If you like a little modern culture with Elizabethan literature, you might want to check out The Bard in Bars, a theatrical production merging Shakespeare with Hip-Hop.
Featuring the 12-piece live string ensemble New Canon Chamber Collective, The Bard in Bars transforms iconic monologues and scenes into a compelling, modern performance.
“Hip-Hop and Shakespeare are two sides of the same coin; they both tell stories of love, power, struggle, and identity,” says writer/director Darius V. Daughtry. “The Bard in Bars brings these worlds together so audiences can feel the heartbeat of the past with the energy of today.”
“This is a show that will make you tap your feet, nod your head, and feel the energy in your bones,” adds Daughtry. “Experience Shakespeare like never before. Feel the rhythm. Live The Bard in Bars.”
The production will be held on May 8 and May 9 at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale, followed by performances on May 15 and May 16 at 8 p.m. at the Historic Lyric Theater at 819 NW 2nd Avenue in Miami.
A special daytime performance for Miami-Dade County Public Schools and youth programs will be held on Friday at 10:30 a.m.
Evening performances on Friday and Saturday will feature a VIP pre-show art exhibit titled Where Art Prevails: The Resilient Vision of Purvis Young. Known for creating expressive works from reclaimed materials such as weathered plywood and discarded doors, Young’s art reflects the spirit of Overtown and the broader Black experience in America.
Presented in collaboration with Art Prevails Project, this exhibit features selected works from The Black Archives’ permanent collection of over 400 original pieces by Purvis Young (1943–2010).
Sponsors include the Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater and The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation, Through Its CreArte Grant Program.
“The Art Prevails Project exemplifies the kind of bold, culturally resonant work that CreArt is designed to support,” said Beliesa Alvarez, executive director of the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation. “By reimagining classical literature, this program is expanding access to the arts in a way that reflects the diversity and creativity of Miami-Dade County. We’re proud to help bring engaging, community-centered experiences like this to life.”
Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/4tyr8Yr.