UCR Newsroom

• A to Z Listing
• Campus Map
• Find People

UCR Today: New News, New Look. Go!

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) -- The Department of Theatre at the University of California, Riverside, presents The Cali (ie) Hip Hop Theatre Festival April 6 through 9, with performances and workshops. The festival, which began in 2000 as a one-day event, has evolved into four days of performances, readings and workshops under the guidance of Rickerby Hinds, Assistant Professor in the UCR Department of Theatre.

Hinds is adamant about the importance of hip hop theatre as a vital part of the evolution of the culture: "As hip hop heads get older — some of us are in our late thirties and forties now — some of the things that we are wanting to express can't be confined to expression though only one element (hip hop music). Theatre allows us to employ many of the elements simultaneously in order to best say what we have to say. Festivals like the The Cali (ie) Hip Hop Theatre Festival are a great way of introducing those outside of the culture to it, as well as speaking to and for those of us who are in it."

In past years, The Cali (ie) Hip Hop Theatre Festival has featured artists such as Will Power, Danny Hoch, Jonzi D, Aya De Leon, Kamilah Forbes, Mark Gonzales, Bess Kepp and graffiti artist Archer.

This year, the festival will focus on local artists including: A Mic and Dim Lights Alumni, Nikol Hodges and Mark Gonzales, as well as the work of Rickerby Hinds. Participants will also be given the opportunity to explore hip hop elements up close through workshop and conversations with artists.

Tha Panel (April 6), Tha Word (April 8), and Tha Workshop (April 9), are free and open to the public and take place in the Theatre Lab, HUMN 411. This small theatre seats only 120 people. The audience will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis and is encouraged to arrive early to ensure entry.

Tha Performance (April 7), featuring excerpts from the works of Rickerby Hinds, is presented in the University Theatre. Admission is $10.00 and tickets can be purchased at the University Theatre Fine Arts Ticket Office or by calling (909) 787-4331.

Some performances may not be suitable for all audiences.

The festival is sponsored by the Department of Theatre and co-sponsored by Rhino Records, Emzy Murial, The Black Voice News, r.hinds Company, Brown Publishing Company, and the UC Riverside Center for Ideas and Society.

Press Contact: Rickerby Hinds, coordinator
Assistant Professor, Playwriting
UCR Theatre Department
(909) 787-3871 rickerby@ucr.edu

The Cali (ie) Hip Hop Theatre Festival Year 4
Rickerby Hinds, coordinator
http://theatre.ucr.edu/hiphop/

April 6 - 9, Tuesday - Friday, 8:00 P.M.

April 6, Tuesday, 8:00 P.M.
Tha Panel: A panel of hip hop artists will give samples their work then offer the audience personal insight their work and its relationship to hip hop.
Theatre Lab, HUMN 411 (Limited seating - Arrive early)
Admission: Free

April 7, Wednesday, 8:00 P.M.
Tha Performance: A special evening of hip hop theatre performances featuring excerpts from works of Rickerby Hinds: Keep Hedz Ringin, Straight From Tha Underground and Ten2midnite.
University Theatre
Admission: $10.00 General, (909)787-4331

April 8, Thursday, 8:00 P.M.
Tha Workshop: This unique workshop puts you in the mix by giving you the opportunity to build a hip hop theatre piece under the guidance of experts.
Theatre Lab, HUMN 411 (Limited seating - Arrive early)
Admission: Free

April 9, Friday, 8:00 P.M.
Tha Word: An evening of spoken word by A Mic and Dim Lights alumni; the second longest running spoken word spot in Southern California.
Theatre Lab, HUMN 411 (Limited seating - Arrive early)
Admission: Free

Parking: $4.00 in Lot 6 (No fee with UC permit)

TICKET AVAILABILITY for Tha Performance:
Fine Arts Ticket Office: (909) 787-4331
located on campus at the University Theatre adjacent to Lot 6
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. and one hour before performances.

For more information:
(909) 787-3245 www.theatre.ucr.edu

The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 20,500 students. The campus will open a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.

A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. UCR also has ISDN for radio interviews. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.