Launching the Underground Theatre Company’s summer season at Wayne State is Blood at the Root, a bold new drama by award-winning playwright Dominique Morisseau.

Blood at the Root inspired by the events surrounding the “Jena Six”, six black teenagers convicted in the beating of a white student at Jena High School on December 4, 2006. It follows a group of high school students desperately trying to define themselves while seeking to persevere amidst the relentless injustice happening in America. Blood at the Root examines the miscarriage of justice, racial double standards, and the impasse in gender relations of all classes and, as a result, the shattering state of black family life. Using music, dance, and poetry, this ensemble-driven piece weaves into stunning effect an impactful theatrical experience that asks us to explore the current state of activism in the 21st century.

Tickets are available online.

Photo: Playwright Dominique Morisseau.