HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, the world inside Tupac Shakur's music and lyrics, blazes to life in a non-biographical story about friendship, family, revenge, change and hope. Inner city lives struggle for peace against the daily challenges they face in this entertaining and original musical. Through the poetry of one of the 20th century's most influential and culturally prominent voices, we are given a window into realities of the streets still relevant today.
HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, written by Todd Kreidler, directed by Kenny Leon, will begin performances on June 2nd, 2014 (1564 Broadway at 47th Street).
One would think, or at least sincerely hope, that 'Holler If Ya Hear Me,' the new musical incorporating songs and poems by the late rapper and hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur...would turn out to be an innovative, socially conscious work... So it's extremely disheartening to report that 'Holler If Ya Hear Me' is a total mess and misfire. Perhaps it needed more time for development...Rather than focus on Shakur's short and tumultuous life, which would have provided some structure, 'Holler If Ya Hear Me' integrates -- or at least attempts to integrate -- Tupac's songs into an aimless and confusing tale of gang violence in a generic urban landscape that is full of undeveloped characters. In other words, it's a really poor imitation of 'West Side Story.'
It's fitting that the ambitions behind 'Holler If Ya Hear Me' are as outsized as the artist who inspired it -- rapper, poet and actor Tupac Shakur...And it's to Leon's credit that 'Holler,' a simple story of how the people on a current-day block of an unnamed Midwestern industrial town deal with a tragedy, turns out as well as it does...However, the story often feels like it's jumping through hoops to move from one stellar performance from the cast to the next. It becomes a roller coaster of emotions for those on the stage, but they're moving so fast that the audience doesn't really get a chance to connect to them. In the end, 'Holler' leaves you feeling more exhausted than inspired.
2014 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
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