by Veronica Louis

Sal Capone, written by Omari Newton and directed by Diane Roberts, is the epitome of the successful play. From the very first moment, even before entering the theatre space (where the audience is greeted by an eccentric prologue) to the very last (a touching climatic ending), the audience is taken on a journey and transported into a magical world of underground hip-hop where visible minority youth tackle all-too-real issues.

Sal Capone tells the story about a young group of underground hip-hop artists about to launch their career when tragedy strikes. The play deals with a myriad of complex issues such as racial identity, police brutality, homosexuality and general youth angst. The issues of the play are not forced. The play is not a public service announcement trying to shove a message down throats. Instead, accomplished director Roberts, allow the message to flow naturally through the characters. The characters are who they are… they are loud, rowdy and cannot keep their mouths shut. (more…)