From Mamma Mia! to Jersey Boys to Hamilton, theater productions that incorporate contemporary music have surged in recent years. In Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone, the characters express themselves using rap, a music genre that is itself a respected form of storytelling. At this event, cosponsored with Writers Theatre, we’ll examine the role of popular music in theatre and the theatricality inherent in rap and hip-hop. Our panel discussion will include ethnomusicologist and musician Jonah Francese of the University of Chicago and producer/director/coach Christopher Pazdernik (the Musical Theatre Encyclopedia). Vietgone runs at Writers Theatre through September 23. If you’d like receive an emailed reminder of this event, RSVP to http://my.writerstheatre.org/single/selectseating.aspx?p=4897.