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“Joe’s work offers a fresh perspective
that is both honest and insightful.”
Dr. Cornel West, Princeton
University
“This is one of the
most outstanding pieces of theatre I’ve
seen in a long time. Joe Hernández-Kolski
is a spoken word poet with a wise and very human
heart – he’s also a fabulous actor
who asks his audience to think about what it means
to live consciously – his style is hip,
accessible and very original. It’s great
for teens, seniors and everyone in between. I
highly recommend it – it is full of the
unexpected, lots of humor and best of all –
hope.”
Leigh Curran, Artistic
Director, Virginia Avenue Project
“Hernandez-Kolski gives
you more than a piece of himself—he pours
100% of his spirit into this incredible work of
art.”
Geeta Citygirl, NYTheatre.com
“One of the most magical
nights of theater I have witnessed in years…Brilliant.”
reg e gaines (Grammy
Winner, Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk)
"Joe ain’t afraid
to be entertaining, in fact highly entertaining
is what he is. Joe, I’ve noticed, likes
to take chances and push the audience close to
the edge."
Marc (So What!) Smith,
Founder of the Slam Movement and Poetry Slam,
Inc.
“Joe is an inspiring
voice and talent. His work is insightful, humorous
and powerful. His commitment to his work is undeniable.”
Saul Williams
“Joe is a refreshing and seldom heard voice
of the hip-hop generation that deserves listening
and watching.”
Danny Hoch
“Joe captivates the crowd with his melodic
poetry that is beautiful, comical, timely and
necessarily political.”
Dr. Barbee Myers Oakes,
Wake Forest University
“Your piece is a joy:
a real grappling with what it means to be alive,
to be a self, to have heart, to live within history
and face it with courage and love, knowing that
change is possible, that we each are unique and
that we all need each other. You are funny; you
are poignant; you are sober; you are passionate.”
Michelle Gubbay
“Speaking of Pocho
Joe, his one-man show You Wanna Piece of Me? was
truly groundbreaking. The man did an incredible
job of uniting poetry, movement and music into
an hour-long show, very thought provoking and
hilarious. Joe’s most endearing quality
is his ability to make fun of himself. Just as
it seems he is becoming self-indulgent he turns
around and pokes fun at his own hypocrisy. Jedi
mixes records in at various points of the show.
He tackles politics, the state of popular music
and gender roles. All and all, it was a very well
written one-man show on Joe’s part.”
Mike “The Poet”
Sonksen, www.poetix.net
“Joe and Jedi, I just
wanted to share another appreciation for your
performance at the Hip-Hop Theater Festival in
San Francisco. I had no idea what to expect from
your piece and I was blown away and entertained
COMPLETELY! Very beautiful work. Beautiful integration
of so many elements and the honesty and complexity
with which you came was amazing. That you for
working together.”
Genevieve DeBose, Lighthouse
Community Charter School
“Your show was awesome
– Brian and I both loved it. Brian really
identified with the Self hate issues and due to
racism by whites – but also how there are
great white people in his life…that’s
huge for him. I loved how you can be a true Latino
but love all these other cultures. I love salsa
music and Cuban food but I am also American and
love hip hop and I too listened to heavy metal.
So, I just wanted to write because we both loved
it and can’t wait for your next one!”
Carmen McDonald-Goldberg
“I don’t give
compliments when I don’t think they’re
warranted, and even so I know that a bombardment
of positive energy, no matter how specific, can
still feel like a warm wash along the surface.
So, the greatest compliment I can give you in
hopes that it strikes deep, and this is absolute
truth, is that you inspired me to get off my ass
and write my own piece. On the drive home I was
thinking about the milestones in my life, fun
photographs that would make great projected backdrops,
challenges, triumphs, shames, celebrations, and
continuing struggles. So, my compliment is basically
a “thank you.” Many thanks for the
gift of last night’s performance and for
the nudge to pursue my own dreams with even more
gusto.”
Nathaniel Justini
“I just wanted to let
you know how amazing your show was. It was so
funny, I was laughing the whole time. It’s
what theatre should be like. You really talk about
what’s important and you also make it entertaining.
Also as an actress, you really inspired me to
do my own thing. I’m always trying to fit
a certain mold of what an actress should look
like and be like and always trying to mold myself
to some ideal. You made me realize fuck all that
and make your own shit. Tell it like it is. Thank
you so much for reminding me about what is important.
You are a very gifted and talented person!!!”
Judy Otto
“You and Jedi are an
inspiring duo and I love how your work resonates
with all ages…very human.”
Kendis Marcotte
Reviews
“Joe Hernandez-Kolski
is one of the most brilliant, courageous and gifted
artists on the globe. He tells difficult truths
with unsparing honesty leavened with glorious
wit and humor. Joe is also one of the most humane
and compassionate visionaries working today, and
if you are fortunate enough to stand beneath the
fountain of his irrepressible wisdom and his relentless
eloquence, you are blessed indeed.”
Prof. Michael Eric Dyson,
Georgetown University
“The actor-writer Joe
Hernández-Kolski pivots on the hyphen in
his name, and on other internal divisions, as
exuberantly as a break-dancer…The show’s
steady counterpoint only sharpens its point.”
Rob Kendt, The New York
Times, August 26, 2005
“This is one of the
most outstanding pieces of theatre I’ve
seen in a long time. Joe Hernández-Kolski
is a spoken word poet with a wise and very human
heart – he’s also a fabulous actor
who asks his audience to think about what it means
to live consciously – his style is hip,
accessible and very original. I highly recommend
it – it is full of the unexpected, lots
of humor and best of all – hope.”
Leigh Curran, Artistic
Director, Virginia Avenue Project
“Hernandez-Kolski gives
you more than a piece of himself—he pours
100% of his spirit into this incredible work of
art.”
Geeta Citygirl, NYTheatre.com
“One of the most magical
nights of theater I have witnessed in years…Brilliant.”
reg e gaines (Grammy
Winner, Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk)
"The two talented performers
onstage at the Kirk Douglas Theater -- Joe Hernandez-Kolski
and Justin Huen -- barely stop moving during the
hour-plus show...The idea here is to capture the
feeling of boys at play, and it works. Jacques
Heim's choreography is impressive for its lack
of self-consciousness: The two adult actors playing
teenagers crawl all over the set, and all over
each other, with a reckless abandon that feels
far less controlled than it really is."
Steven Oxman, Variety
"An emotional and visual
roller coaster, ‘The Stones’ tackles
the slippery issue of crime and punishment...Timing
is crucial, and both actors nail the grueling
choreography despite the often breakneck pace
as 13-year-old Shy Boy (Huen) and 15-year-old
Yahoo (Hernandez-Kolski) careen between high-spirited
kids' play, adolescent aggression and one-upmanship
while trying to break into a warehouse...Rarely
is theater as arresting and provocative as this."
Lynne Heffley, Los Angeles
Times
“Joe Hernández-Kolski…does
comedy with remarkable energy and panache.”
Chicago Tribune, June
22, 2002
“Joe Hernández-Kolski pretty much
steals the show.”
www.theaterworld.com,
Chicago, Illinois, June 24, 2002
“Joe Hernández-Kolski…is
a joy from first moment to last.”
Weekly Planet, St. Petersburg,
Florida, May 7, 2002
“Joe Hernández-Kolski
brought the crowd to tears…from laughter."
The Weekly Challenger,
St. Petersburg, Florida, May 8, 2002
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