Blood at the Root: a play by Dominique Morisseau

AVENUE BLACKBOX | 780 JOSEPH AVE | ROCHESTER, NY14621

DATES:

• Friday, August 18 @ 6:30pm
• Saturday, August 19 @2:00pm
• Saturday, August 19 @6:30pm

A striking new Hip Hop theatre ensemble drama based on the true story of Jena Six (2007); six Black students who were initially charged with attempted M**der for a school fight after being provoked with nooses hanging from a tree on campus.

This bold new play by Dominique Morisseau (Sunset Baby, Detroit '67, Skeleton Crew) examines the miscarriage of justice, racial double standards, class, gender, homophobia as well as the crises in human and racial relations that contribute to the fragile state of education and Black family life. When a Black student disrupts the status quo at her high school by occupying space typically reserved for white students, her community erupts in hate speech, violence, chaos and activism. Morisseau’s play scrutinizes the intrinsic links between justice, bias, and identity. Moving, lyrical, and bold, Blood at the Root probes the complexities of race, individual freedoms, and what justice means when biases have been normalized.

Raylynn, the rule breaking protagonist - Race: African American, Age: 18 played by Samyria Blythers and Brianna Bynoe.

De’andre, a star athlete struggling with loss - Race: African American, Age: 16 played by JahLuv Guy.

Asha, the culture crossing best friend of Raylynn - Race: White, Age: 18 played by Ari D'Arienzo.

Justin, the moderate school newspaper editor - Race: African American, Age: 18 played by Kamaria McFadden and Faith Lumly.

Toria, the radical school newspaper reporter - Race: White, Age: 18 played by Jewelia Smith.

And also Colin, a gay jock transfer student - Race: White Age: 18 (surprise guest) and a mixed race, age and gender ensemble cast including; Michelina Molina-Cruz, Antonio “Sight” Muniz, Jazelle Rice, Rishanda ”Melo” Robinson (she/they), Elani Williams, Sesly Williams.

Dominique Morisseau is the author of The Detroit Project (A 3-Play Cycle) which includes the following plays: Skeleton Crew (Atlantic Theater Company), Paradise Blue (Signature Theatre), and Detroit ’67 (Public Theater, Classical Theatre of Harlem and NBT). Additional plays include: Pipeline (Lincoln Center Theatre), Sunset Baby (LAByrinth Theatre); Blood at the Root (National Black Theatre) and Follow Me To Nellie’s (Premiere Stages). She is also the TONY nominated book writer on the new Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations (Imperial Theatre). Dominique is alumna of The Public Theater Emerging Writer’s Group, Women’s Project Lab, and Lark Playwrights Workshop and has developed work at Sundance Lab, Williamstown Theatre Festival and Eugene O’Neil Playwrights Conference. She most recently served as Co-Producer on the Showtime series “Shameless” (3 seasons). Additional awards include: Spirit of Detroit Award, PoNY Fellowship, Sky-Cooper Prize, TEER Trailblazer Award, Steinberg Playwright Award, Audelco Awards, NBFT August Wilson Playwriting Award, Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama, OBIE Award (2), Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellowship, Variety’s Women of Impact for 2017-18, and a recent MacArthur Genius Grant Fellow.

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Host or Publisher The Avenue Blackbox Theatre