The Medicine Show Theatre Presents BROKE WIDE OPEN 9/9-26

BROKE WIDE OPEN, Written and performed by Rock WILK is Directed by and developed with Tamilla Woodard, Presented as a workshop production SEPTEMBER 9 -26 @ The Medicine Show Theatre Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm Sundays at 3pm

"WILK is the Muhammad Ali of hip hop and spoken word...floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee. Looking into his eyes when he mans the machine gun of his tongue is like looking into a bunker, only to watch the tracers he dispatches as they light the sky around him, for all of us to see. Thanks for the light, WILK!" -NPR

An autobiographical expedition into the core of identity, BROKE WIDE OPEN is the re-telling of Rock WILK's relentless search for his biological mother, his home and his identity. New York born and raised hip hop artist, singer and popular regular on the spoken word poetry scene, Rock WILK spins a compelling tale of a man seeking connection while simultaneously creating self-imposed exile. Developed with acclaimed director Tamilla Woodard, BROKE WIDE OPEN is a deeply personal examination of identity.

Using Rock's signature style of rapid fire monologue fused with original poetry and music, this production integrates video by Room 404 (Neither Heaven Nor Earth, Remembering Mr. Maugham), sound design by Nick Moore (Expatriate, 23 Knives - IT Nomination), lighting by Bruce Steinberg (Her's a Queen, Blue Before Morning - IT Award), and set and costumes by Deb O. (Five Days in March, Expatriate) transporting the audience to an environment built of memory and expectation.

BROKE WIDE OPEN has been workshopped at Theaterlab on 14th St, The Showroom Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ, MicroTheater in Pittsfield, Mass, The Shore Institute of Contemporary Art in Long Branch, NJ [SICA], and the undergroundzero festival at Performance Space 122. .

PERFORMED BY: Rock WILK
DIRECTOR: Tamilla Woodard
STAGE MANAGER: Debra Stunich
SET and COSTUME DESIGNER: Deb O.
SOUND DESIGNER: Nick Moore
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Bruce Steinberg
VIDEO DESIGNER: Room 404
PRODUCER: Shoshona Currier

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An actor, a playwright and a poet, Rock WILK is also a socially and politically charged vocalist and an accomplished multi-instrumentalist. He creates his multi-disciplinary work while riding the subways of NYC. Along with being a 2009 Nuyorican Poet's semifinalist and 2010 runoffs qualifier for The Nuyorican's national team, Rock has also worked as a studio and touring background vocalist for many years, most recently singing with the legendary Patti LaBelle and contributing vocal and horn arrangements to the Grammy Award winning Les Paul compilation album, LES PAUL AND FRIENDS. Rock's music can also be heard on such TV shows as MTV's "The Real World" and "Making The Band", among others.

Tamilla Woodard is a founding member of The Internationalists - a collective of directors worldwide whose mission is to create a more open, sustainable and interactive global theatrical community. Recent credits include the US/Mexico Exchange DECOMPOSITION, the critically acclaimed vocal musical EXPATRIATE at the Culture Project and CRUISING THE DIVIDE at The Actors Theatre of Louisville for it's Apprentice Company. She is the recipient of the 2008 Charles Bowden Award from New Dramatists and the 2009 Josephine Abady Award from The League of Professional Theatre Women.

Tamilla has developed the solo shows of many artists including Carlos Andrés Gómez's multiple festival, multiple award winning MAN UP, Micia Mosley's Where My Girls At (Hip Hop Theatre Festival, Washington DC, SoloNova Festival, LA Womens Theatre Festival) and Sherry Boone's Super Star Artist Show (Zipper Theatre, Metropolitan Room). She has directed at The Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Culture Project, Urban Stages, Dance Theatre Workshop, The Kitchen Theatre, Manhattan Class Company, Hip Hop Theatre Festival and many other festivals around the US and internationally. Tamilla is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.

BROKE WIDE OPEN will run September 9-26 at The Medicine Show Theatre (549 W. 52nd St, between 10th and 11th Avenues, 3rd floor). Tickets ($20) may be purchased online atwww.smarttix.comor via phone at (212) 868-4444. For more information, go to www.brokewideopen.com

 

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