New Works Play Reading: Hurt Village
Time and Location
- Fri, Feb 26 at 7:30 pm
- Sat, Feb 27 at 7:30 pm
by Katori Hall
It’s the end of a long summer in Hurt Village, a housing project in Memphis, Tennessee. A government Hope Grant means relocation for many of the project’s residents, including Cookie, a thirteen-year-old aspiring rapper, along with her mother, Crank, and great-grandmother, Big Mama. As the family prepares to move, Cookie’s father, Buggy, unexpectedly returns from a tour of duty in Iraq. Ravaged by the war, Buggy struggles to find a position in his disintegrating community, along with a place in his daughter’s wounded heart.
HURT VILLAGE is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
Content Warning
Strong language
Directed by Steve H. Broadnax III
Directing credits include various shows and theatre’s nationally and internationally including: Broadway Bound THOUGHTS OF A COLORED MAN by Keenan Scott II, THE HOT WING KING by Katori Hall Signature Theatre NYC, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Hattiloo Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Ensemble Studio Theatre Company NYC, Chautauqua Theatre Company, People’s Light Theatre, Apollo Theatre NYC, Classical Theatre of Harlem, Atlantic Theatre NYC, Detroit Public Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Cleveland Playhouse, The Black Theatre Troupe in Phoenix, AZ, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Moore Theatre in Seattle, Market Theatre Johannesburg SA, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, National Arts Festival in South Africa, and The Adelaide Arts Festival Australia. Steve is scheduled to direct THOUGHTS OF A COLORED MAN on Broadway after a successful run at Center Stage in Baltimore.
THE HIP HOP PROJECT, an award-winning, full-length original play directed, choreographed, and conceived by Steve, has toured nationally and was showcased at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Other writings include AMERICAN TABOO, Camouflage (Eugene O’Neil semifinalist), and BAYARD RUSTIN: INSIDE ASHLAND (2021 world première at The People’s Light THEATRE Company).
As a member of Actor’s Equity Association (AEA) and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), Steve has worked nationally and internationally.
Steve is also a member of The Ensemble Studio Theatre and the National Theatre Conference in NYC. He as serves as the Resident Director at People’s Light Theatre
Training (optional): BFA Conservatory of Fine Arts Webster University, MFA Penn State University
Steve is currently a Professor of Theatre at Penn State University
Disability Accommodations
For disability accommodations, please contact the department presenting the event. Disability access information is available online at Parking Services, and further resources can be found by contacting Western's Disability Access Center.