South Florida artist Darius V. Daughtry is blending Shakespeare with hip hop and live orchestration in The Bard in Bars, a theatrical production returning to Miami for two performances this weekend at the Historic Lyric Theater.
The Bard in Bars was conceived, written and directed by South Florida artist Darius V. Daughtry. It merges William Shakespeare’s monologues and scenes with original hip hop, backed by a live orchestra of Black and brown musicians known as the New Canon Chamber Collective.
The Bard in Bars aims not only to stay culturally relevant but to become more accessible for audiences who may feel excluded from classic drama. In 2015, Daughtry founded the Art Prevails Project, an organization that provides free or low-cost performances to ensure everyone can experience the arts. The Bard in Bars is a direct result of that project.
The Bard in Bars features a performance from Shakespeare’s most famous romance, Romeo & Juliet.
(Harris Public Relations)
“I was inspired to start the Art Prevails Project because I know that the arts are a transformative force for human beings and the world in general,” said Daughtry. “It really came about while I was teaching and seeing the immense number of arts-related classes and experiences that were taken out of classrooms, specifically in Black and low-income schools. Students weren’t getting opportunities or the chance to express themselves through the arts.”
The Bard in Bars is a show put on by a nonprofit organization known as the Art Prevails Project.
(Yamille Mercedes)
Florida’s funding for the arts community has faced unprecedented cuts in recent years, with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ vetoes stripping away $32 million in state grants intended for arts and cultural programs in 2025. Daughtry’s nonprofit seeks to mitigate the effects of such rollbacks, utilizing Shakespeare as a vehicle to explore human emotion and create more empathetic audiences.
The Bard in Bars combines the classroom experience with the theater-going experience to create something altogether new.
(Harris Public Relations)
“Oftentimes when we think of Shakespeare, it seems so distant and so far away,” said Daughtry. “The language that is used is unfamiliar to a lot of people, but what is true and what makes it so easily connected to hip hop are the themes. You’re going to get themes of love, hate, family relationships, envy, greed, political strife, ambition and more. And I don’t know what can be more relatable than that.”
The cast and crew of the show offer a unique perspective on Shakespeare, often making original music of their own outside of The Bard in Bars. Actress, dancer, singer and poet Yamille Mercedes speaks to the actors’ commitment to quality, not only for themselves but for the sake of the audience giving their time.
“Darius Daughtry has taken the classic words, massaged them so that he could mix his passion and love for hip hop with his appreciation for Shakespeare and make it something that is relatable, personable and super fun,” said Mercedes. “These individuals in this cast are so supremely talented. People are coming to see faces that they don’t know, but those in the show really do have the backbone to support what they’re putting out there.”
The Bard in Bars is on its fourth iteration.
(Yamille Mercedes)
Denzel McCausland is a former cast member of The Bard in Bars who came on as an assistant director for upcoming performances in Miami on Friday and Saturday. Invited by Daughtry to collaborate, McCausland strongly believes that The Bard in Bars is the continuation of a legacy of passionate performance and a new opportunity that opens doors for a modern audience.
“There’s always this thing, like, if you can perform Shakespeare, you can probably perform anything,” said McCausland. “The language is so heightened, and it’s different in its own way. People should come out to this because there’s nothing like a live performance. There is always something that you never get the second time. No show is the same.”
The actors and artists involved in the performance are passionate about their audience and crafting a pleasurable experience of attending a theater production.
“I really want people to walk away feeling a sense of joy,” said Daughtry. “I intentionally want people to feel like they can step away from the chaos of the world for an hour and a half and have a great time and feel like they are amongst family.”
The cast rehearses for The Bard in Bars.
(Yamille Mercedes)
For Mercedes, the family aspect is especially pertinent, not only with the audience but within the cast and crew.
“My Art Prevails family is imprinted in my soul and my heart for perpetuity,” said Mercedes.
McCausland views art as a reprieve from daily life.
“We have so many things happening in our lives,” said McCausland. “Anytime you get a chance to come to a show in whatever capacity, I want you to be able to escape, to be able to relax and enjoy the story that’s being told.”
The Bard in Bars will appear in Miami this weekend for two nights only at 8 p.m. at the Historic Lyric Theater at 819 N.W. 2nd Ave. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
IF YOU GO
What: The Bard in Bars by Darius V. Daughtry
Where: Historic Lyric Theater, 819 N.W. 2nd Ave., Miami
When: 8 p.m. on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16
Cost: Free general admission; $20 for VIP