Temple students have been experimenting with a new genre of theater through the production of The Seven, a hip-hip musical written by Will Power and directed by associate professor of theater Lee Kenneth Richardson.

Loosely based on Aeschylus Seven Against Thebes, Will Power s rendition of this classic

Greek tragedy is set in an urban enclave and addresses issues of violence and community responsibility through the rhythms of hip-hop culture.

Young people will come in and not realize that they are part of a tradition that is age old, because they are going to feel like this is their story and their music, Richardson said.

Temple s staging of The Seven will be the Philadelphia premiere of the show, which opened off-Broadway at the New York Theater Workshop.

The show opens at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7 and runs through Feb. 22. For ticketing information, visit www.temple.edu/sct/theater.