Psalmayene 24, Playwright of “Out of the Vineyard” at Joe’s Movement Emporium. Photo by Scott Suchman.
On September 8, 2023 “Out of the Vineyard” by Psalmayene 24 will open at Joe’s Movement Emporium in conjunction with the Freedom Stories Initative. The play is directed and choreographed by Tony Thomas and based on the historical book, “The Families who Challenged Slavery from the Nation’s Founding to the Civil War” by William G. Thomas III.
“Out of the Vineyard’ is based on the interviews of former enslaved families and individuals in Prince George’s County. It points out the “lingering effects” of slavery in today’s society by weaving their stories together. The play’s point of view is that we must face the past in order to fix the present problems of race relations in this county. The cast includes Scott Abernethy, Frank Britton, Adrienne Nelson, and Jacqueline Youm. The design team includes Jeannette Christensen, Costume Designer; Nick Hernandez, Sound Designer; Luis Garcia, Media Designer; and Shartoya Jean-Baptiste, Set Designer.
Psalmayene 24 (a.k.a. Gregory Morrison) is an award-winning playwright, director, and actor. Psalm—as his colleagues call him—is currently The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence at Mosaic Theater. He is the writer and lyricist of “The Blackest Battle”(Theater Alliance) and the writer, director, and lyricist of the film “The Free Wheekin’ Insurgents” (Arena Stage).
Directing credits include “Flow” by Will Power (Studio Theatre); “Necessary Sacrifices: A Radio Play” by Richard Hellesen (Ford’s Theatre); “Pass Over” by Antoinette Nwandu (Studio Theatre); “Native Son” by Nambi E. Kelley (Mosaic Theater); and “The Word Becomes Flesh,” by Marc Bamuthi Joseph which was the recipient of five 2017 Helen Hayes Awards, including Outstanding Direction of a Play (Theater Alliance).
Produced by Studio Theatre, Psalm is currently the host of “Psalm’s Salon at Studio,” an interview-based series that celebrates and examines culture through a Black lens. He is one of the writers of Arena Stage’s coronavirus pandemic time capsule film, “May 22, 2020.” He also wrote “Double Entendre,” fifth episode of Roundhouse Theatre’s ten-part, pandemic-influenced web series “Homebound.” His play, ”Les Deux Noirs” (2020 Charles MacArthur Award Nomination for Outstanding Original New Play or Musical and Venturous Capital Grant recipient), is inspired by a legendary 1953 confrontation between famed writers Richard Wright and James Baldwin in a Paris café. It received its world premiere at Mosaic Theater Company. His play, ”The Frederick Douglas Project,” inspired by Douglass’ 1845 trip to Ireland and co-written with Irish playwright Deirdre Kinahan, was the first play to be produced on a pier at The Yards Marina in Washington, DC. It was the recipient of six 2019 Helen Hayes Award nominations.
Psalm has received commissions from the African Continuum Theater Company, Arena Stage, Imagination Stage, The Kennedy Center, Theater Alliance, Solas Nua, Mosaic Theater Company, and Theatrical Outfit. His one man play, “Free Uujube Brown!” is recognized as a seminal work in Hip-Hop Theatre and is published in the anthology, “Plays from the Boom-Box Galaxy: Theater from the Hip-Hop Generation” (TCG).
With the premiere of “Cinderella: The Remix” at Imagination Stage, Psalm completed his critically acclaimed Hip-Hop Children’s Trilogy that explores the past, present, and future of hip-hop culture. His other two plays in the trilogy, “Zomo The Robbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth” and “P.Nokio:A Hip-Hop Musical,” also premiered at Imagination Stage. Among other awards, these plays have earned two development grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Walt Disney Corporation grant, and two Helen Hayes Award nominations for Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences.
Psalm directed The Welders’ world premiere production of “Not Enuf Lifetimes” by Caleen Sinnette Jennings and the Mead Theatre Lab production of “Read: White and Blue” by The Hueman Prophets. He has also directed theater ensembles in India, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of Arena Stage’s Voices of Now program.
Psalm is the recipient of the Imagination Award from Imagination Stage (past recipients include Christopher Reeve, Dr. Jane Goodall, and Dennis Haysbert). He has also received grants from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Maryland State Arts Council, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, and the Boomerang Fund for Artists Inc.
As an actor, Psalm has appeared on HBO’s critically acclaimed series “The Wire;” was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical); and is a member of Actor’s Equity Association. He had the pleasure of playing Fortune in Arena Stage’s Helen Hayes award-winning production of “Ruined.” He is currently featured in Destination DC’s film segment highlighting theatre in Washington, DC. Psalm is also a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
Can you tell us more about yourself?
I was born in New York City—at Beth Israel Medical Center to be exact. I grew up in Brooklyn and went to Midwood High School before attending Howard University. H-U! I currently live in Silver Spring, Maryland with my wife, Diana.
What theatrical training have you had and who were your biggest influences?
My training includes the dance and theater departments at Howard. Special shout-outs to Dr. Sherrill Berryman Johnson and Vera Katz. I’ve also been trained in West African dance forms by Assane Konte of the KanKouran West African Dance Company. I’m also a product of the Living Stage Theatre Company where I was introduced to the work of Boal, Susuki, and Keith Johnstone. Important theatre mentors in my life have been Rebecca Rice, Jennifer Nelson, and Oran Sandel. As far as influences, I’ve pulled great inspiration from James Baldwin, August Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry, and Lloyd Richard. More than their approach to craft, these artists have influenced me by the way they center the Black experience in their work.
You have directed, written, and acted in plays. Is there any that you prefer, and which are your favorites in each group?
Each of these disciplines is thrilling in different ways. My favorite is usually whatever discipline I’m doing at the time. As a director, “Word Becomes Flesh” by Marc Bamuthi Joseph, produced by Theater Alliance, will always have a special place in my heart. As a playwright, “Les Deux Noirs” is right at the top for me. And as an actor, the experience of doing “Dear Mapel” at Mosaic is unmatched.
“Out of the Vineyard” is a play about slavery and oppression. What message would you like audiences to take back to their communities from your play?
I want audiences to understand that the reverberations of slavery in this country still echo loudly today. Hopefully audiences will amplify the message that slavery is not the sole domain of African-Americans but it’s a legacy that all Americans—regardless of race—have to contend with if this country is to be healed.
What is your next project, either acting, directing or playwriting?
“Monumental Travesties,” a new play that I wrote, will have its world premiere production at Mosaic and will be running during the same time as “Out of the Vineyard.” That piece closes on October 1, 2023. Then I’ll be directing plays at Arena, Folger, and Studio later this season in 2024. It’s a busy season and I’m grateful for it.
“Out of the Vineyard” runs September 8-24, 2023 at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mt. Rainier, MD 20712. For more information and tickets, go online.
