Hype Man

Hype Man a break beat play by Idris Goodwin

(4)
Productions (18)
Drama
|
90 - 100 minutes
1 W, 2 M, 
Set: Minimal

A rapper, beat-maker, and hype man start to find success making music together, but harmony is harder to find when the interracial hip-hop trio clashes over how to use their newfound platform in the wake of a police shooting. Hype Man is a rhythmically woven drama exploring race, representation, fame and friendship.

Pricing Information

Min. Performance Fee* $85
Standard Edition $13.99
Stage Manager Edition $24.99
Archival Video License $150

*The per performance fee begins at $85. Your per performance fee will be provided during the ordering process.


Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

Play Details

A rapper, beat-maker, and hype man start to find success making music together, but harmony is harder to find when the interracial hip-hop trio clashes over how to use their newfound platform in the wake of a police shooting. Hype Man is a rhythmically woven drama exploring race, representation, fame and friendship.

  • Drama
  • |
  • 90 - 100 minutes
  • 1 W, 2 M, 
  • Set: Minimal
  • Standard Edition ISBN: 978-1-62384-917-7

Published Reviews

Idris Goodwin is an unstoppable playwriting force.

Bay State Banner

When the trio gets cranking on musical numbers--you won't need a hype man's injunctions to put your hands up in the air.

The New York Times

The play hits you squarely and clearly where we all live right now--on the edge of painful change, where anger is easy, voices are many, and connection is hard... Best thing onstage now. No hype.

EDGE Boston

Hype Man is stunning, poignant, important... It deserves national attention.

Boston Events Insider

Hype Man is brilliant in its poignancy surrounding ultra-current affairs and rejection of passivity. It reminds artists to "get on up" and say their stories, hardships, worldviews and more.

Brown Daily Herald

Indispensable viewing... Hype Man is not only engaging throughout, but resolutely relevant. The play's exploration of race relations at the intersection of class, friendship, and personal ambition could not be more timely.

Arts Fuse Boston

Terrific... You don't need to enjoy rap to see this very entertaining and thought-provoking show.

EDGE Providence

Searing...threaded with hope and humanity... Hype Man is a powerful commentary on the tensions that arise between different groups in America based on race, gender, origin and socio-economic background.

The Providence Journal

Goodwin's Hype Man is a loud and clear clarion call for blacks and whites, cops and civilians, and everyone to get on up and openly, honestly discuss America's ongoing problems of racial violence and inequality. None of us get to sit this one out.

TheaterMania

Riveting... The whole show crackles with energy... Something Hype Man gets right, where other overtly politically minded plays often go wrong, is that its action is rooted in the engrossing relationships among its three characters

WBUR's The ARTery

Hype Man is theater at its urgent, vital best. See it and see it again.

DigBoston

Company One's production sizzles with the kind of dynamism that can result--if we're lucky--when a playwright with a distinctive voice and an urgent message teams up with a theater troupe whose aesthetic and sense of mission are as sharply defined as his.

The Boston Globe

Production History

JUL 12, 2024 - JUL 21, 2024
City of Cleveland Heights, Cain Park
Cleveland Heights, OH United States
City of Cleveland Heights, Cain Park Cleveland Heights, OH United States
SEP 07, 2023 - SEP 24, 2023
Forward Theater Company
Madison, WI United States
Forward Theater Company Madison, WI United States
JAN 20, 2022 - FEB 12, 2022
Actor's Theatre of Charlotte
Charlotte, NC United States
Actor's Theatre of Charlotte Charlotte, NC United States
FEB 16, 2021 - MAR 14, 2021
Haven Theatre Company
Chicago, IL United States
Haven Theatre Company Chicago, IL United States
OCT 12, 2020 - OCT 12, 2020
North Carolina State University Theatre
Raleigh, NC United States
North Carolina State University Theatre Raleigh, NC United States
JUL 09, 2020 - JUL 26, 2020
Fonseca Theatre Company
Indianapolis, IN United States
Fonseca Theatre Company Indianapolis, IN United States
OCT 10, 2019 - OCT 21, 2019
Los Medanos College
Pittsburg, CA United States
Los Medanos College Pittsburg, CA United States
SEP 11, 2019 - OCT 13, 2019
Actors Theatre Of Louisville
Louisville, KY United States
Actors Theatre Of Louisville Louisville, KY United States
MAR 28, 2019 - MAR 30, 2019
Tricklock Company
Albuquerque, NM United States
Tricklock Company Albuquerque, NM United States
FEB 28, 2019 - MAR 10, 2019
Duke City Repertory Theatre
Albuquerque, NM United States
Duke City Repertory Theatre Albuquerque, NM United States
FEB 20, 2019 - APR 14, 2019
Fountain Theatre
Los Angeles, CA United States
Fountain Theatre Los Angeles, CA United States
FEB 23, 2019 - APR 14, 2019
The Fountain
Los Angeles, CA United States
The Fountain Los Angeles, CA United States
FEB 19, 2019 - MAR 10, 2019
Duke City Repertory Theatre
Albuquerque , NM United States
Duke City Repertory Theatre Albuquerque , NM United States
JAN 25, 2019 - FEB 17, 2019
InterAct Theatre
Philadelphia, PA United States
InterAct Theatre Philadelphia, PA United States
NOV 17, 2018 - NOV 17, 2018
Company One @ Mixed Blood Theatre
Minneapolis, MN United States
Company One @ Mixed Blood Theatre Minneapolis, MN United States
NOV 10, 2018 - DEC 18, 2018
Flea Theater
New York, NY United States
Flea Theater New York, NY United States
NOV 01, 2018 - NOV 18, 2018
Wilbury Group
Providence, RI United States
Wilbury Group Providence, RI United States
JAN 26, 2018 - FEB 24, 2018
Company One
Boston, MA United States
Company One Boston, MA United States
No upcoming productions.
JUL 12, 2024 - JUL 21, 2024
City of Cleveland Heights, Cain Park
Cleveland Heights, OH United States
City of Cleveland Heights, Cain Park Cleveland Heights, OH United States
SEP 07, 2023 - SEP 24, 2023
Forward Theater Company
Madison, WI United States
Forward Theater Company Madison, WI United States
SEP 11, 2019 - OCT 13, 2019
Actors Theatre Of Louisville
Louisville, KY United States
Actors Theatre Of Louisville Louisville, KY United States
FEB 20, 2019 - APR 14, 2019
Fountain Theatre
Los Angeles, CA United States
Fountain Theatre Los Angeles, CA United States
FEB 23, 2019 - APR 14, 2019
The Fountain
Los Angeles, CA United States
The Fountain Los Angeles, CA United States
FEB 19, 2019 - MAR 10, 2019
Duke City Repertory Theatre
Albuquerque , NM United States
Duke City Repertory Theatre Albuquerque , NM United States
JAN 25, 2019 - FEB 17, 2019
InterAct Theatre
Philadelphia, PA United States
InterAct Theatre Philadelphia, PA United States
NOV 17, 2018 - NOV 17, 2018
Company One @ Mixed Blood Theatre
Minneapolis, MN United States
Company One @ Mixed Blood Theatre Minneapolis, MN United States
NOV 10, 2018 - DEC 18, 2018
Flea Theater
New York, NY United States
Flea Theater New York, NY United States
NOV 01, 2018 - NOV 18, 2018
Wilbury Group
Providence, RI United States
Wilbury Group Providence, RI United States
JAN 26, 2018 - FEB 24, 2018
Company One
Boston, MA United States
Company One Boston, MA United States

Awards (3)

IRNE Award Nominee - Best New Play

Elliot Norton Winner - Outstanding Production, Small Theater

American Blues New Play Award