My Lord, What a Night

Taproot has replaced the final play in the season, A Raisin in the Sun, with My Lord, What a Night.

A Raisin in the Sun has been moved to the 2025 season.

Why:

The primary reason for replacing A Raisin in the Sun with My Lord, What a Night is to positively impact the financial viability of the theatre.

The cost of producing theatre in Seattle has increased exponentially since the start of the pandemic, while attendance and donation numbers are still rebounding. For example, due to changes in minimum wage, union wages, and Taproot’s deeply necessary understudy program, annual payroll alone has increased by $750,000 since 2019. Taproot is not alone in this. Theaters nationwide face similar situations as the industry struggles to recover from the pandemic. While Taproot’s audience is returning at a significantly higher rate than the national average (80% vs. 50%), we are still falling behind financially.

• A Raisin in the Sun requires a cast of 15 (9 core cast and 6 understudies—well above Taproot’s normal cast size)
• My Lord, What a Night requires a cast of 6 (4 core cast and 2 understudies).

The change will have a significant impact on Taproot’s cashflow and is one of many steps we are taking to bring the 2024 budget into line.

What is My Lord, What a Night about?

My Lord, What a Night is based on the real-life friendship between famed singer Marian Anderson and physicist Albert Einstein. Their friendship transcended the boundaries of the time and of their respective backgrounds, and was forged through mutual admiration, respect, and a shared commitment to justice and equality during a profoundly divisive era.

Marian Anderson was an unparalleled talent. As an African American contralto, she became internationally famous despite facing discrimination and racial barriers throughout her career. Albert Einstein was not only known for his discoveries in theoretical physics, but also as an outspoken advocate for civil rights and social justice. Their friendship and collaboration changed the country.  

If A Raisin in the Sun was part of your 2024 subscription package, your performance date and seat will remain the same. If you are a subscriber who previously had paper tickets mailed to you, tickets reflecting the new title will be sent to your address on file in the coming weeks. If you have Will Call or digital tickets, we will have a ticket with the correct title waiting for you on the night of your performance.

Sep 18 – Oct 19 | Tickets and Info