Cast of Jaguar Priests: A Hip-Hop Theatre Myth

Scene from Jaguar Priests, Cee Ellauri

DC Hip-Hop Theater Festival

Every year for the past five years, DC hosts the Hip-Hop Theatre Festival (HHTF). HHTF events occurred everyday from Monday, July 11 to Saturday, July 16. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Studio Theater were the main venues for performances. The free festival showcased a dynamic brand of contemporary art, music, theater, dance and poetry being crafted by members of the hip-hop generation.

Many YLSN participants, volunteers, and mentors participated in the festival starting with a production of “Jaguar Priests: A Hip-Hop Theatre Myth” written and directed by Cee Ellauri, born and raised in DC, now residing in Hawaii. The play looked at Adam and Eve as two people being a part of tribes in 3113 BC to the industrial revolution through to the era of globalization. It was a packed theatre that gave a standing ovation to the performers.

Sheila Mirza also performed as a member of Spoken Resistance at a LIVE Hip-Hop performance and Award Presentation held at Woodrow Wilson Plaza. YLSN partner organization, Sol & Soul: Arts for Social Change received a $25,000 grant from the Ludacris Foundation. The audience was full of young people from DC summer camps. They were captivated by the poetry, music, and performance. Later, Sheila Mirza and other Spoken Resistance members were asked to be interviewed by “Be More Poetic” TV.

The festival ended with a final performance given by Spoken Resistance members, Walker “Wally” Valdez, Ruth Youth, and Margaux Delott-Benette. It was full of poetry, dialogue, and skits written by Spoken Resistance members and directed by Psalmeyene 24, renowned director and playwright.

In 2004, the final night of HHTF a cast party was held at the Sol & Soul house. An all night cipher occurred there. Worldyouth Media members recorded and produced the Cypher and sold it to HHTF attendants this year. People loved the CD and the original freestyle skills of artists from DC, NYC, London, Cali, Philly and many more places.

For more information on purchasing the Hip Hop Theatre Festival Cypher CD, contact info@worldyouth.org cost of the CD is sliding scale.