Quentin Earl Darrington, Amber Iman & More to Star in HIPPEST TRIP — THE SOUL TRAIN MUSICAL at A.C.T.

American Conservatory Theater has revealed the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of Hippest Trip — The Soul Train Musical, the Broadway-bound musical based on the iconic TV show that brought Black music, dance, and style into every living room in America. Hippest Trip will perform at A.C.T.’s Toni Rembe Theater (415 Geary St., San Francisco) August 25–October 1, 2023. Press night for Hippest Trip will be held on Wednesday, September 6, 2023. Single tickets (ranging from $25–$130) are available now at the A.C.T. Box Office at 415-749-2228 or online at act-sf.org. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice.

Journey back to 1971 Chicago, when Black entrepreneur and radio DJ Don Cornelius transformed the pop culture landscape by recognizing the lack of Black musical artists on television. Within a year, his local dance show went national and became one of the longest running shows in television history. Elegant, determined, and complicated, Cornelius set trends for nearly 40 years by giving a stage—and a camera—to the artists who created the soundtrack of multiple generations, and to the dancers, many of whom went on to became superstars.

“A.C.T. is thrilled to play host and support the big vision of Hippest Trip—this stellar creative team and company of actors,” said A.C.T. Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon. “We’ve been in conversation for more than four years, and the time has finally come. The explosive dance-driven show will storm the Bay to celebrate and dive into the continuing legacy of Don Cornelius and Pam Brown, alongside the company of dancers who became stars, mentors, and culture makers. I cannot wait for our theater to be filled with love, peace, and soul.”

The cast of Hippest Trip includes (in alphabetical order): Terence Archie (Ensemble), Angela Birchett (Delores), Unissa Cruse (Swing), Outer Critics Circle Award Nominee Quentin Earl Darrington (Don Cornelius), Kayla Davion (Jody Watley), Sidney Dupont (Tony Cornelius), Jennifer Marie Frazier (Ensemble), McKenzie Frye (Ensemble), Cameron Hah (Cheryl Song / Ensemble), Clive Barnes Award Nominee Amber Iman (Pam Brown), Richard James (Tyrone Proctor / Ensemble), Jaquez (Jeffrey Daniel), Justin Jorrell (Ensemble), Jahi Kearse (Ensemble), Alain “Hurrikane” Lauture (Don Campbellock / Ensemble), Alora Tonielle Martinez (Ensemble), Miki Michelle (Ensemble), Mayte Natalio (Rosie Perez / Ensemble), Amanda Le Nguyen (Swing), Aché Richardson (Ensemble),Roukijah Rooks (Ensemble), SeQuoiia (Ensemble), Charlene “Chi-Chi” Smith (Damita Jo / Ensemble), Aya Travick-Best (Swing), and Maleek Washington (Ensemble).

The acclaimed creative team of Hippest Trip includes two-time Tony Award-nominated playwright and MacArthur Genius Dominique Morisseau (Broadway’s Ain’t Too Proud; The Detroit Project; “Shameless”), three-time Tony Award nominated and Obie Award winning choreographer Camille A. Brown (A.C.T.’s Toni Stone; Broadway’s for colored girls…, Once on This Island, “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!” on NBC), and acclaimed director and NAACP Image Award recipient Kamilah Forbes (Apollo Theater’s Executive Producer, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me on HBO; By The Way, Meet Vera Stark). Rounding out the creative team are Kenny Seymour (Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements), Jason Sherwood (Scenic Designer), Dede Ayite (Costume Designer), Jen Schriever  (Lighting Designer), Jonathan Deans (Sound Designer), Aaron Rhyne (Projection Designer), Mia Neal (Wigs Designer), Jimmy Keys (Music Curator), and Sean Kana (Music Director), Zane Mark (Dance Arranger), X Casting / Victor Vazquez, CSA (Casting), Adesola Osakalumi (Associate Choreographer and Dance Consultant), Rickey Tripp (Associate Choreographer), Matthew Johnson Harris (Associate Director), Eryn Allen (Associate Music Director), Anixter Rice Music Service (Copyist), Randy Cohen (Keyboard Programmer), Ann James (Intimacy and Cultural Coordinator), Stori Ayers (Writer’s Associate), Kevin Bertolacci (Production Stage Manager), Shannon Hammons and Wesley Apfel (Assistant Stage Managers).

Hippest Trip is produced by special arrangement with Matthew Weaver (Rock of Ages), Jeffrey Tick (former owner of Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theater), and Richard Gay (5Pack Entertainment founder, Superfly COO, and former executive at Viacom’s Music Networks & BET Networks). Serving as executive producers are four-time Grammy Award-winning & Academy Award-winning artist and author of Soul Train: The Music, Dance and Style of a Generation Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson; Don Cornelius’s son Tony Cornelius; Emmy Award nominated CSI creator Anthony E. Zuiker; Live Nation Urban president Shawn Gee, and Broadway veteran Devin Keudell (MJ, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical), along with co-producers Nick Stern and J. Todd Harris.

In connection with Hippest Trip, A.C.T. will offer numerous InterACT events—many of which are presented free of charge—that will give patrons opportunities to get closer to the action while having an entire night out at the theater. Visit act-sf.org/interact to learn more about subscribing to these events throughout the season:

Drinks & Drama Friday:

Friday, September 1, 6:30 p.m.
Join us for a party before the show with a local DJ, drink specials, and more!
 

Audience Exchanges: 

Tuesday, September 12, 7 p.m. | Sunday, September 17, 2 p.m. | Wednesday, September 20, 2 p.m.
After the show, stick around for a lively Q&A session with the actors and artists who create the work onstage.
 

Pride Night:

Wednesday, September 13, before and following the 7:30 p.m. performance
A revamped pre- and postshow party celebrating LGBTQ+ pride within the theater community.

Heritage Night: 

Friday, September 15 | A second Heritage Night date will be announced soon
An evening celebrating African American culture in the Bay Area.
 

Open Captioned Performance:

Saturday, September 16, 2 p.m. performance
At this performance, the dialogue will be displayed on a screen at the front of the stage on house left. To purchase seats in the best viewing section, please use code CAPTION when ordering.
 

Tasting Night:

Tuesday, September 19, 6:30 p.m.
Meet fellow theatergoers and get to know one of our local vendors at this hosted event before the show.
 

PlayTime:

Saturday, September 23, 12:45 p.m.
Before this matinee performance, get hands-on with the artists who make it happen at this interactive theater workshop.