Photos: First Look at AN ISSUE OF BLOOD at Victory Gardens

Victory Gardens Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yewand Managing Director Chris Mannelli, presents the World Premiere of An Issue of Blood by Ensemble Playwright Marcus Gardley, directed by Chay Yew. An Issue of Blood was penned by Gardley in response to recent events and social injustices. An Issue of Blood runs April 3 - May 3, 2015 with the press performance on Friday, April 10, 2015, at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

"While working on a new draft of A Wonder in My Soul in December, Marcus felt the need to respond to recent events and the current national conversation on race, class and identity and was urged by many to express the complex feelings of his community. When he reached out to me with this conundrum, I told him to follow his instincts and write a new play addressing his concerns," comments Victory Gardens' Artistic Director Chay Yew. "As a theatre that creates and produces socially relevant plays, it is important that we respond to the times with our art and support our artists. And I'm glad Marcus is leading us in this vital national conversation."

It's 1676 in Virginia - a time when class, not color, defined an American's destiny. Historic figure and wealthy landowner Negro Mary believes a vile curse has been cast upon her family and land. But her plans to break the curse are thwarted by a secret wedding, an interracial love triangle, and a crime of passion. Can Mary cheat fate and change the course of history? Or will their lives end in division and destruction? In An Issue of Blood, Marcus Gardley(The Gospel of Lovingkindness) and Chay Yew look to a pivotal moment in our collective past to understand how we arrived in our tumultuous present.

The cast of An Issue of Blood includes E. Faye Butler, Cleavant Derricks, Lizan Mitchell, Steve O'Connell and Eleni Pappageorge. Complete casting will be announced at a later date.

The creative team includes Myung Hee Cho (scenic design), Izumi Inaba (costume design), Christine A. Binder(lighting design), Rob Milburn & Michael Bodeen (sound design), Jesse Gaffney (props), Tina M. Jach (Stage Manager) and Michael Trzos (Assistant Director).

Photos by Michael Courier