Dominique Morisseau's BLOOD AT THE ROOT Comes to Custom Made Theatre in May

Custom Made Theatre Co. (Brian Katz, Executive Artistic Director) continues its 23rd season with the Bay Area Premiere of "Blood at the Root" by trailblazing playwright Dominique Morisseau, directed and choreographed by Darryl V. Jones.

"Southern trees bear a strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root" -Strange Fruit, written by Lewis Allan and sung by Billie Holiday

A striking new ensemble drama inspired by real-life events. On a hot fall day, African-American senior Raylynn breaks tradition to sit under the old oak tree in front of the high school that is usually a gathering place for white students. The next day, three nooses are found hanging from the tree. The school shrugs it off as a prank, but racial tensions continue to mount until the Black students are arrested on trumped-up charges of attempted murder. Tony-nominated Morisseau's (Ain't Too Proud, Skeleton Crew) Bay Area premiere play is a choreopoem that examines the miscarriage of justice, racial double standards, and, as a result, the shattering state of Black family life.

The cast features Ian Brady, Satania Gidney, Elroe Gugsa, Leon Jones, Keli'i Salvado, and Jilian Smith. The creative team includes April Ballesteros, Desiree Galvez, Adam Hughes, Leon Jones, David Juarez, Brittany Mellerson, and Tiersa Nureyev.

From the American Theatre article on Blood at the Root by Maya Phillips:

"Morisseau calls (Blood) a "choreopoem" (a term coined by Ntozake Shange), (it) aims to take the language of incrimination, of privilege, of prejudice, and transform it into poetry, music, and choreography that does not obscure the underlying socio political messages but rather highlights and recontextualizes them, steering them away from the straightforward black and white of the issue to instead probe the grey areas of politics and social culpability.

When the central character, a black female student named Raylynn decides it's time for change in her high school, she sits under a tree around which only white students regularly gather. In response-as was the case in Jena-nooses are subsequently hung from that tree, causing many black students to erupt in protest. Things come to a head when six black students, including Raylynn's brother, attack a white student and are then brought up on trumped-up charges.

The issues raised by the play are never as clear-cut as what's right and what's wrong, or who's the perpetrator and who's the victim. "

Custom Made will comply with all county and city Covid-19 guidelines and recommendations. All performers and staff are double-vaccinated and boosted, and all patrons will show proof of vaccination and booster upon entry. Masks will be required in the theatre at all times, and concessions will not be permitted.

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), an "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 an 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.

Darryl V. Jones is a professional director, actor, and professor. He recently served as the Acting Artistic Director of the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre and is full Professor Emeritus of Theatre at Cal State East Bay and adjunct professor in The American Conservatory Theatre MFA Program.

Most recently, Jones directed the world premiere of "The Great Kahn" by Michael Gene Sullivan for San Francisco Playhouse. In January of 2020, Jones directed "The Devil's Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith" for Center Rep Theatre Co, and he directed and co-choreographed the critically acclaimed production of "Kill Move Paradise" by James Ijames for Shotgun Players and the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre in 2019. In 2018 he directed "Detroit '67" by Dominique Morisseau for the Aurora Theatre Company. In fall 2017 he directed and co-choreographed the Aurora production of "The Royale" winning the Bay Area Critics Circle Award for Entire Production-East Bay as well as being nominated for Outstanding Direction.

Directing credits include the off Broadway and national tour of "We Are Your Sisters" (AUDELCO Award Outstanding Production), "A View From The Bridge" (Washington, DC Theatre Lobby Award Outstanding Direction, Source Theatre Co.) and "Spunk" (Helen Hayes Award Nominee Outstanding Musical, African Continuum Theatre Co.). Other directing credits include, "Grapes of Wrath" and "Balm and Gilead" (Outstanding Direction Ann Arbor News) "Mud, River, Stone "(The Unicorn Theatre) "The Minneola Twins" (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co.), "The Brothers Size" (Theatre Rhinoceros), "Gem of the Ocean"(Sacramento Theatre Co.), "The Amen Corner" (African American Continuum Theatre Company) "Spunk" (The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre Co.) and direction/choreography for the world premiere of the opera "Dark River", based on the life of Civil Rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer for Oakland Opera Co., and the Mt. Holyoke College East Coast premiere.

At CSUEB Jones has directed several premieres of new plays including "Follow Me To Nellie's" by Dominique Morisseau (his friend and student from the University of Michigan) and "Xtigone" by Nambi Kelley, chosen to attend the Region VII Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. His COVID 2020 production of "Blood at the Root" received numerous regional and national KCACTF honors and awards. Jones has also directed and choreographed musicals such as "In The Heights", "Chicago", "Cabaret", "Sweet Charity", "Oliver", "The All Night Strut", "Children of Eden", "The Wiz" and many more.

Prior to moving to the Bay Area, he was Directing Associate at Arena Stage where he directed and produced PlayQuest the New Play Development Series and choreographed "Candide" directed by Doug Wager and" Dance of Death" directed by Joanne Akilaitis. Jones was also Head of the B.F.A. Directing Concentration at the University of Michigan and Foundation Advisor for their BFA Acting Program. He is an active member of Actors Equity Association and a TBA Award nominee for outstanding supporting actor in a musical 2017 for Priscilla. He has performed for theatre companies such as Arena Stage, The Old Globe, Ford's Theatre and The Kennedy Center. Jones holds a Bachelor of Music, Vocal Performance from The Catholic University of America, and an MFA in Directing from Boston University. He is a certified Meisner Acting Technique instructor from Larry Silverberg's True Acting Institute.

Learn more & buy tickets at http://www.custommade.org or (415) 798-CMTC (2682)

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