© HartBeat Ensemble

I know my posts on Coffee Rhetoric have been somewhat few and far between and mostly riddled with buzz, buzz, Coffee buzz posts and local events, while being low on the ranting, below-the-belt quips about the ills of humanity, and what have you ... but it's only because so much has been going on in my home city of Hartford and I've been anxious about featuring cool local people, places, and things I've come to enjoy and be excited about. 

The primary event that has been keeping me busy is my blogging for local, professional theater group, Hartbeat Ensemble. They're a talented group of actors and have been a staple in Hartford for a long time, performing their originally penned plays in the park, on the main-stage, and via outreach programs. They're unique in that they write their own original work; most of which creates awareness about social issues affecting the Hartford community. No they aren't Broadway heavies or some large Hartford theater group with a giant budget to work with, but they definitely live up to their name and are worth the weight in theater gold.

Afforded the opportunity to watch them rehearse, argue, cuss, and sigh exasperatedly as they hashed out the elements of the script, I've been writing behind-the-scenes posts to their blog; providing insight into what will prove to be one of their most exciting main-stage plays... Flipside. The action will take place in a recently acquired performance space downtown; the newly rehabilitated and multipurpose Hollander Building at Asylum Street, on its ground floor, which means passers-by have probably had the opportunity to peek in the windows, perhaps prompted by curiosity. 

© HartBeat Ensemble

The play is based on actual interviews with two real people, and tells the story of a chance encounter between a Hartford teen named Bo and an undercover narcotics agent named Nick. Flipside features spoken-word poetry, storytelling and rhythmic choreography to depict the complexities of drug use and trafficking in our communities and challenges the current War on Drugs policies. 
The play was originally workshopped at Manchester Community College while it was a work-in-progress last year, and will finally come to fruition as a full production April 28-May 21. All performances are Thursday, Friday, & Saturday and will begin at 7:30pm. Tickets are $20 with a discounted price of $15 for all seniors, students, & Let's Go Arts members. April 28 is Community Night and is FREE!

©Rabbit Ears Media

If I'm being honest, it's rare (for me anyway) to have had the opportunity to see the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to literally build a production... live and in person. I'm generally used to bearing witness to the finished result of a play, like the rest of the audience so it'll be particularly special for me to finally see Flipside in its finished form with the rest of you... after having seen the behind-the-scenes drama. 

** For additional information, read witty and insightful posts over at hartbeatensemble.org/blog 
and see the documentary videos filmed by Rabbit Ears Media at HartBeatEnsembleTube ! I love gratuitous plugs... I get to talk about the things *I* enjoy, particularly if I have some sort of involvement in it. And yes, ... yes I will write/guest blog for you and yours as well, for cash and other prizes. That is all.