Backstage Spotlight: P.Nokio: A Hip-Hop Musical

Meet playwright Psalmayene 24 and get your tickets for this kid-friendly, hip-hop inspired, retelling of Pinocchio running September 7-22

What inspired you to become a theater maker and playwright? 

A deep love of immediate and visceral storytelling inspired me to become a theater maker. I’m motivated by the same impulse that has driven people for millenniums to weave tales while sitting in a circle around a fire. As far as being a playwright, my work as an actor led me down this path. Initially, my writing was a means of creating interesting roles for myself, but that quickly evolved into using my writing as an instrument that provides creative opportunities for other artists.

What kind of education or experience prepared you for this career? 

My time at Howard University was certainly valuable in that it placed me in a fertile learning environment around other young artists who were committed to dedicating their lives to practicing art that had social value. My experience growing up in Brooklyn, NY and being immersed in hip-hop culture also prepared me for this calling. Hip-hop helped me cultivate the dogged grit that’s necessary for a career in theatre.

What school subjects that our students may be studying do you use everyday?

English and mathematics for sure. As a playwright and director, much of my work is about historical context: Why this play now? How does the past figure into the world of this play? How can this play shape the future? So I also use or think about history almost every day.

What inspired you to adapt the Pinocchio story?

My first professional acting gig after I left Howard University was a touring production of Pinocchio. This was a more traditional adaptation of the story and, frankly, I had a challenging experience in that production. Creating P.Nokio: A Hip-Hop Musical was a way for me to craft a personally redemptive experience around that great classic story and it was a way for me to channel my love of hip-hop culture.

What kind of influence has hip-hop had on you as a person and artist?

It’s difficult to quantify how enormously influential hip-hop has been for me as a person and as an artist. As I mentioned, I grew up in Brooklyn and was embedded in hip-hop culture. As a kid, I rode graffiti-covered subway trains, dressed in hip-hop influenced fashions, did my own version of poppin’ & lockin’ at block parties, spoke in slang influenced by hip-hop, and embraced a hip-hop world view. Virtually every facet of my life was touched by the golden hand of hip-hop.

Do you play video games or did you as a kid? If so, what were some of your favorite games?

I’m actually not a huge video game person, but I did play a little bit as a kid. I had the Atari 5200—which is ancient now. Two of my favorite games on the 5200 were Pac-Man and Joust.

Have you ever had to make a choice between doing something the easy way or the hard way? What did you pick? Do you wish you had chosen the opposite?

Absolutely! The choice between doing something the easy way or the hard way doesn’t evaporate once you become an adult. In my life, there have been times when I’ve chosen the easy way and times when I’ve chosen the hard way. What I’ve learned is, many times, the hard way is actually the easy way and the easy way is actually the hard way. This easy versus hard choice is baked into much of life. It can show up through an important moral decision or even through the choice of whether or not to exercise.

In what ways do you identify with the characters in the play?

As a writer, to a certain degree, I put myself in the mindset of each character as I’m writing their roles. Whether it’s the role of P.Nokio, the Graffiti Fairy, or the villainous Machine Master. As I was writing the play, I did my best to access whatever face of humanity the character was revealing in the moment. We all have the full range of human feelings and thoughts within us. The power of theatre is that it helps us identify with and experience those thoughts and feelings in a safe environment.

What do you hope people take away or how do you hope they feel after watching the play?

Ultimately, I want people to believe in the possibility of redemption and I want them to appreciate that true redemption takes work. When I wrote P.Nokio, my mantra was, “Character is the mother of redemption.” I hope people sense that mantra after seeing the play. And I hope they laugh!

What are three words you would use to describe this production? 

Delightful. Hopeful. Honest.