I went to this musical expecting something else. I think the rest of the audience was with me.
The program notes claimed that I was going to see an “urban musical” outlining the end of hip hop. (I’m not sure what that means, actually, as I think “hip hop” might be present in a lot of art forms.) The musical outlines the life of a young DJ whose radio station is playing the last day of hip hop music before it goes “dark”. In the midst of that, there are a few love stories, a family drama, some effort to bridge a racial/cultural gap, and a coming-of-age. I’m not sure the musical is quite yet sure what it’s about. The music is not at all hip-hop, and that wouldn’t make any sense of the piece at all — but there’s serious diamond in some of this rough: the dancing.
These young dancers are the most serious and gifted artists I’ve seen at the Fringe. Their raw gift, combined with their obvious training, was awe-inspiring. I was moved and excited by the curtain call, when they break into a series of dance solos, beyond anything I saw in the piece itself.
This show has potential. It needs some writing mentorship, a skilled producer, and some trained development eyes. As a work in progress, it’s doing a-ok. Keep it up, Mr. Pirtle and Team — and don’t be afraid to get help with the book. It needs it, but you have a good idea and your dancers are top-tier.
Mimi
