FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Johnny Jones; Steve Broadnax
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Theatre and Mass Communication Program
(870) 575-4741; (870) 575-8432
broadnax_s@uapb.edu; jones_jl@uapb.edu
UAPB’S THE HIP HOP PROJECT SET TO PERFORM AT KENNEDY CENTER FOR AMERICAN COLLEGE THEATER FESTIVAL
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff recently made history at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF).
During its respective Region VI festival last month, the John McLinn Ross Theatre Program at UAPB was chosen to represent the state of Arkansas, and the rest of its region (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mexico), in the 37th-Annual KCACTF National Festival in Washington, D.C. The scheduled dates for the festival are Apr. 18-24. UAPB’s performance dates are Apr. 20-21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Terrance Theater.
The national selection team viewed 68 shows around the nation, and The Hip Hop Project: Insight Into The Hip Hop Generation, was the show UAPB performed nearly four months ago at the state festival. The Hip Hop Project received the Respondent’s Choice award, as well as a host of other awards, including Excellence in Directing and Choreography. Director and UAPB head of Theatre, Steve Broadnax, also won awards for directing and choreography at the regional festival in Fayetteville, Ark.
Hip Hop took home three other awards, and was one of four shows held for the national festival selection committee. Later the following week, Broadnax was notified that his show was the only show in Region VI bound for Washington, D.C.
Two other shows were chosen to join The Hip Hop Project at the national festival. Western Michigan’s Othello was chosen, along with Jasper Lake, an original show by Boston University’s John Kuntz.
The Hip Hop Project, which features monologues, poetry, and dance centered in the Hip Hop culture and lifestyle, was written by “Da Poetz,” Johnny Jones, Moriah Hicks, Rikki Nelson, John Proctor, Precious Hall, Cynthia Talley, Royce Massengill and Richard Lofton, who are all UAPB students.
“In conceiving The Hip Hop Project,” Broadnax said, “I used the latest genre of theatre, hip hop theatre – the use of grafitti art, deejaying, emceeing or spoken word and dance – to offer insight to the social issues of the hip hop subculture.
“With the help of the cast and their original poetry and experiences, as well as the music and choreography, I was able to confront the ideas and experiences of the generation in an entertaining, yet educational format.”
-END-
Posted By: Jane L. Wilson
Friday, April 1st 2005 at 2:04PM
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