BLOOD AT THE ROOT at Temple Theaters

TEMPLE THEATERS PRESENTS: BLOOD AT THE ROOT

The Final Mainstage Production of Temple Theaters’ 2021-2022 Season Runs March 18-27

PHILADELPHIA, PA — “Way some people talk the way they talk, or hang out with who they hang out with, or love who they love, or hate who they hate—all got roots.”
Based on true events surrounding the case of the Jena Six, BLOOD AT THE ROOT by award-winning American playwright Dominique Morriseau examines white supremacy in the justice system, racial double standards that have been perpetuated through history, and the resulting effect on the lives of Black families.

Performed by an ensemble of Temple University undergraduate theater students, and directed by Amina Robinson, BLOOD AT THE ROOT will be presented live in Randall Theater, 2020 N 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19122 - March 18-27. Tickets can be purchased through this ticketing link.

After a shocking incident sparks the fuse of a powder keg of racial tension at a Louisiana high school, the resulting explosion of violence leaves six Black students charged with attempted murder. Maya Philips at American Theatre Wing writes that BLOOD AT THE ROOT “...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 sociopolitical 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.”

A rising dominant voice in the theater, Dominique Morisseau’s incredibly resonant plays are some of the most produced in the country. She was the first Black woman to receive a Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical (AINT TOO PROUD), and her Obie-Award Winning play SKELETON CREW recently made its Broadway debut in January of 2022.

Please note: Blood at the Root uses strong language, racial slurs, and symbols of violence to accurately depict the story of the Jena Six.