Merryall ushers in the 2023 season with performance by Internationally acclaimed poet and hip hop artist on May 20

Combining poetry, rap, beatbox, song and excerpts from his hit shows, Kane Smego takes the Merryall stage to lead off the season.

A featured performer at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival and the Def Poetry Jam reunion, Kane’s performance will include highlights from his famed one man show, Temples of Lung and Air, which explores issues of race, language, self-awareness, community, and identity. Temples premiered in 2018 at Playmakers Repertory Company, Chapel Hill, NC, was featured at the United Solo Theatre Festival in NYC and was produced regionally at the Detroit Public Theatre.

“Growing up in a biracial family was a big influence on my career, says Smego, “it laid the foundation for my understanding of hip hop music rooted in black and brown communities. Over the years rappers like OutKast, Jay- Z and Busta Rhymes fueled me creatively. When I was 8, I saw my first hip-hop theatre troupe, Pure Movement… combining dance and poetry. I am not a dancer…but a dreamer. It inspired me to write poetry, be more creative, exploratory…sometimes without music, even not rhyming. At Merryall I will be performing various excerpts from my one-man show, of hip-hop theatre as well as other poems and raps/songs.”

When not on stage, Smego tours internationally as an associate Director of Next Level, a cultural diplomacy program that sends American hip hop artists around the globe, using music and dance to promote cultural exchange, collaboration, and community building. As a recording artist Kane has released multiple albums featuring his poetry and hip-hop music. 

Merryall is a non-profit arthouse and community center located at 8 Chapel Hill Road in the heart of Litchfield Hills. For membership, sponsor or ticket info, visit the Center's website at merryallcenter.org.