It is early morning, and the Younger family is getting ready for school and work. They argue over the bathroom, discuss the impending arrival of a life insurance check being sent to Lena (Mama) after her husband’s death, and share in the normal tension and love of family.
Lena’s son, Walter Lee Younger, hopes to open a liquor store using some of the money from the check, but he feels as though none of his family are willing to support his ambition. Ruth, Walter’s wife, is resigned – if dissatisfied – with her situation, and is very concerned to realize that she is unexpectedly pregnant. Beneatha, Walter’s sister and Lena’s daughter, is studying to be a doctor and has dreams and plans beyond what the rest of the family think are necessary or appropriate. Beneatha is also dating two very different men, George Murchison and Joseph Asagai.
The next morning, Joseph Asagai, one of Beneatha’s suitors, visits Beneatha as she and Lena clean the house. He teases her for her assimilation into white American culture. The insurance check arrives. Lena shuts down Walter’s notion of investing in a liquor store, and she informs him that Ruth is pregnant and seeking an abortion. Lena tells him that he is a disgrace to his father’s memory.
Later that same day, Beneatha and a drunk Walter sing and dance to traditional Nigerian music. Beneatha has cut off her “assimilationist” hair to reveal her natural texture to a repulsed George Murchison, her other suitor.
Walter and Ruth bicker and attempt to connect as they discuss their dreams. Lena arrives home and shares that she used the life insurance money to buy a house in Clybourne Park, a white neighborhood. Walter is hurt and angry; Ruth is thrilled.
A few weeks later, Beneatha rejects one of her suitors, George. Nosy neighbor Mrs. Johnson drops by unannounced and offers platitudes, insults, and a suggestion that the Youngers might get bombed when they move to a white neighborhood. Walter is in danger of losing his job, after it is revealed that he has been skipping work to drink and listen to jazz, and Lena feels responsible for crushing his dreams. She gives Walter the remaining insurance money, telling him to put $3,000 in the bank for Beneatha’s school and do what he will with the remaining $3,500. Walter shares his dreams of business success with Travis.
A week later, spirits are high in the Younger household until a white man from the Clybourne Park Improvement Association, Mr. Lindner, arrives. Mr. Lindner has come to offer the Youngers more than they paid for the house to not move into the neighborhood. In no uncertain terms, Walter declines the offer.
The rest of the family gifts Lena a set of gardening tools and an elaborate hat for her new garden in Clybourne Park. Walter’s friend and would-be business partner Bobo arrives, looking frightened. He reveals that their third partner, Willy, ran off with all of their money. Walter panics; he is forced to reveal that he never set aside $3,000 for Beneatha’s school, and all of the money is gone.
An hour later, Beneatha is furious about her dreams being stolen from her, and Joseph Asagai invites her to move to Nigeria with him. Lena tells everyone to unpack and cancel the movers; Ruth, desperate to get out of their apartment, begs her to move forward with the move. Walter says that he has made a call to “The Man” — he has asked Mr. Lindner to come over so he can accept the offer to not move. Beneatha and Lena are furious at him for losing his dignity, and Lena chastises Beneatha for not supporting her brother.
The moving truck arrives at the same time as Mr. Lindner. Walter wrestles with himself before definitively telling Mr. Lindner that he declines his offer; the Younger family will be moving. Lights fall as the family leaves their old apartment. Lena takes a beloved houseplant and exits.
Lena Younger (Mama): The matriarch of the Younger family; mother to Walter Lee and Beneatha; recently widowed (played by Shanésia Davis)
Walter Lee Younger: Husband to Ruth, father to Travis, and son to Lena (Mama); works as a chauffeur and dreams of becoming a wealthy businessman (played by Brian Keys)
Ruth Younger: Wife to Walter Lee, mother to Travis; cleans houses for a living (played by Kierra Bunch)
Beneatha Younger: Daughter to Lena (Mama); plans to become a doctor (played by Martasia Jones)
