Hip hop theatre
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[edit] History
The genre was created by trained theatre artists who grew up with, and continue to be influenced by, hip hop music, hip hop theatre often employs the four major tenets of hip hop culture: B-Boying (breakdancing), DJing (spinning records), MCing (rapping/singing), and graffiti art.[citation needed] Many hip hop theatre performances put these elements on the stage to support the story or offer a context for the show. However, many shows that are defined as hip hop theatre performances do not use these influences directly on the stage. Instead, these performances focus on the young people who are immersed in hip hop culture and their stories and interactions with people inside and outside that culture. Hip hop plays range from single-actor monologue plays, to multiple character plays, to reinterpretations of classical or biblical texts, to musicals and dance shows. Often, the use of complex language and overt rhythm in speaking hip hop theatre texts has drawn parallels to actors speaking Shakespearean verse.
From 1996 to 2005 the number of performances of this form of theatre has grown from isolated shows in New York and San Francisco, to include week-long festivals (for example the "Hip Hop Theatre Festival" started by hip hop performer, playwright and director, Danny Hoch) in major cities across the country. Some major hip hop theatre writers and performers include Danny Hoch, Sarah Jones, Aya de Leon, and Will Power. This form of theatre is continuing to evolve into the 21st century.
Along with traditional theatre format, hip hop-influenced improvisational comedy has become more and more popular. A fine example of popularized hip hop improv is Nick Cannon's Wild 'N Out on MTV.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Interview with Danny Hoch on The Sound of Young America: MP3 Link
- Hip Hop Theatre HQ
- "Dancing on the Through-Line: Rennie Harris and the Past and Future of Hip-Hop Dance" by Jeff Chang; from the series Democratic Vistas Profiles: Essays in the Arts and Democracy
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