FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS, PARTS 1, 2 & 3

Written by Suzan-Lori Parks
REGIONAL PREMIERE
September 29 – October 22, 2023

Offered his freedom if he joins his enslaver in the ranks of the Confederacy, Hero, an enslaved Black man, must choose whether to leave the woman and people he loves for what may be yet another empty promise. As his decision brings him face-to-face with a nation at war with itself, the loved ones Hero left behind debate whether to escape or wait for his return…only to discover that for Hero, free will may have come at a great spiritual cost.

Father Comes Home From the Wars is an explosively powerful drama about the mess of war, the cost of freedom, and the heartbreak of love, with all three parts seen in one night. Part 1 introduces us to Hero. In Part 2, a band of rebel soldiers test Hero’s loyalty as the cannons approach. Part 3 finds Hero’s loved ones anxiously awaiting his return.

A devastatingly beautiful dramatic work filled with music, wit, and great lyricism, Father Comes Home From the Wars is an epic tale about holding on to who we are and what we love in a country that both brings us together and rips us apart.

Finalist: 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Winner! 2015 Obie Award for Playwriting

Approximate run time: 2 hours and 50 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission.

BUY TICKETS
Subscriber & donor reservations open on August 1, 2023

A RAISIN IN THE SUN

in the Black Box Theatre
Written by Lorraine Hansberry
August 25 – September 24, 2023 (Black Box)

Set on Chicago’s South Side, Lorraine Hansberry’s celebrated play concerns the divergent dreams and conflicts in three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena.

When her deceased husband’s insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. Hansberry’s portrait of one family’s struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.

Approximate run time: 2 hours 30 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission.

SOLD OUT
Subscriber & donor reservations open on May 30, 2023

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NOW MORE THAN EVER

For 14 years Hattiloo has been a powerful voice for Memphis: part entertainer, part teacher; part historian, part visionary; and always a resource for Black artists. While these times of uncertainty and social unrest have made it challenging to operate, our mission has never been so important. Through financial hardships, our work continues.

Preparing for Tomorrow

We’ve adapted to serve the community while in-person engagement is limited.

  • Free online programming in youth acting and technical theatre
  • Free five-week playwright’s workshop
  • Free Zoom panel discussions with national figures in Black theatre

Maintaining the Present

While we’re open, it’s to a third of our regular capacity, and your donation helps us meet our administrative costs.

  • Utilities, phones, internet, and office equipment
  • HVAC, plumbing and grounds maintenance
  • Insurance, staff salaries, taxes and benefits
  • CPA, graphic artist

Investing in the Future

Our commitment to build the legacy of Black theatre has not wavered.

  • Virtual workshops to hone actors’ skills
  • Commissioning new plays with groundbreaking content about modern Black life in the Mid-South.
  • Long-term succession planning

Hattiloo is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRP5534 awarded to the State of Tennessee by the U.S. Department of Treasury.