and has played the caring, moral, religious (Christian) , loving mother well. Mama is a strong woman who takes pride in her children. She tries to do what's best for everyone in her family. She would do anything she possibly could to make her family happy. She even bought a house for her growing family with her husband’s insurance money, which is all that’s left of him.
She knows that Walters dreams are eating at him. In Act 2 Scene 2 she tells Walter “ There ain’t nothing worth holding on to, money, dreams, nothing else if it means , if it means it’s going to destroy my boy…” Since his dream of owning a liquor store is destroying him she gives him sixty- five hundred dollars of the insurance money. Three thousand of it is for Beneatha’s medical schooling. This shows that she supports both Walter and Beneatha's dreams. Also by doing this Mama is proving to Walter that she trusts him as the " head of the household." She realized that that's where the problem was. Walter wanted to be the "head of the household" and she gave that to him.
Walter Lee- I chose Blair Underwood to play Walter because I feel he would play the role well. Underwood is in his 30’s , and as good looking as Walter. Walter struggles to remain sane throughout the play. He thinks fast money will solve his families problems. He so involved is his dream of buying the liquor store that he slowly driving himself crazy.
Its evident that he loves his son very much, and just wants to give him a better life. Throughout the play he discourages himself because his son doesn’t have a room and has to sleep on the couch. The fact that he still lives in his mother’s house with his son and wife emasculates him. In Act 1 scene 1 Walter to Ruth says “This morning, I was lookin’ in the mirror and thinking about it… I’m thirty- five years old; I been married eleven years and I got a boy who sleeps in the living room and all I got to give him is stories about how rich white people live.” Walter desperately wants to be the “head of the household”, like his father was. He demands respect and to be listened to but disrespects all the women in the house. He doesn’t stand up for one thing throughout the entire play. When Ruth was considering getting an abortion Walther didn’t stand up for her to keep the baby. Mama did. Yet at the end of the play, just when you think he couldn’t get any worse he stands up for something and becomes a man. In Act 3 he says to Mr. Lindner “And we have decided to move into our house because my father earned it for us brick by brick…”
Beneatha- I chose Sanaa Lathan to play Beneatha because Lathan has played wonderful “intellectual” roles. Although Lathan is a little older than Beneatha she can pull it off. She is not as pretty as Ruth once was, but she has this energy that attracts people.
Beneatha is also very confident. She is the only person in her family to go to college. She is striving to become a doctor. In Act 3 she tells Asagai “I always thought it was one concrete thing in the world that a human being could do. Fix up the sick, you know and make them whole again.” This illuminates the passion she has toward becoming a doctor.
She is also the most educated person in the house and because of this she thinks in a different way than the rest of the characters do. She is much more open- minded. In Act 1 Scene 1 Beneatha says to Mama “ Mama, you don’t understand. It’s all a matter of ideas, and God is just one I don’t accept. It’s not important…” For the time period Beneatha lives in this is very bold of her.
Throughout the play Beneatha is searching for herself, for her identity. She's constantly changing hobbies. In Act 1 scene 1 she says “ I experiment with different forms of expression.” When Asagai tells her she's an "assimilationist" because her hair is “mutilated” she decides to change it. When she cuts it you can tell she's found herself. She found herself in her African roots. Asagai helped her find her identity and you can see how they connect in a way that her and George don’t. Through this connection to Asagai she is also connecting to her roots.
Joseph Asagai- I chose Lance Gross to play the role of Asagai because he has played the role of a polite, caring and charming boyfriend before. Asagai has strong feelings for Beneatha. In Act 1 scene 2 Asagai has a nickname for Beneatha, Alaiyo, which means " One for Whom Bread - Food Is Not Enough." This is so sweet.These feelings he has for her are evident at the end of the play when he tells her to come home to Nigeria with him to be a doctor over there. He supports her dreams, and even when she's ready to give up he talks her out of it.
He's an idealist but also is practical. He has great dreams of going back home to Nigeria and making a difference there. He also knows that he could end up dead , or he could make wrong decisions. He dreams very big, but he is practical enough to know that his dreams may not end up the way he imagines.
George Murchison- I chose Mehcad Brooks to play George's role because I feel he would play a rich stuck up role well. George is good looking but has a snotty attitude. Beneatha also describes him as "shallow." At the beginning of the play Mama, Ruth and Beneatha are talking about George. George is one of Beneatha's suitors, but you can tell by the way Beneatha describes him that she is not too fond of him. Ruth thinks George's money should be enough to make Beneatha want to marry him. Yet Beneatha knows that George doesn't support her, or her dreams and she knows they'll never get married.
George thinks the idea of Beneatha becoming a doctor is funny. He is not supportive of her dreams. This is why she wouldn't marry him. When Beneatha cuts her hair off George does not see the significance of it. In Act 2 scene 1 Beneatha calls George an "assimilationist Negro." She also goes on and says " ...is willing to give up his own culture and submerge himself completely in the dominant, and in this case oppressive culture!" He forget about his African roots, his ancestors and submerged himself in the white man world. He refers to his roots as "a bunch of raggedy- assed spirituals and some grass huts." This shows how he feels about his ancestors and also about Beneatha's identity. They don't share the special connection that she and Asagai share.
Travis Younger- I chose Sterling Ardrey because he is about eleven, just about the same age as Travis and he has such a sweet, innocent look about him. Travis is understanding. When he needs money for school he offers to carry groceries when his mom tells him they don't have it. He looks up to his father and wants to be a bus driver one day. He is a sweet, thoughtful child. In Act 2 scene 3 Travis gives his grandma a gardening hat as a gift that he bought on his own. This almost melted my heart.
Bobo- I chose Kevin Hart to play role of Bobo because Hart is a small man who usually plays characters that aren't too bright. At the very beginning of the play there's already the sense that Bobo isn't the brightest character in the play. In Act 1 scene 1 Walter asks Ruth to talk to Mama about his liquor store investment. He tells her "... I mean we figured it out, me and Willy and Bobo." Ruth replies with a frown "Bobo?" It seems like she can tell there's something wrong with the situation.
Mr. Lindner- I chose Dustin Hoffman ( in his late 30's) to play the role of Mr. Lindner because I feel Hoffman is a great actor and would do well with this role. Mr. Lindner is described as a "quiet- looking middle- aged white man." He seems kind of nervous when he enters the Youngers' apartment. Although the information he brings is horrible, and hurtful. He goes about it in a polite and kind manner. After his attempt to keep the Youngers' from moving into his community failed he doesn't curse or threaten them. In Act 2 scene 3 on his way out of the Youngers' apartment he says "You just can't force people to change their hearts,son."
WOW -- amazing job!
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