HHTF Insiders,

Everyone here at Hip-Hop Theater Festival is brimming with anticipation cause the Festivals are about to blow. Hip-Hop Theater Festival: Washington, D.C. is on lock for July 7 - 12 and the New York City Hip-Hop Theater Festival arrives September 23 - October 11.

But the kick-off happens THIS MONTH at "Get Sprung on HHTF," May 28 at Hurley's. This is our First Annual Spring Benefit featuring performances from Universes, Baba Israel, Urban Word and Danny Hoch. "Get Sprung" is not to be missed. RSVP to elz@hhtf.org.

Keep reading for news on Without The King, the new documentary from film maker and HHTF Board member Michael Skolnik, hear from HHTF's newest interns from BCAM High School, Amber Killbrew and Devon Bailey, and find out about Rha Goddess' Low in Miami and Dan Wolf's Stateless in Berkeley. Don't miss the STREB show happening in Williamsburg through May 18, and CONGRATULATIONS to Corduroy Media and Youth Speaks for 2nd Verse: The Rebirth of Poetry taking a prize at the London Independent Film Festival.

And if you haven't done so already, starting in June you can get text messages from Hip-Hop Theater Festival for upcoming shows, discounts, special invitations and more! Email your cell number to info@hhtf.org with "TXT" in the subject line.

HHEAL Fest in New York
April 18 - 20, 2008

The Hip-Hop Association, in conjunction with the Social Services of Hip-Hop, We Got Issues!, and the Afro-Latin@ Project, present the HHEAL Fest.

HHEAL Fest is a 3-day festival that will focus on connecting social justice movements to Hip-Hop culture, explore the role of women, immigrants and youth, and teach how everyone can be an agent for change.

HHTF Insiders,

For all of our friends in Chi-town, Hip-Hop theater makes its way to Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art. From April 24 - 27, Hip-Hop Live + Reel presents Hip-Hop theater and film with The Suicide Kings and Reggie Watts.

HHTF Insiders,

It's tax season, but who can worry about that with all the super-fresh Hip-Hop events? In Chicago this month comes Hip-Hop Live + Reel, featuring Hip-Hop theater artists The Suicide Kings, Yuri Lane, Reggie Watts and more.  Reggie Watts also performs at Ars Nova here in New York, and the Future Aesthetic Cohort comes to NYC to select the Future Aesthetics grantees of 2008. On top of all that, everyone here is buzzing about The First Annual "Get Sprung on HHTF" Spring Benefit happening in May.



And if that isn't enough to distract you from deducting the sum of Lines 64 and 65 from Line 63, then check out what's happening from our community partners and friends: the Streb dancers awe us once again at S.L.A.M in Williamsburg, our friends at La Mama present Seoul's B-Alive! for three days only, the groundbreaking documentary Planet B-Boy extends its stay in New York and continues its fire trail across the U.S, Borough of Manhattan Community College hosts Latino Day for high school youth and Deep Lez is looking for performers in the Bay.



But if April 15 really got you buggin', at least take few moments to calculate your Earned Hip-Hop Education credit, go ahead and estimate high on your HHTF capital gains, and be sure to file jointly
with us.



NEW! NEW! NEW! Get text messages from Hip-Hop Theater Festival! Email your cell number to info@hhtf.org with "TXT" in the subject line. NEW! NEW NEW!

HHTF Fam:

A great big thank you to everyone who saw The Actor's Rap! in New York City and Taking Over in Berkeley this past month. The Actor's Rap! was as hilarious as ever and there's still one weekend left!

Keep reading for details and don't forget we've got you hooked up with the HHTF Discount code.  Meanwhile in the Bay, Taking Over,
written and performed by HHTF Founder Danny Hoch, was seen by over 17
THOUSAND folks on that straight Hip-Hop theater tip. Congratulations
Danny!



For your Google Calendar, Blackberry or iPhone .  . . we've got the dates on lock for the Hip-Hop Theater Festival: Washington, DC. See below! And no, it isn't just your imagination . . . you are hearing poetry everywhere you turn. All across the country youth are slamming for a chance to bust at Brave New Voices, the International Youth Poetry Festival, this July in Washington, DC. Young Chicago Authors are doing it well in Chicago, Youth Speaks is mad busting in the Bay, Urban Word is tearing it up in New York City, and DC Writer's Corps are rockin the mic in Washington DC.



In other news,  we're happy to announce the release of Autumn's Eyes on DVD,  check out a screening of On the Outs, and find out about the "Agenda of Hip-Hop Theater" at NYU. Also, Young Jean Lee's Theater Company is announcing dance auditions for The Shipment, and Galeria de la Raza honors International Women's Day with La Ultima Palabra. We've also got news on our upcoming Get SPRUNG on HHTF Spring Benefit which you know you want to be part of, so stop being shy and email Elz at elz@hhtf.org.



And if nothing else, be our friend already at www.myspace.com/hiphoptheaterfestival. We've been waiting for you.

It's happening . . . Hip-Hop theater is descending on New York City. Are you ready? Check out UNDER THE RADAR, where Hip-Hop theater artists The Suicide Kings, Rha Goddess and Reggie Watts perform at The Public Theater now through January 20.

As we ring in 2008, we at Hip-Hop Theater Festival would like to thank all of you for your continued support. Thanks to you, our First Annual "I Got Five on It" Fund Drive exceeded our goal of 15K. Forget the drum roll and sing it . . . "I got five on it . . . (you know the words but I can't type them here . . . ) I got five on it . . . " Thank you family, for helping us raise $25,223.00!

Get your copy of Words, Beats & Life's Blueprint for a Movement. A global journal of Hip-Hop culture dedicated to fostering a critical analysis of the relevance, history and meaning of all elements of hip-hop. Included are works from Dr. James G. White, Yahsmin M.B BoBo, Jeff Chang, Amir Sulaiman, and APOXY ONE. The book is only five dollars and supports Words, Beats & Life, a youth-focused and Hip-Hop oriented organization out of Washington DC.

Our 2006 Critical Breaks Artist-in-Residence J. Kyle Manzay returns with the hilarious comedy The Actor's Rap! at Baruch College in February. The Actor's Rap! is an outrageous comedy about a group of actors frustrated by the all the "rappers turned actors" who shamelessly steal their roles. Taking matters into their own hands, the actors kidnap today's hottest rapper in order to secure a coveted role in an upcoming film. Don't miss this wickedly funny exploration of the contradictions of Hip-Hop, Hollywood and actors keeping it real.
The Actor's Rap!
February 1 - March 8, 2008
8 PM Thu & Fri :: 3 PM & 8 PM Sat
Baruch Performing Arts Center
55 Lexington Avenue :: New York, NY 10010
For Tickets: https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/25051

Hosted by Forrest Renaissance of Party Rebel.
Admission is FREE with the donation of CLEAN new or used clothes, which will benefit the SAFE HORIZON STREETWORK PROJECT, a program that assists nearly 10,000 NYC homeless young people each year with temporary or permanent housing, and other vital services. PLEASE BRING coats, gloves, scarves, hats, boots, shoes, shirts, pants, sweaters, sweatshirts, thermal underwear, socks, etc., for the winter months. RSVP to rsvp@kevinpowell.net .