ECSU Student From East Haven Featured In Theatrical Production

WILLIMANTIC, CT — East Haven's Virgos Bellemare, a sophomore at Eastern Connecticut State University, helped to bring the university's Theatre Program second production of the year to the stage.

Bellemare was a featured performer in the play, "Blood at the Root," for two weekends between March 19 and March 28.

Bellemare is a theatre major.

The virtual show, which streamed online for two weekends, was directed by three students and supervised by Theatre Professor DeRon Williams. "Blood at the Root" was written by Domonique Morisseau and first premiered at Pennsylvania State University in 2014.

Inspired by the Jena Six case-a 2006 racially charged incident in Louisiana-the production features a Black student who disrupts her high school's status quo by occupying space typically reserved for white students. As a result, her community erupts in hate speech, violence and chaos.
The play's title comes from the 1939 song "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday, who hauntingly sang "Southern trees bear a strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the root."

Combating issues of race and homophobia, the show followed students who struggle with their own identities, as well as their acceptance of others.

"Blood at the Root" utilized a combination of backdrops, lights, musical and rhythmic breaks, as well as dance. The unique show involved multiple directors and myriad COVID-19 restrictions including social distancing and mask wearing on stage.

The theatre program at ECSU offers many opportunities for students to work on-stage, backstage and front-of-house through classes, independent studies, internships, and practicum work. Students also showcase their talents in full-length major productions, one-acts, original plays and staged readings.