The Flea Theater Premiere of HYPE MAN a Break Beat Play with a Lot of Political Sway

"Hype Man" at the Flea Theater is a powerhouse 1 act, 3 character in your face breakbeat play.  The audience is seated on stage which heightens the drama, hip hop & political rage.   Breakbeat incorporates a broad style of dance oriented music utilizing electronic keyboards and synthesizers to lay a rhythmic base.  The beat maker, Peep One (Tay Bass) is the odd female out in the trio with two guys who've been friends from the hood since childhood. Peep One is adopted and of mixed race who doesn't permit that to define her place. She identifies & empathizes with multi-races.  She also acts as a peacemaker between Pinnacle (Matt Stango) and Verb (Shakur Tolliver).  Pinnacle is numero uno.  He's white & the front man/writer for the group.  Verb is black & constantly in action.  His job is to hype the crowd.   The overall energy is loud & proud.  Here's a breakbeat {At the risk of sounding racist I just got to say this, Shakur Tolliver sure looks like Don Cheadle.  His dark eyes shine.}  Verb has evolved from his halcyon days of drugs & partying.  The play asserts forcefully racism remains pervasive.  People of color are continuously being persecuted.  The trio are on the brink of making it big with a shot on the Tonight Show.  Verb & Pinnacle were waiting for Peep One to rehearse.  She comes in late & apologetic.  She was held up by a car chase on the freeway.  They get a notification on their phones the driver, a 17 year old black youth, Jerard, was fatally shot 18 times by cops.  Verb argues to use their spotlight to protest the killing.  Pinnacle & Peep One don't want to misuse their opportunity for political purposes.  At the end of the set Verb flashes his t-shirt "Justice for Jerard."  Verb has a professional parting of the ways with Pinnacle & Peep One but their ongoing barrage of "words creep in like second hand smoke."  Playwright Idris Goodwin has written a poetical protest set to music by Wendell Hanes about love, loyalties, joy & justice; none of which are promised.  Cultural appropriation is also addressed.  A recollection of a pool party the two were invited while in high school by a white girl from an affluent area that didn't end well was especially affecting.   Verb dons an "I am a Man" pin & opines officers get away with murder. "If they knew us, they wouldn't kill us.  They can't kill us all!"  "Hype Man" a break beat play beams light on the memes of racism in the past, present and probable future.  Get up offa that thing!  "Hype Man" is a must see at The Flea.  White, black we gotta have each other's back.