To my taste, Broadway shows have too much prancing around. Too many? spunky orphans and sullen phantoms, homicidal yet plucky chorus girls. It's tired … but what it needs to reinvigorate itself is clear: a little bitta gangsta rap.
Apparently, Afeni Shakur, Tupac?s mom, was thinking the same thing, because it was recently confirmed that she's producing a new?rap musical called ?Holler If Ya Hear Me??using Tupac?s music.
On the surface, it sounds ludicrous … nearly as ill-conceived as a musical about Rocky (and, yes,?that’s happening too!). Thankfully, the story is not biographical. Tupac will not be a character in the show ? not even in hologram-form … and the story is simply inspired by his music.
It’s set in the present-day on inner-city streets and?described as:
?the story of two childhood friends and their extended families as they struggle to reconcile the challenges and realities of their daily lives with their hopes, dreams and ambitions.?
Sounds heart-warming.
Scheduled to debut in the 2013/2014 theater season, it remains to be seen how true Tupac fans will respond to the show. Will Suge Knight be there on opening night to support his long-gone friend??He seems like a guy who can’t get enough musical theater. And Broadway couldn’t be more East Coast, so maybe Diddy will be there to show how he’s moved on. We shall see.