New Manifest Theatre Company brings killer rhymes, humor and heart to Austin’s Mastrogeorge Theatre with the regional premier of Idris Goodwin’s ​The Realness (a break beat play). ​The production, directed by Simone Alexander, runs from January 17 – 26, 2019.

The Realness ​is a coming-of-age love story set to the beat of hip hop history. The play tackles questions about authenticity and class collision in 1996. Idris Goodwin’s script seamlessly shifts between dialogue, rap, and spoken word poetry. “He’s created such a specific world for the characters to grow and strive in,” Artistic Director Simone Alexander said, “Goodwin is a writer whose intention and style leap off the page.”