A.R.T. Announces Events For Company One's HYPE MAN: A BREAK BEAT PLAY

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University and Company One Theatre announce free events associated with the reimagined digital version of Company One's critically acclaimed, Elliot Norton Award-winning production of Hype Man: a break beat play by Idris Goodwin.

The story of friendship, hip-hop, and protest was filmed by The Loop Lab. It will premiere April 8 and stream through May 6, 2021.

Tickets are on sale now at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org.

AFFILIATED EVENTS

• The Lunch Room with the Creative Team

Tuesday, April 6 at 12PM ET

Playwright Idris Goodwin, Original Stage Director/Co-Film Director Shawn LaCount, and Co-film Director/Cinematographer John Oluwole ADEkoje of Company One's Hype Man: a break beat play speak with Line Producer Sophie Ancival about the development and creation of C1's acclaimed production and the collaboration to reimagine it for the screen. Open to the public; register at http://amrep.org/LunchRoom.

• Opening Night Celebration

Thursday, April 8 at 7PM ET

Celebrate the virtual premiere of Hype Man: a break beat play before the 7:30PM screening! Interact with fellow audience members and the creative team, and hear from A.R.T. and C1 staff about our longstanding partnership. Open to all ticket holders, invitation to RSVP issued following purchase.

• Cast Virtual Meet-and-Greet

Sunday, April 11 at 5:30PM ET

Kadahj Bennett (Verb / Music Director / Beat Maker), Rachel Cognata (Peep One), and Michael Knowlton (Pinnacle) join audiences for a post-show conversation. Open to all ticket holders, invitation to RSVP issued following purchase.

• Post-Show Conversation with Lisa Simmons and John Oluwole ADEkoje

Thursday, April 15 at 9PM ET

Roxbury International Film Festival Director Lisa Simmons and Hype Man: a break beat play Co-Film Director/Director of Photography/Cinematographer John Oluwole ADEkoje chat about filmmaking, ODEkoje's relationship RoxFilm, and his work on Hype Man: a break beat play. Open to all ticket holders, invitation to RSVP issued following purchase.

Called "Sharply directed, incredibly well-acted, and absolutely of-the-moment" by GBH's Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen, Company One's Hype Man: a break beat play asks: who has the responsibility to speak up in the face of social injustice? This newly reimagined version of the Elliot Norton Award-winning play by poet and playwright Idris Goodwin (How We Got On) follows a rapper, a beat-maker, and a hype man on the verge of making it big when the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager shakes the interracial hip-hop trio to the core and forces them to navigate issues of friendship, race, and protest.

This new intimate version of the world-premiere production directed by Shawn LaCount is co film-directed by John Oluwole ADEkoje (2006 Roxbury Film Festival Award for Emerging local Filmmaker) and LaCount and features new animation and illustration by Barrington Edwards.

Original cast members Kadahj Bennett (Verb), Rachel Cognata (Peep One), and Michael Knowlton (Pinnacle) reprise their roles.

Returning original creative team members include Lawrence E. Moten III (Scenic Design), Cassandra Queen (Costume Design), Lee Schuna (Sound Design), Kadahj Bennet (Music Direction / Beat Maker), and Jessie Baxter (dramaturg). The creative team also includes Sean L. Pieroth (Lighting Design), ADEkoje (Director of Photography / Cinematography), The Loop Lab (Cinematography), and Cesara Walters (Stage Manager / Props Coordinator) join the team.

Hype Man: a break beat play was developed by Goodwin (How We Got On) with C1 through a series of workshops beginning in 2017. Following its January/February 2018 world premiere in Boston, the C1 production transferred to Minneapolis's Mixed Blood Theater for a run in November/December 2018. It was briefly remounted at OBERON in November 2019.

This presentation marks the sixth collaboration between C1 and A.R.T., which also includes productions of Greater Good, Miss You Like Hell, and We're Gonna Die.

Learn more at americanrepertorytheater.org.

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