PhotosPHOTO EXCLUSIVE: "Tupac, Flexing and Freestyle on My Block!" A Two-Show Day With Dyllon Burnside of Holler If Ya Hear MeDyllon Burnside plays the hot-headed Anthony in the Broadway premiere of Holler If Ya Hear Me, featuring the music and poetry of Tupac Shakur. He shares a recent two-show day at the newly renovated Palace Theatre, where he and his castmates bring Tupac's message to life 8 times a week.
By
Matthew Blank
July 09, 2014
0
of
PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: "Tupac, Flexing and Freestyle on My Block!" A Two-Show Day With Dyllon Burnside of Holler If Ya Hear Me
PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: "Tupac, Flexing and Freestyle on My Block!" A Two-Show Day With Dyllon Burnside of Holler If Ya Hear Me
Dyllon Burnside plays the hot-headed Anthony in the Broadway premiere of Holler If Ya Hear Me, featuring the music and poetry of Tupac Shakur. He shares a recent two-show day at the newly renovated Palace Theatre, where he and his castmates bring Tupac's message to life 8 times a week.
46 PHOTOS
Good Morning, Good Morning! 鈥淐ome with me鈥� on a trip to 鈥淢y Block!鈥�
Dyllon Burnside
鈥淲hat you thinking? Lollipop?鈥�
Dyllon Burnside
I like to start my day off with a good hearty breakfast.
Dyllon Burnside
To quote Darius in the show: 鈥淚 need carbs, lots of energy. Don鈥檛 wanna be out there heavy in the middle of sh*t and be wishing for a Snickers.鈥�
The morning warm up regimen. My foam roller and I don鈥檛 always see eye to eye.
Dyllon Burnside
Got all the essentials.
Dyllon Burnside
Hopefully the Q is on time today.
Dyllon Burnside
Made great timing.
Dyllon Burnside
Welcome to 鈥淢y Block鈥�
Dyllon Burnside
LL Cool John and Tracee Beazer chilling at the stage door.
Dyllon Burnside
Muata practices the toaster lift before each show. I want to pop out of that toaster soooo bad!
Dyllon Burnside
Getting ready for fight call.
Dyllon Burnside
B-boy Saul at his finest with an impromptu breaking session.
Dyllon Burnside
Into the hair room to cover my tattoo. Joy (our hair stylist) set up my own little makeup station for me. :)
Dyllon Burnside
The ladies on 鈥淢y Block鈥� love the part when I take off my shirt!
Dyllon Burnside
All covered now. This setting powder gets on EVERYTHING!
Dyllon Burnside
Had to stop by to see Afi Bijou for my pre-show inspiration. She鈥檚 so worldly wise.
Dyllon Burnside
The homie Brandon getting ready for tonight鈥檚 show.
Dyllon Burnside
Dressed and ready to go down for places. Someone sent me fruit today!
Dyllon Burnside
Josh getting dressed and blaring his loud music.
Dyllon Burnside
Ben鈥檚 ready to go!
Dyllon Burnside
The master John Jelks getting ready to work.
Dyllon Burnside
鈥淗oller if ya Hear Me!鈥�
Dyllon Burnside
Donald thinks he鈥檚 a 鈥淪oulja鈥� now.
Dyllon Burnside
Hey big sis! They just called places.
Dyllon Burnside
Had to pose for a shot first, though.
Dyllon Burnside
Byron adjusts my mic before I go on every night. He鈥檚 the man!
Dyllon Burnside
鈥淗ere we go, turn it up, let鈥檚 start!鈥�
Dyllon Burnside
One great show down. One more to go.
Dyllon Burnside
Ben has a special guest joining him between shows.
Dyllon Burnside
Ben isn鈥檛 the only one with guests鈥� Hey Ms. Tonya!
Dyllon Burnside
When Afi hollers, you simply have to listen.
Dyllon Burnside
Chris (a.k.a. Papa Bear) making sure we eat between shows. He鈥檚 so encouraging.
Dyllon Burnside
Saul has his own hit factory set up in the dressing room. This man knows his music.
Dyllon Burnside
Ben having cuddle time.
Dyllon Burnside
Time for me to do some cuddling of my own.
Dyllon Burnside
The beautiful Ms. Kalakango getting her wig on for show 2.
Dyllon Burnside
The band is ready for the second show鈥� Best band on Broadway!
Dyllon Burnside
The men of 鈥淢y Block鈥� have a freestyle session before every show. #MediocreFlow
Dyllon Burnside
I get 50 pushups in before every show. This makes my second set!
Dyllon Burnside
鈥淟iving life is but a dream, hard times is all we see. Every block is kinda mean, but on our block we still pray.鈥�
Dyllon Burnside
We left it all on the stage today. 110%!!!
Dyllon Burnside
鈥淕ive me a paper and pen so I can write about my life of sin.鈥�
Dyllon Burnside
鈥淣o sh*t I look good. I鈥檓 tight where I鈥檓 supposed to be and soft where I should.鈥�
Dyllon Burnside
It feels great to walk out every night, see the smiling faces, and hear from those who have been touched and inspired by our show. I love my job! Come see us at the Palace. Holler if ya hear us!
Written by and directed by , Holler If Ya Hear Me features slam poet, actor, singer and musician ("Slam") as John with (In the Heights, ) as Vertus, (Motown, Fela!) as Corinne, (Matilda) as Griffy, Tony nominee (Radio Golf) as Street Preacher, (Brownsville Song [b side for Tray] at ) as Darius, Dyllon Burnside ("Prison Break") as Anthony and Tony winner (Jelly's Last Jam; Caroline, or Change; Play On!) as Mrs. Weston.
Rounding out the cast are (), (Fela!), (three-time World Hip Hop Champion), (Shrek national tour), , (danced for Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj), (Neighbors at The Public), (Bare Off-Broadway), (Wicked), (The Book of Mormon national tour), (Baby It's You), (freestyle Krump performer), , ("American Idol"), (Spider-Man Turn off the Dark), Charlene "Chi Chi" Smith, (Ruined Off-Broadway), Donald Webber, Jr. (Motown) and (). Broadway previews began June 2.
Holler If Ya Hear Me, the world inside Tupac Shakur's music and lyrics, "blazes to life in a non-biographical story about friendship, family, revenge, change and hope. Inner city lives struggle for peace against the daily challenges they face in this entertaining and original musical," according to press notes. "Through the poetry of one of the 20th century's most influential and culturally prominent voices, we are given a window into realities of the streets still relevant today."
.
Joining director Leon (, , The Mountaintop) and author Kreidler (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and direction of How I Learned What I Learned) on the creative team are Tony Award-winning choreographer (Wicked, , How to Succeed鈥�, Aida, Sweet Charity) and musical supervisor (Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring In 'Da Funk; The Color Purple; Memphis).
Other members of the creative team includes scenic designer (The Other Place, Shatner's World) based on original concepts by ; projections designer Zachary G. Borovay (No Man's Land, Waiting for Godot); costume designer Reggie Ray (Stick Fly); lighting designer (Cabaret, Titanic, First Date); and sound designers John Shivers (Kinky Boots) and David Patridge (). Casting is by Caparelliotis Casting (Casa Valentina, The Trip to Bountiful).
Holler If Ya Hear Me is produced on Broadway by Afeni Shakur, Eric L. Gold, Chunsoo Shin, Jessica Green, Marcy Kaplan-Gold and Anita Waxman. The general manager is Richard Martini for KL Management.
