Will Power, distinguished professor in the
Department of Theater & Performance, is featured in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's listing: “Eight Atlanta Playwrights to Watch in 2020.” Power is considered one of the pioneers and co-creators of hip-hop theater.
Power is an internationally renowned playwright, performer, lyricist and educator. His plays and performances have been seen in hundreds of theaters and concert halls throughout the world including Lincoln Center (New York), The Public Theater (New York), The Battersea Arts Centre (U.K.), The Sydney Opera House, as well as numerous venues in Asia, Africa, Europe and throughout North America.
Called “The best verse playwright in America” by New York Magazine, Power is an innovator and dramatic explorer of new theatrical forms. He is known as one of the pioneers and co-creators of hip hop theater, a late 20th Century art form that led the way for future iconic works such as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s "Hamilton," as well as dozens of hip hop education programs being established throughout the country.
“Speaking across generations is a part of my artistry, so even before I taught college, I sought opportunities to mentor young people,” Power told the AJC.
“A lot of people think of theater as this ancient art form, but theater is the now because it’s happening right there as you breathe.”
In February, Atlanta's Alliance Theatre will produce his “Richard III” adaptation, “
Seize the King,” which will be restaged in Atlanta's Piedmont Park in June. Power’s folkloric musical “Stagger Lee” will be staged at the Atlanta University Center in April, and he is working on a new children’s book about the history of the West End for Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottom’s Summer Reading Club.
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