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The Hip Hop Theater Festival is back in DC for 6 days of live events that combine various forms of theater, dance, spoken word and live music sampling. This festival brings new artistic creations to the DC Community with free shows and events that explore diversity of cultures and points of view.
“The Hip Hop festival aims to invigorate the fields of theater and hip-hop by: nurturing the creation of innovative work within the hip-hop aesthetic; presenting and touring American and international artists whose work addresses the socio-political issues relevant to the hip-hop generation; and serving young, urban communities through outreach and education that celebrates contemporary language and culture.”
For festival information visit www.hiphoptheaterfest.com.
Presented by DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Monday, July 9
Love Forever, Hip-Hop is a new piece that chronicles the stories of six women and their evolving
relationship with Hip-Hop. The piece brings to light confrontations between sexuality, artistry and
Hip-Hop.
Tuesday, July 10
Olive Dance Theater takes traditional folk art forms and infuses them with multi-media production and
the art of B-Boyin’, producing a fantastic journey of dance and Hip-Hop theater.
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Wednesday, July 11
The Hip-Hop Theater Festival and NOMMO PRODUCTIONS proudly present FORTEEZ BLUNTZ CHICKENHEDZ ‘N’ UVA NECESSATEEZ, a Hiphoptic tragedy written by Bashi Rose with selected poetry by Mitchell Ferguson.
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Thursday, July 12
Un-embedded and uncensored, Hip-Hop spoken word artist and radio correspondent Jerry Quickley traveled
to Iraq in the days before and during “shock and awe.” Quickley went to Baghdad and beyond to
cover the pending war for KPFK and the Pacifica Radio Network, and brings that unique insight to Live
From The Front which combines music, poetry, video and powerful performance style to tell the story of
his travels to and ultimate expulsion from Iraq during the conflict.
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Directed by Marc Bamuthi Joseph
In Spite of Everything written and performed by The Suicide Kings and directed by USA Fellow Marc
Bamuthi Joseph, is a fearless portrayal of a high school shooting examining the terror of American
violence through Spoken Word, poetry and music.
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Friday, July 13
And featuring the talents of The Congo Square Theatre Company
The Actor’s Rap! is an outrageous comedy about a group of actors who are frustrated by the all
the “rappers turned actors” who keep stealing their roles. Taking matters into their own
hands, the actors kidnap today’s hottest rapper in order to secure a coveted role in an upcoming
film.
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Directed by Kibibi Dillon
Read: White and Blue explores the connections between the Black middle-class and working-class
experience … or the lack thereof. It fuses a series of short musical vignettes with the story of
an author who struggles to complete his second novel about an ex-con/t-shirt vendor.
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Saturday, July 14
Come and take a sneak peak into the creation process of a new work by dancer/choreographer Holly Bass.
This piece is supported by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities: Hip Hop Community Arts Grant.
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The Other Side brings together a group of Washington, D.C.’s diverse poets, storytellers &
theater artists. Entering in and out off Washington, D.C.’s many complicated and parallel
universes, The Other Side takes on political topics in short, Saturday Night Live-style vignettes.
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And featuring the talents of The Congo Square Theatre Company
The Actor’s Rap! is an outrageous comedy about a group of actors who are frustrated by the all
the “rappers turned actors” who keep stealing their roles. Taking matters into their own
hands, the actors kidnap today’s hottest rapper in order to secure a coveted role in an upcoming
film.
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September 30th
The battles of spoken word & hot DJs.
Hosted by Priest da Nomad.
Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair at the Marie Reed Learning Center in Adams Morgan.
Check out washingtoncitypaper.com for more information
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