FirstWorks

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Rennie Harris Puremovement, FirstWorks is excited to be part of the remounting of the award-winning Rome & Jewels. Based on Shakespeare’s Rome & Juliet, this work was reimagined in the streets of Philadelphia. FirstWorks has a long partnership history with Rennie Harris and his company—investing in his artistic trajectory and vision since 2005, we are excited to be a co-commissioner of this work.

Rome & Jewels “addresses the need for dialogue, across identities within and beyond Black communities, and dance as a language is a powerful tool to bring people together to share experiences and stories.” With street dance and hip-hop dance’s roots in African and African American-Latinx cultures, Rennie’s work will be culturally relevant to Providence’s diverse audience. Across the performance, community, and education residency engagements, we will honor Rennie’s legacy, using hip-hop to bridge divides across racial, social, and cultural boundaries.