When most people hear of Hiphop Theater, they don’t know what to expect. The voice of Hiphop Theater is a vehicle for social change. We want to give shout-outs to Danny Hoch, Will Power, Sara Jones and Jonzi D for bringing public awareness to the fruits that Hiphop has brought to the stage. We have to keep the doors open for new artists who are, or have been, making Hiphop Theater and have gone unrecognized. We have to “get up-stand up" and define the theater space for ourselves, by selves.
Hiphop is more than four, five or even a hundred elements. Every theater production that uses elements of Hiphop doesn't have to be about “Hiphop” itself. It is a Kulture and tool for community organization and education that has been shaping the world-view of our youth from the get-go. Hiphoppers and Theater junkies probably were shocked to see Hiphop Theater make the lower right hand corner of American Theater in September 2002. Theater heads who have seen this coming from a million miles away were not.
Hiphop Theatre cannot be denied and it is educating, changing and moving young artists and creative minds throughout the country and world. Thanks for the props, but our work has just begun. Let’s continue to rock the boards and keep up the good fight to define and shape the scope, depth and breadth of Hiphop Theater from the inside out. Stay linked to THAT in order to stay on the cutting edge of Hiphop Theater and Performance. If you have Hiphop theater events in your community that you would like to post, please email me at hodges@hiphoparchive.org.
