What is the texture of a future aesthetics? Two turn tables and a microphone? A beat-boxer? A cacophony of languages mixed into a poetic experience? Break-dance wars? An old story revised and told through an urban lens? At New WORLD Theater's Intersection: Future Aesthetics gathering on April 12th and 13th, 2002, artists, arts presenters, theater producers, and funders come together in order to further the interdisciplinary experimentation and collaborations occurring at the nexus of theater, performance poetry, spoken word, and Hip Hop culture. This hybrid genre, identified in the media as Hip Hop theater, represents a significant and growing social and cultural phenomenon, as well as an artistic movement. By broadening the scope of what constitutes theater audiences, Hip Hop theater also pushes the boundaries of what theater is. In short, the future of aesthetics is here.

This new art form signals not only what some see as the unlikely fusion of Hip Hop elements and contemporary theater, but it speaks to cross-cultural and intergenerational audiences through its provocative mix of language, rhythms, beats and movements of Hip Hop. Like the art forms that it will explore, Intersection: Future Aesthetics is an interdisciplinary event featuring stunning new work by emerging artists, discussions, workshops, and sample work by major artists such as Danny Hoch, Rha Goddess, and Carl Hancock Rux, who have already contributed a great amount to this burgeoning field. The gathering will be a place of creative freedom in which participants can see compelling performances and meet artists and arts supporters who are deeply connected to innovative aesthetics and new audiences.

On Friday, April 12th Intersection will kick off with a welcoming reception and performance of the new ensemble work, PEACHES, under development at New WORLD Theater by Cristal Chanelle-Truscott, a young artist of extraordinary talent. This performance will be followed by a late-night performance-poetry event featuring the dynamic word-smithing of younger artists identified for their talents by master performers attending the gathering.

However successful and groundbreaking are this new genre's fusion of elements, it still faces many of the challenges associated with newly emerging art forms. Because Hip Hop theater did not originate in the theater, performers sometimes struggle, for example, with dramaturgy or staging in a theater context. In response to these difficulties, Saturday will be devoted to the exchange of ideas, methods, and information giving artists the opportunity to share insight into what it takes to produce exceptional work. It will also provide artists with occasions to connect with prospective theater collaborators and performance and festival curators. This series of workshops will culminate in two performances: a matinee of excerpts by solo artists, and an evening of performance featuring major poets and ensembles.

Intersection: Future Aesthetics confirmed participants include Martin Espada, Kamilah Forbes, Rha Goddess, Danny Hoch, Baba Israel, the ensemble I Was Born With 2 Tongues, Rocafella and Kwikstep, Mike Ladd, Mariposa, Will Powers, Carl Hancock Rux, Nilaja Sun, Cristal Chanelle Truscott, and the ensemble Universes. Ticket information, registration materials, and additional information will be available on the New WORLD Theater website at http://www.newworldtheater.org.