Hip-Hop Theater Festival Runs Off-Bway June 20-24

The Hip-Hop Theater Festival (HHTF) is set to slam NYC with its 6th annual event. Fresh off Chicago and Bay Area runs, HHTF 2006 NYC will feature the New York premiere of the critically acclaimed Live from the Front written and performed by Jerry Quickley and directed by Tony Award-nominee reg e. gaines. The Festival commences on June 20th.

This year, HHTF will also feature the US Premiere of Brazilian B-Boy Frank Ejara in Som do Movimento. HHTF 2006 lands at The Public Theatre for the first time, "where it will continue to bring the best and brightest of multi-disciplinary theater from the Hip-Hop Generation to the stage," state press notes.

Jerry Quickley's Live from the Front will kick-off and conclude the festival, playing on June 20th and 24th. This year the festival will highlight work developed throughout the year during HHTF's "Critical Breaks" Reading series (taking place at the New York Theatre Workshop) and bring beat with the popular Jack Ya Body Dance Series in addition to other special events. "From solo works to ensemble pieces, HHTF unites the best of emerging and established hip-hop artists from around the country in an arena that stretches the limits of theater, dance, spoken word and live music." Hits from past festivals include: Will Power's Flow, Sarah Jones' Surface Transit, Jonzi D.'s Lyrical Fearta and Ben Snyder's In Case You Forget.

"Un-embedded and uncensored, hip-hop and spoken word artist and radio correspondent Jerry Quickley went to Iraq in the days before and during 'shock and awe.' Quickley went to Baghdad and beyond to cover the pending and actual war for KPFK and the Pacifica Radio Network. He 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."

Over six years, the Hip-Hop Theater Festival has grown from a fledgling project of Caseroc Productions and Hip Hop Theatre Junction into an independent non-profit organization with a national scope. HHTF seeks to bring audiences and artists from the Hip-Hop generation together with traditional mainstream theater audiences. The mission is threefold: to invigorate the fields of Hip-Hop and theater by nurturing the creation of innovative work within the hip-hop aesthetic; to present and tour American and international artists whose work addresses the issues relevant to the hip-hop generation; and to serve young urban communities through outreach & education celebrating contemporary language and culture.

For more information on HHTF, visit www.hiphoptheaterfest.org.