The UNIVERSES performance troupe is presenting a free preview of their hit show Ameriville at DC’s Hip Hop Theater Festival on July 7. Their performance of 
the entire Ameriville then comes to Round House Bethesda from October 20 – November 7, 2010. Here’s info about the upcoming HHTF “sneak peek”:
Ameriville: The “Sneak Peek”
Written and performed by UNIVERSES, directed by Chay Yew, in special arrangement with Round House Theatre
Wednesday, July 7 @ 9pm @ Studio Theatre, 1501 14th Street, NW, DC
Hip Hop Theater Festival events are free and open to the public. Some events are pre-ticketed with tickets available online beforehand, while most events are open to the public for walk-in. The HHTF “sneak peek” of Ameriville is one of the events being pre-ticketed, with tickets available online at www.hhtf.org – although there will be tickets available day of show at the door as well. Individual HHTF event info can be found at http://dcarts.dc.gov/DC/DCARTS/Events/Annual+Programming/Annual+Programming#2 or www.hhtf.org.
Here’s more info on the Festival:
MEDIA ADVISORY – Week of events 07/06/2010 – 07/10/2010
Contact: Sarah Massey, (202) 445-1169, sarah@massey-media.com
Lacy MacAuley, (202) 445-4692, lacy@massey-media.com
Free Festival Brings Hip-Hop Theater Into DC’s Spotlight
9th annual Hip-Hop Theater Festival July 6-10 showcases DC’s culture
(Washington, DC) – Hip-Hop is an urban art form of stories, people, music, dance, and spoken word. For many in DC, Hip-Hop and its scene is the soundtrack that defines them and their communities. The Hip-Hop Theater Festival spotlights the art at DC’s core through professional theater written by and for the Hip-Hop generation. The mission of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, coming to DC July 6-10, is to turn Hip-Hop Theater is to support innovative work from Hip-Hop and other urban forms of expression and to engage young people with this work through arts and education programs. In its 9th year, the festival is presented jointly by the Hip-Hop Theater Festival and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH).
Performers at the festival include writer and performer Holly Bass, a dancer and performer at the center of the international Hip-Hop theater movement; Paige Hernandez, DC-based trained dancer, professional actor and B-girl; and UNIVERSES’ Amerville, a Bronx-based group often described as “elder statesmen” of Hip-Hop, who have inspired many younger artists. The festival will feature groundbreaking film screenings, dance performances, and of course Hip-Hop shows. An on-stage contest between Hip-Hop artists will award the hottest performer.
For schedule and updates on the festival programming, please visit www.hhtf.org or http://dcarts.dc.gov/DC/DCARTS/Events/Annual+Programming/Annual+Programming#2
“We are proud to invest in the preservation Hip Hop culture by supporting this pioneering theater festival and by being the only state arts agency to offer a Hip Hop Community Grant,” said Gloria Nauden, Executive Director of the DCCAH.
The Hip-Hop Theater Festival is also presented in Chicago, San Francisco, and New York City. The festival seeks to minimize its eco-footprint through environmentally-friendly practices, and will incite dialogue through an open public forum entitled “A Day on Earth: Green Ecology and Communities of Color.” Programming will also play to young, urban communities. The public forum is presented in partnership with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History and Culture, who have Commissioned Holly Bass’s work in progress.
“The Festival provides a unique stage for Hip-Hop generation artists to harness and fine tune their work in front of friendly and familiar audiences,” said Clyde Valentin, executive director of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival. “The DC Festival is a staging ground for work that has the potential to break out and reach wider audiences.”
All events are free and open to the public. Some events are ticketed with tickets available online via RSVP, while most events are open to the public for walk-in. Individual event information can be found at www.hhtf.org or http://dcarts.dc.gov/DC/DCARTS/Events/Annual+Programming/Annual+Programming#2.
“What’s great about the Hip Hop Theater Festival in DC is that because of the relationship with the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, all of the tickets and events are free,” said writer and performer Holly Bass. “It’s accessible to everyone, which is really what hip hop is about. And there’s something for everyone– young, old, families, theater audiences, music audiences, dance lovers. Here’s a chance for us to celebrate our communities and our stories, but also experience something new – for free!”
The festival was born in the summer of 2000 in New York City. The first festival was the first event of its kind that showcased the stories, people, music, dance, and word of Hip-Hop in one venue. Since then, the festival has grown into one of the most influential outlets showcasing Hip-Hop performing arts in the country and has become an important contributor to the cultural life of New York City and beyond.
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DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities:
Our Mission at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is to provide grants, programs and educational activities that encourage diverse artistic expressions and learning opportunities, so that all District of Columbia residents and visitors can experience the rich culture of our city. For more info: http://dcarts.dc.gov
Hip-Hop Theater Festival:
The mission of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival is to fill the gaps in the arts and culture landscape by supporting innovative work from Hip-Hop and other urban forms of expression and to engage young people with this work through arts and education programs. For more info: www.hhtf.org
In addition to festivals, the Hip-Hop Theater Festival’s programs include the HTTF Department of Education, a year-round program to bring Hip-Hop Theater to public schools and universities; Critical Breaks, a development and residency program to support new artists; and HHTF On Tour, artists who bring Hip-Hop Theater all over the world.
