Urban ink mixes the hip hop world with theatre. | Photo courtesy of Urbanink
On May 23, a Vancouver production society will present a youth directed hip hop performance piece followed by a modern interpretation of a Canadian tragedy. Since 2001, urban ink has been merging social issues with performance art such as in their upcoming presentation of Sal Capone and a pre-show work developed by members of the Youth Direct Hip Hop Theatre Mentorship Program.
Mentorship program helps youth find their voice
Diane Roberts, artistic director for urban ink, believes the youth program can engage young people in creative endeavors.
This program provides nine youths looking to further their talents in the theatre and hip hop world with the opportunity to be mentored by professional hip hop and theatre artists. Prior to the performance in late May, the youth will have six three-hour sessions, each with one hour of theatre workshops, hip hop skill building such as spoken word and beat boxing and one on one mentorship.
Roberts hope that the success of this year’s program will allow it to continue in the future.
“Well, that would be really nice, but there is short funding, we only have enough for pilot program. Hopefully it will catch on,” says Roberts.
Youth taking charge
The mentorship program has taken a different approach to the youths’ learning: they are in charge.
“They decide what they want to learn. The mentors are there to help them out with whatever they want to learn,” says Ana Carrizales, coordinator of the program.
According to Carrizales, the main focus of the program is helping youth enhance their storytelling skills and explore hip hop, theatre and themselves.
Another twist is that Carrizales and the other coordinators don’t know what the pre-show will be until they see it. The youth have created their own piece, and it will be shown as a surprise to everyone except for them.
Sal Capone and The Youth Mentorship Program form a one-two punch that voices problems and issues for youth, and allows them to fully express themselves to everyone around them.
Police on youth violence re-enacted and interpreted
Inspired by true events, Sal Capone, a new play presented by urban ink Productions, will explore loss, friendship and the choices made when trust is shattered.
On Aug. 9, 2008, 18-year-old Fredy Villanueva, his brother Danny and three other men were playing an illegal game of dice in the parking lot of Montreal North’s Henri-Bourassa Arena when two police officers drove up to the parking lot. One of the officers, Jean-Loup Lapointe, called them over for breaking a municipal bylaw. All of the men complied except for Danny, who started to walk away. Lapointe got out of the car and tried to take him into custody, but Danny fought back.
The other men started to move closer to the fight and Lapointe said he felt “surrounded and confined.” He ordered the other men to back up, and when they did not he saw no other alternative but to fire his gun. He shot quickly three or four times, wounding two of them and killing Fredy.
The killing sparked protests in Montreal, with over 100 people demonstrating against police brutality the day after the killing. The protests spilled over into violence, looting and car torching. Seventy-one people were arrested. Over 300 people attended Fredy’s funeral.
Years later, these tragic events have become the inspiration for Sal Capone.
In the play, a young hip hop group is trying to launch their career when tragedy strikes: their DJ, the heart and anchor of the group, is killed in a violent police shooting. The play has been in development for five years and deals with topics such as racism and the fear and distrust of authority.
Roberts hopes to encourage young people to express themselves without apprehension.
“There are lots of youth that don’t think they can speak the truth, or say what’s on their mind. We’re helping with that,” says Roberts.
Sal Capone reinvents a piece of Canadian history. | Photo courtesy of Urbanink
