HIPPEST TRIP – THE SOUL TRAIN MUSICAL Extends At American Conservatory Theater

Due to extremely strong ticket demand, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) announced the extension of Hippest Trip — The Soul Train Musical, the Broadway-bound musical based on the iconic TV show that brought Black music, dance, and style into every living room in America, performing at A.C.T.'s Toni Rembe Theater (415 Geary St., San Francisco).

Performances of Hippest Trip will now run through Sunday, October 8, 2023. Due to a technical delay, preview performances will now begin on Sunday, August 27, with an official opening taking place on Wednesday, September 6.

Tickets for all performances of Hippest Trip are available now at the A.C.T. Box Office by calling 415-749-2228 or visiting act-sf.org. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice.

Journey back to 1971 Chicago, when Black entrepreneur and radio DJ Don Cornelius transformed the pop culture landscape by recognizing the lack of Black musical artists on television. Within a year, his local dance show went national and became one of the longest running shows in television history. Elegant, determined, and complicated, Cornelius set trends for nearly 40 years by giving a stage—and a camera—to the artists who created the soundtrack of multiple generations, and to the dancers, many of whom went on to became superstars.

“Making the leap from run throughs in the rehearsal studio, band practice, and costume fittings to now be all together on stage under lights at A.C.T.'s Toni Rembe Theater, we are seeing audience excitement start to get on a roll,” said A.C.T. Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon. “There are some sold out houses already. There is growing demand from the Bay Area for this powerful world premiere musical made here for the Bay and bound for Broadway. I cannot wait to share. Happy to be extending!”

The cast of Hippest Trip includes (in alphabetical order): Terence Archie (Ensemble), Angela Birchett (Delores Cornelius), Unissa Cruse (Swing), Quentin Earl Darrington (Don Cornelius), Kayla Davion (Jody Watley), Sidney Dupont (Tony Cornelius), Jennifer Marie Frazier (Ensemble), McKenzie Frye (Ensemble), Cameron Hah (Cheryl Song / Ensemble), Amber Iman (Pam Brown), Rich James (Tyrone Proctor / Ensemble), Jaquez (Jeffrey Daniel), Justin Jorrell (Ensemble), Jahi Kearse (Ensemble), Alain “Hurrikane” Lauture (Don Campbellock / Ensemble), Alora Tonielle Martinez (Ensemble), Miki Michelle (Ensemble), Mayte Natalio (Rosie Perez / Ensemble), Amanda Le Nguyen (Swing), Aché Richardson (Ensemble), Roukijah “NutellaK” Rooks (Ensemble), SeQuoiia (Ensemble), Charlene “Chi-Chi” Smith (Damita Jo Freeman / Ensemble), Aya Travick-Best (Swing), and Maleek Washington (Ensemble).

The acclaimed creative team of Hippest Trip includes two-time Tony Award-nominated playwright and MacArthur Genius Dominique Morisseau (Broadway's Ain't Too Proud; The Detroit Project; “Shameless”), Kenny Seymour (Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements), three-time Tony Award nominated and Obie Award winning choreographer Camille A. Brown (A.C.T.'s Toni Stone; Broadway's for colored girls…), and acclaimed director and NAACP Image Award recipient Kamilah Forbes (Apollo Theater's Executive Producer, Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me on HBO; By The Way, Meet Vera Stark). Rounding out the creative team are Jason Sherwood (Scenic Designer), Dede Ayite (Costume Designer), Jen Schriever  (Lighting Designer), Jonathan Deans (Sound Designer), Aaron Rhyne (Projection Designer), Mia Neal (Wigs Designer), Jimmy Keys (Music Curator), and Sean Kana (Music Director), Zane Mark (Dance Music Arranger), X Casting / Victor Vazquez, CSA (Casting), Adesola Osakalumi (Associate Choreographer and Dance Consultant), Rickey Tripp (Associate Choreographer), Matthew Johnson Harris (Associate Director), Eryn Allen (Associate Music Director), Anixter Rice Music Service (Copyist), Randy Cohen (Keyboard Programmer), Ann James (Intimacy and Cultural Coordinator), Stori Ayers (Writer's Associate), Kevin Bertolacci (Production Stage Manager), Shannon Hammons and Wesley Apfel (Assistant Stage Managers).

Hippest Trip is produced by special arrangement with Tony Award nominee Matthew Weaver (Rock of Ages), Jeffrey Tick (former owner of Broadway's Helen Hayes Theater), and Richard Gay (5Pack Entertainment founder, Superfly COO, and former executive at Viacom's Music Networks & BET Networks). Serving as executive producers are four-time Grammy Award-winning & Academy Award-winning artist and author of Soul Train: The Music, Dance and Style of a Generation Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson; Don Cornelius's son Tony Cornelius; Emmy Award nominated CSI creator Anthony E. Zuiker; Live Nation Urban president Shawn Gee, and Broadway veteran Devin Keudell (MJ, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical).

In connection with Hippest Trip, A.C.T. will offer numerous InterACT events—many of which are presented free of charge—that will give patrons opportunities to get closer to the action while having an entire night out at the theater. Visit act-sf.org/interact to learn more.

Events throughout the season:

• Drinks & Drama Friday:
Friday, September 1, 6:30 p.m.
Join us for a party before the show with a local DJ, drink specials, and more!

• Audience Exchanges:
Tuesday, September 12, 7 p.m. | Sunday, September 17, 2 p.m. | Wednesday, September 20, 2 p.m.
After the show, stick around for a lively Q&A session with the actors and artists who create the work    onstage.

• Pride Night:
Wednesday, September 13, before and following the 7:30 p.m. performance
A revamped pre- and postshow party celebrating LGBTQ+ pride within the theater community.

• Community Night: Friday, September 15
An evening celebrating African American culture in the Bay Area.

• Open Captioned Performance:
Saturday, September 16, 2 p.m. performance
At this performance, the dialogue will be displayed on a screen at the front of the stage on house left. To purchase seats in the best viewing section, please use code CAPTION when ordering.

• Tasting Night:
Tuesday, September 19, 6:30 p.m.
Meet fellow theatergoers and get to know one of our local vendors at this hosted event before the show.

• PlayTime:
Saturday, September 23, 12:45 p.m.
Before this matinee performance, get hands-on with the artists who make it happen at this interactive theater workshop.
 
A special thank you to A.C.T.'s Hippest Trip Presenting Sponsors: Cowan Davis Charitable Fund; Jerome L. and Thao N. Dodson; Joanna Ebizie; Karesha McGee; Hilary Valentine; Barry Williams and Lalita Tademy.

 

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