Tupac Shakur musical set to open on Broadway in June

A new musical inspired by the rap songs of the late Tupac Shakur is heading to Broadway. “Holler If Ya Hear Me” is scheduled to open at the Palace Theatre in New York on June 19, with preview performances set to begin on May 26.

“Holler” isn’t a biographical account of Shakur, who was killed at the age of 25 in 1996 following a shooting in Las Vegas. The musical production will use the rapper’s lyrics to tell a story of contemporary inner-city lives.

Among the producers of the musical are Afeni Shakur, the rapper’s mother; movie and TV producer Eric L. Gold; and Chunsoo Shin, the prominent Korean theater producer who recently collaborated with the La Jolla Playhouse on another pop-music themed musical, “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.”

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Kenny Leon will direct “Holler,” which will feature a creative team that includes “Wicked” choreographer Wayne Cilento.

Rumors of the Shakur musical had been circulating for months, though no official announcement from producers had been made until Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal reported in September that Leon had workshopped the musical three times.

“Holler If Ya Hear Me” is named after a Shakur track from his 1993 album.

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