One of the forebears of the Harlem Renaissance, Angelina Weld Grimké wrote “Rachel” in 1916 as a defiant reply to the recent release of DW Griffith’s film “Birth of a Nation”. Originally titled “Blessed are the Barren”, the play centers on a Black woman who rejects marriage and motherhood after learning a horrible family secret. It was first produced in Washington, DC by the NAACP, and published in 1920.

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Baltimore playwright Aladrian C. Wetzel’s new adaptation is her second commissioned play for Rapid Lemon Productions, after 2019’s acclaimed “Thank You, Dad”.

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“Rachel” is a scalding view of racism, personal loss, and the high price of truth.