UK Theatre and Dance presents ‘Hype Man: A Break Beat Play’
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 11, 2025) — The University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance will present “Hype Man: A Break Beat Play” by Idris Goodwin, a charged and rhythmic story that confronts questions of friendship, race and responsibility. Performances run Nov. 13-16 and Nov. 23 in the Briggs Theatre, located in the Fine Arts Building on UK’s campus.
Performance times are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13-15, and 2 p.m. Nov. 16 and Nov. 23.
Directed by Jeremy Gillett, assistant professor of theatre, “Hype Man” follows hip-hop trio Pinnacle, his hype man Verb and their beatmaker Peep One as they near breakthroughs in their respective careers. When the police shooting of an unarmed Black teenager makes headlines, the group faces a crisis of conscience that tests their music, their message and their friendship.
“We are thrilled for our students to collaborate with 2022 Emmy Award-winner JK-47 (J.K. Wyche), a celebrated Lexington artist whose work as a musician and educator continues to shape music locally and globally,” said Gillett. “In the Department of Theatre and Dance, we’re committed to building bridges between campus and community — bringing our art into the city and welcoming the city’s talent into our classrooms. Partnering with the Black Male Working Academy (BMWA) ensures their students not only experience ‘Hype Man,’ but also see themselves and their creative futures reflected here.”
In addition to public performances, more than 300 Kentucky high school students will experience “Hype Man” during private performances on Nov. 21 and 22 as part of the Kentucky Theatre Association Festival.
Tickets are $22 for adults and $14 for students (additional fees may apply online). Tickets are available at singletarycenter.com.
Viewer discretion advised: This production contains strong language.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.