History of the Word

Inspired by poetry commissioned from six of the country’s most talented spoken word poets and hip-hop artists, History of the Word follows four students over a single day in an urban high school as they struggle with identity but, through writing and expressing themselves, move toward empowerment and acceptance. The play explores questions of body-image, cultural identity, violence, the war in Iraq, single-parent families, teenage pregnancy, racial tension, and the power of the word.

Ben Snyder’s play also draws on the words of historical figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Ghandi, Walt Whitman, Sojourner Truth, Muhammad Ali, William Shakespeare, and spoken word poetry by current NYC high school students. The show is presented in conjunction with an extensive educational curriculum featuring in-school poetry workshops at Washington Irving High School and at high schools in Queens. In those schools, students create their own spoken word poetry – some of which is incorporated into the script during performances of the play at their schools.

Performance Schedule:

Wednesday, February 28 at 7:00pm
Friday, March 2 at 3:30pm
Saturday, March 3 at 3:00pm
Washington Irving High School
40 Irving Place at E. 17th Street, Manhattan
Tickets: $20.00 General; $10.00 NYC Students (w/ ID)
Order by phone: 212-352-3101 or 866-811-4111

Wednesday, March 7 at 5:00pm
Thursday, March 8 at 10:00am & 11:30am
Friday, March 9 at 10:00am
Saturday, March 10 at 3:00pm
LaGuardia Performing Arts Center
at LaGuardia Community College
31-10 Thompson Avenue, Long Island City
Tickets: $12.00 General; $10.00 Students
Order by phone: 718-482-5151