The Flea Theater’s production of Hype Man: a break beat play by Idris Goodwin will return for a limited, free outdoor run at the Irish Hunger Memorial Plaza in Battery Park City this spring. The drama, which was originally seen at The Flea last November (and extended by popular demand), is part of Battery Park City Authority’s lineup of summer programs and events.
The outdoor, encore run of Hype Man will play May 16–18. Performances are at 7 PM and are free and open to the public. No advance reservations required.
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Directed by Kristan Seemel, Hype Man immerses audiences in a necessary conversation to the backdrop of pulsating hip-hop. The play tells the story of a hip hop trio—one white, one Black, and one mixed race—on the verge of becoming America's next big act. The shooting of an unarmed Black man in their hometown throws them off their beat, testing their moral compasses and bonds.
Tay Bass, Matt Stango, and Shakur Tolliver will all return for the Battery Park run.
“Idris has his finger on the pulse—taking the most popular music idiom in our culture and fusing it with a pressing social question," says The Flea's producing director Carol Ostrow.
“The Flea is delighted to be a part of Battery Park City’s summer programming and to bring this wonderful New York premiere production that was a part of our Color Brave Season to the larger New York community," adds artistic director Niegel Smith. "We hope it will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
