After being featured in a slew of festivals in Canada and abroad, Brotherhood: The Hip Hopera will make its way to Yellowknife this weekend for its northernmost production yet.
The one-man show is written entirely in rhyme and follows the story of two brothers and hip hop superstars.
Practically speaking, in order to play two different characters itSA国际影视传媒檚 similar to the way people change their voice or gestures to recount a story, explained Sebastien Heins, the showSA国际影视传媒檚 creator and performer.
SA国际影视传媒淚n Brotherhood itSA国际影视传媒檚 a bit more of a dramatic more physically exciting way of switching between characters,SA国际影视传媒� said Heins. On stage, he switches between the two characters in an instant by playing up their physical and audible differences.
When Heins was a student at the National Theatre School of Canada, he was tasked with putting together a one-man fifteen-minute show based on a burning, personal question.
SA国际影视传媒淎s an only child, my inspiration was that ISA国际影视传媒檝e always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling, in particular, a brother,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Inspired by that idea, Heins built a story around it. The now 60-minute production of Brotherhood: The Hip Hopera was born out of that first 15-minute version.
SA国际影视传媒淚 knew that there was more story to tell, so we built two more acts onto it, so it would be a three-episode show,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
The first episode takes the audience back to the 1970s to tell the story of how the brothersSA国际影视传媒� parents met, with the backdrop of Motown, soul and funk music.
SA国际影视传媒淛ust to show why the boys became the way they are and how they became superstars,SA国际影视传媒� Heins said.
SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to give things away but itSA国际影视传媒檚 about family and the good and bad things that we inherit from our families and from society too.SA国际影视传媒�
The two brothers are the product of some beautiful music, but also deal with tragedy and struggles like substance use.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey kind of embody the best of both worlds,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he hope of great music and the sorrow of social degradation.SA国际影视传媒�
A main message of the show is about the importance of family, said Heins.
SA国际影视传媒淚 hope that it will stir people to a particular action actually which is to reach out to the family that they have,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
ItSA国际影视传媒檚 cliche to say you donSA国际影视传媒檛 know what youSA国际影视传媒檝e got until itSA国际影视传媒檚 gone, but it's worth repeating, said Heins.
SA国际影视传媒淚 hope that after people see the show theySA国际影视传媒檒l pick up the phone and call their mom, call their dad, call their brother or sister or grandparent they havenSA国际影视传媒檛 seen in a while and just reconnect with them.SA国际影视传媒�
The showSA国际影视传媒檚 title, Brotherhood is also a synonym for a lot of different things, said Heins.
SA国际影视传媒淭o me, itSA国际影视传媒檚 less about male relationships and more about the brotherhood of man and of humans. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a unity that we all have, that weSA国际影视传媒檙e connected in this brief but amazing life.SA国际影视传媒�
Brotherhood: The Hip Hopera comes to the on Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 for adults and $25 for seniors and youth.
Watch the trailer .
