Play about the struggles of hip hop
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Play Suggestions
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URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2182
Printed Date: 11/22/24 at 4:57pm
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Topic: Play about the struggles of hip hop
Posted By: note
Subject: Play about the struggles of hip hop
Date Posted: 12/23/06 at 10:05am
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Guys, my name is note and I usually talk with much bigger words than this, but Im tired today.
I wanted to know what you guys thought about a possible play about an 18 year old struggling Starbucks worker that lives and dies for poetry, cuddling, red wine, and gay.....who gets frustrated about his hobbies and image and tries to join a rap forum to become "cool".
At the forum, he cannot shake his knack for literary splendor and writing ability and he is soon exposed as a roflzing stock on the board.
From here he contemplates suicide, board retirement, and heterosexuality.
This is a tale of retaliation against society, intestinal fortitude, gay, and self-realization.
Just wanted to get a feel for what some of you guys thought about this idea.......and im not the guy in question here so dont worry about that or anything. ------------- Ye others art not as gay as me |
Replies:
Posted By: red diva
Date Posted: 12/24/06 at 1:45pm
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You are kidding, aren't you? Please tell me you are! ------------- "I've worked long and hard to earn the right to be called Diva!" |
Posted By: note
Date Posted: 12/24/06 at 2:57pm
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im mc note
what doth ye mean, yo? ------------- Ye others art not as gay as me |
Posted By: MikeO
Date Posted: 12/24/06 at 10:21pm
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note, (small n?)
We've seen it!!!
It's called 'Rent' ------------- I'd rather act, but they found out I can do tech & sets!! |
Posted By: note
Date Posted: 12/25/06 at 10:07am
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you plebian entity
ive not only memorized Rent from start to finish, but also starred in the James Lotterberg version and won the Queery from the academy for my performance in 2003.
It's not Rent, nor does it even resemble it.
------------- Ye others art not as gay as me |
Posted By: Mike Polo
Date Posted: 12/25/06 at 3:29pm
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Guys, Let's keep it civil in here. ------------- Mike Polo Community Theater Green Room http://www.communitytheater.org http://www.twitter.com/CTGreenRoom"> 
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Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 12/26/06 at 7:31pm
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It seems you put in a few interesting twists McNote & obviously it would be a Musical. It would have some youth appeal as such & get bums on seats or as groundlings in the mosh pit at least. Or is that another musical idiom? Not that I understand what ‘hip hop’ is? Go for it, as it obviously something you understand & feel strong about. What you could include is a musical futuristic number, about geriatrics with Zimmer frames, tap dancing in a chorus line, while awaiting hip replacements! [Although that’s be done to death lately]  ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: MikeO
Date Posted: 12/26/06 at 10:56pm
Throwing insults on your third post! Congratulations!
 P.S. Sorry to Mike Polo. ------------- I'd rather act, but they found out I can do tech & sets!! |
Posted By: eveharrington
Date Posted: 12/27/06 at 7:15pm
 You asked what people thought of the idea, note. It's not very nice to get mad when they tell you. ------------- "If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights." |
Posted By: teridtiger
Date Posted: 12/28/06 at 1:39pm
What is the James Lotterberg version? I couldn't find any info on the net about it. Is it like "Phantom of the Opera", where there are a couple of different versions?
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Posted By: Joan54
Date Posted: 12/29/06 at 2:31pm
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Hi Note.....here's my "off the top of my head" response: This sounds like a novel or even a short story if you work in that genre. Theater should be driven by dialog and visual story telling. I cannot "see" this story as a series of motions or tableau on the stage. I also have trouble with your single character who has a lot of inner dialog. You need some characters with "outer" dialog too or at least some sort of action to keep the audience engaged. The "four people sitting around the table talking about how hard life is" type of play may work occasionally but usually the audience stays away in droves. What makes your play interesting? The character is musical? He is gay? He contemplates suicide? Sorry to tell you this but it has all been done before and most of it was dreadful. Do you expect that by making your character a hip-hop performer ( writer?) you will engage an audience that does not normally attend theater? That is a good gesture but you had better be prepared to promote your play shamelessly because I think the hip hop community would rather spend their entertainment dollar on a good club where they can enjoy the music and dance and drink than on a traditional play. Maybe you should try a different approach to this piece.....something that could be performed in a club setting...something fresh, maybe even part improv. Anyways, good luck in your efforts, don't stop yourself from writing anything that your heart tells you must be written. It is a pity that theater is a business as well as an art. ------------- "behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede" |