An Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens

Performance photographs for An Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago - Performance photographs by Michael Courier

Tosin Morohunfola (as John Israel First) and E. Faye Butler (as Nova Goode) in an Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens Theater.

Performance photographs for An Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago - Performance photographs by Michael Courier

Tosin Morohunfola and Eleni Pappageorge (as Calla).

Performance photographs for An Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago - Performance photographs by Michael Courier

Steve O’Connell (as Constable Mason Esau) and Tosin Morohunfola.

Performance photographs for An Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago - Performance photographs by Michael Courier

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Lizan Mitchell (as Negro Mary).

Performance photographs for An Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago - Performance photographs by Michael Courier

Cleavant Derricks (as Dozens Goode) and E. Faye Butler.

Rehearsal photographs for An Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago - Rehearsal photographs by Michael Courier

Table reading during first rehearsal for An Issue of Blood.

Rehearsal photographs for An Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago - Rehearsal photographs by Michael Courier

Rehearsal photographs for An Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago - Rehearsal photographs by Michael Courier

Event photographs for An Issue of Blood at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago - Event photographs by Michael Courier

Playwright Marcus Gardley speaking on opening night.

An Issue of Blood in Playbill - Performance, rehearsal, and event photographs by Michael Courier

Layout of published photographs in the April 2015 edition of Playbill.

An Issue of Blood wrapped up at Victory Gardens Theater a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful show and a lot of fun to be a part of the process. I was there with my camera for the rehearsal, event, and performance photographs. These are a few of my favorite shots during the run of the show.

The play was a response to current events revolving around the deaths of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, and many other instances of police abuses and institutional racism. Playbill ran an article about the playwright Marcus Gardley and used some of my photographs from a prior reading as well as images from We Must Breathe from December 2014.

You can find a few more photos and a review of the show on Time out Chicago.