Gay Rap Opera Bash'd! Coming Off-Broadway

The acclaimed gay rap opera Bash'd! is set to make its off-Broadway premiere at the Zipper Factory Theater. Performances will begin June 12, with opening night set for June 23, directed by Ron Jenkins.

Bash'd! was created by Chris Craddock and Nathan Cuckow, who star as T-Bag and Feminem, respectively, and features music by Aaron Macri. The story involves Jack and Dillon, a pair of star-crossed lovers who must face reality when one is brutally beaten. Turning the often-homophobic hip-hop genre on its ear, Bash'd! is told entirely through rap, spoken word and poetry, and handles its heavy subject matter with high energy and lots of irreverence.

Bash'd! won the 2008 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding NY Theater and was named Outstanding Musical of the 2007 NY International Fringe Festival and the Patron's Pick Award winner at the 2007 Toronto Fringe Festival.

The Zipper production will play five performances a week and is being presented by Stephen Kocis, Carl D. White, Paul Boskind and Michael Filerman.