WASHINGTON — Hip-hop is more than a genre of music. For some it’s art, for others, it’s a poetic way to tell their story. But for many, it’s a source of a better life. As we celebrate 50 years of hip-hop, Theatre 202 and Dozo Drama announce the premiere of a hip-hop musical called ‘Once Upon a Rhyme’.
This youth community theater brings together young performers from across all eight Wards in the District. As gun violence and youth crime continue to increase throughout the District, the youth performers involved are using this production as their contribution to gun violence prevention. Once Upon a Rhyme was funded by the DC Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Cardozo Education Campus.
‘Once Upon a Rhyme’ tells the story of Prince Pharoah Harper, a Black boy battling with who he thinks the world wants him to be and who he actually is. Harper didn’t experience the stereotypical life of a Black boy growing up in America. He was raised in the suburbs, by two loving parents, and was afforded the opportunity to chase his dreams, a luxury most within the Black community don’t have.
The musical was directed by 2019 DC Teacher of the Year Finalist, Caity Schneeman. The cast is made up of current students from Cardozo Education Campus and KIPP DC College Prep, as well as out-of-school youth in D.C. who are under- or unemployed. The cast uses their storytelling abilities to be part of the solution that plagues their community every day.
The message Schneeman and the production hope the audience walks away with is “to believe in the magic within themselves, emphasizing that speaking greatness into one’s life creates space for confidence and self-validation”.
Performance Dates:
- Friday, November 17th, 2023, at 7:00 pm
- Saturday, November 18th, 2023, at 7:00 pm
Location: Cardozo Education Campus, 1200 Clifton St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Ticket Prices:
- Online: $15 adult / $10 student
- Walk-up: $20 adult / $15 student
TICKETS, DONATIONS, AND MORE INFO: www.our.show/theatre202
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