OPEN FIST: BLOOD AT THE ROOT

 

Grace Soens, Azeem Vecchio and Ensemble
Photo by Jenny Graham

 

"Blood at the Root" a self described "choreopoem" that touches on our not so distant  past in the United States with the energy and rhythms of today. 

 

Based on a true life incident in Louisiana, director Michael A. Shepperd creates a well tuned ensemble cast : high school kids mostly, who express their hopes and dreams.. pretty much.. as young folks in the land of bias and white supremacy. They ask questions and stand  up to echo the message of civil rights and human rights and the rights of even kids to have an opinion and take arms against a sea of troubles.(so to speak...) and if not to  end them, to . at least raise the red lantern and send a message that bias is alive and it is only when we stand together :   with unity and progress as a goal, may lives actually get better.

 

Raylynn (Nychelle Hawk) is ready for change.  She is pals with Asha (Caroline Rose). Asha is a pixie with an attitude: a white girl who sounds black and in the course of the production  has her social position challenged. Director Michael A.Shepperd's strong hand creates the feeling of the hip hop directive laid out in Dominique Morisseau's presentational text.

A huge oak tree dominates the stage. it's a rallying point for white kids at Cedar High School with the understanding that they are the only ones welcome there.  When three nooses appear after Ray has opted to take a seat under the tree, the challenge of traditions and human rights rears its hoary head.

 Yusuf Nasir's dynamic choreography emerges as a rallying point for the polemic that declares that we are still a racist society and it is only when those among us step up.. step out and declare the Truth, that things begin to change.

Old Dominion .. the charter oak in question created by Scenic Design & Technical Director
Joel Daavid;  engineered by Jan Munroe, looms to domnate the space with bloody roots running to the apron of the stage. 

The highly presentational style of the piece has the cast crisply changing set pieces, aided by Gavan Wyrick's effective lighting. It's all dance. 

The play's heavy message might benefit from changes of pace: volume attenuated to create the tension that, especially, dominates the dialogue between Justin (Azeem Vecchio) the Cedar High School newspaper editor and the hot shot reporter, Toria (Grace Soens) who longs to print birth control information instead of a list of after school activities.  

Working as a tight ensemble the supporting players boost the over all energy with crisp and precise moves. 

I'm late to the party and hope that Open Fist will get the audience it deserves.

CAST

Raylynn:  Nychelle Hawk
Toria:  Grace Soens
Asha: Caroline Rose
Justin : Azeem Vecchio
DeAndre: Nicholas Heard
Colin: Jeremy Reiter ll
Chorus: Amber Tiara
Chorus: Malik Bailey
Chorus: Deandra Bernardo
Chorus/US Toria: Emma Bruno
Chorus : Jack David Sharpe

 

CREW

Scenic Design & Technical Director
Joel Daavid
Costume Design
Mylette Nora
Lighting Design
Gavan Wyrick
Sound Design
Marc Antonio Pritchett
Charge Scenic Artist
Marine Walton
Assistant Scenic Design
Maya Gonzales
Choreography
Yusuf Nasir
Production Stage Manager
John Scenic Design & Technical Director
Joel Daavid
Costume Design
Mylette Nora
Lighting Design
Gavan Wyrick
Sound Design
Marc Antonio Pritchett
Charge Scenic Artist
Marine Walton
Assistant Scenic Design
Maya Gonzales
Choreography
Yusuf Nasir
Production Stage Manager
John Scenic Design & Technical Director
Joel Daavid
Costume Design
Mylette Nora
Lighting Design
Gavan Wyrick
Sound Design
Marc Antonio Pritchett
Charge Scenic Artist
Marine Walton
Assistant Scenic Design
Maya Gonzales
Choreography
Yusuf Nasir
Production Stage Manager
John Dimtri

Lead Carpenter
Jan Munro

Publicist

Lucy Pollak

 

Blood at the Root

By Dominique Morisseau
Directed by Michael A. Shepperd

Sept. 9 – Oct. 28
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 15; Sept. 22; Sept. 29; Oct. 6; Oct. 13; Oct. 20; Oct. 27
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 9 (Opening Night); Sept. 16; Sept. 23; Sept. 30; Oct. 14; Oct. 21; Oct. 28 (dark Oct. 7)
• Sundays at 3 p.m.: Sept. 17; Oct. 1; Oct. 15 (no matinees on Sept. 10; Sept. 24; Oct. 8; Oct. 22
• Sundays at 7 p.m.: Sept. 10; Sept. 24; Oct. 8; Oct. 22 (no evening performances on Sept. 17; Oct. 1; Oct. 15)
• Monday at 8 p.m.: Oct. 9 ONLY

Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
• FREE parking in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) lot one block south of the theater.

TICKETS:
$20 – $30

www.openfist.org
(323) 882-6912