Hip Hop Theater Festival

By Julia Rosenfeld

I'm not going to lie - I can't breakdance. It's not even a skill that I've tried to master.

However, while watching the Hip Hop Theater Festival's presentation of olive Dance Theatre's SWIFT SOLOS - a performance honoring legendary b-boy Ken Swift and showcasing his most famous routines - I really wished that I could bust a move. The dynamic dancers were dressed in bright colors, clean sneakers and big smiles with feet that moved faster than seemed humanly possible.

Although this particular show only runs for a couple more performances, the Hip Hop Theater Festival continues through October 16th with more than 25 events. One show that you don't want to miss is Young, Gifted & Hyped on October 6th - a one-night-only event featuring performance work from New York City high school students.

Busy that night? Check out the website for other options.

County of Kings

by Monikha Reyes

The audience speaks in high murmurs, excited about the show that has yet to begin. Suddenly, to our right, Lemon Anderson silences the crowd, spitting out the first lyrics to the show. All eyes are on him as he makes his way to the stage, demanding attention as he begins the tale of his childhood.

 
County of Kings is a one-man, hip-hop, coming-of-age memoir. Lemon Anderson describes growing up with his family, the gossiping old women on his block, having sex and selling drugs. He brings close to home how easy it is to fall from the straight path when growing up with negative influences. By the end, we realized that a lesson was learned through every bad decision, and that every ordeal led to the man we saw before us. Without all of his experiences, whether harsh or tender, Lemon Anderson would never have entered the Def Poetry Jam, which started his career as a poet.

The music has a great beat that made many people bob their head in unison. It’s a treat to hear blasts from the pasts as familiar songs flood from the speakers, reinforcing the decade onstage. Quick narration keeps things moving, leaving not even a yawn to be stifled.

County of Kings is definitely a show worth seeing. It will leave you with a new outlook on life.

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $25 tickets, Culture Project, Public Theater, 425 Lafayette.

Hip-Hop Theater Festival

by Christa Tandana

Do you like hip-hop? How about theater? Well, you should check out the Hip-Hop Theater Festival! It’s three weeks of new art in the forms of spoken word, music, dance and theatre - all using hip-hop.

This is the festival’s ninth year of presenting original work from both American and international artists. One of their goals is to prolong the art of live performance by bringing new, younger audiences to the theater in large numbers.

The festival even has a youth theater night, called Young, Gifted & Hyped, presenting some new work from by high school students from NYC and around the country. It’s playing on October 6 & 7 at the Ohio Theater, 66 Wooster Street. Check out what the buzz is all about.

And don't miss Angela's Mixtape by Eisa Davis (from Passing Strange). “On this mixtape, style will dictate, we bounce back and forth in time…” Using the rhythms of music and memory, Eisa tells the story of a radical upbringing on the dividing line between Oakland and Berkeley, California -- in a family that includes her aunt, professor and activist Angela Davis. At the Ohio Theater, 66 Wooster Street, October 15, 16 & 17.

Take a look at www.hhtf.org to see what other shows are going on thru October 17th. This is an event you don’t want to miss!

***NEXT WEEK ONLY 2 FOR 1 SPECIAL FOR YOUNG, GIFTED & HYPED, THE WORD BEGINS & ZOMO THE RABBIT. Use 2FOR1 code for advance sales only & tickets cannot be mixed & matched between the shows.**

Penumbra

by Monikha Reyes

The lights dims as the audience hears the voice of a little girl announcing the show and smiles echo through the crowd. A telephone rings and is answered by a woman who tells her son to take it, and that it is his father. Anthony Fascious Martinez runs onstage, acting like a child, excited to finally speak to his father. And as he rushes through the details of his day at school, the line is cut. And so begins Penumbra.

A one-man Hip Hop musical, Fascious takes you through his childhood. Raised by his mother alone in the Bronx, he deals with death and pain. Through his music and acting, he translates to the audience the ache and the hurt he feels for his grandfather, for his father, and for everyone and everything else he has lost.

Through rap, though hardly ever rhyming, the beats that resonate from the speakers fill the theatre. The songs blend with his words perfectly and the lighting and sound effects only add to the atmosphere. I felt drawn into the story, sitting at the edge of my seat waiting for the next word.

I recommend this show to anyone who would like to see something new and different. I guarantee that this show is unlike anything that is out there and that you will be able to relate to at least one part. There is swearing and some sexual behavior, but rather than hinder the show, it only strengthens the performance.

Amusing, powerful, and definitely memorable, if you’re looking for something refreshingly original, come see Penumbra.

http://www.fascious.com/