As tickets become harder to move, the divisive trend of casting movie stars on the Great White Way is becoming more and more ubiquitous. The current revival of "A Raisin in the Sun" at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre is no exception.  If a sold out Saturday matinee is any indication, this trend is unlikely to end. That being said, Denzel Washington does not disappoint as petulant man-child Walter Lee. Despite his astronomic fame and fan base, Denzel is a grounded stage animal who shares the spotlight with a terrific ensemble.

This may be the most relaxed staging of "Raisin" I have ever seen; so much so that you get the sense that you live above the Youngers and can’t help but overhear their squabbles over dinner.  In Lorraine Hansberry's "Raisin", the life insurance money of a recently deceased patriarch arrives in the mail, bringing with it the possibility of many different dreams for a black family on the Southside of Chicago in the late 1950s.  "Raisin" watches as the Youngers struggle and barter with one another to find which dream will be realized, using this once-in-a-life-time opportunity.  Director Kenny Leon is unafraid of the humor in the piece and at times this high stakes drama feels a bit like a sitcom: “Whatever will the Youngers do with that money...” The pacing is quick and it feels like Leon leaves little room for the tension to sit.

At times, this was refreshing, like the moment when Walter Lee dances on the table in utter drunken abandon. However, in moments when Lena slaps Beneatha for using the Lord’s name in Vain, the slap falls flat. In moments like that the play needs some bite.

Leon is a master with his cast, and their performances are a revelation. Anika Noni Rosa is a stand out as a beguiling Beneatha, full of ebullient charm as a woman on the ideological fence. Sophie Okonedo is transformative as the worn Ruth Younger, playing her with stunning tenderness and intelligence. Not to be outdone is Latanya Richardson Jackson as Lena Younger, the matriarch who simply needs walk onto the stage to ignite explosive laughter or shock.

For all the cloying moments, "A Raisin in the Sun" is still relevant, powerful, and provoking. The ensemble is alive and well in this production. The star names in the cast become less relevant; instead the story and the spirit of Lorraine Hansberry’s work transcends its time, breathing new life into an enduring tale of dreams deferred and salvaged.