Q Brothers Collective reimagines 'Julius Caesar' at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 'Rome Sweet Rome'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Bard has never been so hip-hop, and the Q Brothers Collective is getting rave reviews for "Rome Sweet Rome."

It's the company's latest "Add-RAP-Tation," a stage innovation the group made famous.

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The performers said the show at Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a rousing take on "Julius Caesar."

The Q Brothers Collective seeks to bond in a brotherhood of dynamic music with a message, and plenty of humor.

JQ is a founding member, with sibling GQ.

"So we started grabbing toys and had a little Fisher-Price recorder. And we would put on their clothes and just start making up these stupid game shows, and, you know, little, little plays and little vignettes. And, at that same time, that was 1985, 86, you know, hip-hop starts jumping on. This is on the Northwest Side of Chicago," Jeffery Ameen Qaiyum said.

JQ shared why they tackled William Shakespeare.

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"Writing an entire 90-minute story from scratch with plot is a pretty complicated process, you know? And so being able to lean on these stories and the architecture of these stories for us was really great because it allowed us to really just focus on what we do, which was like crack jokes, write rhymes," he said.

Postell Pringle, "Pos," plays Caesar, and co-created the show.

"Shakespeare was like the very first rapper. He was taking what was happening in the world and he was kind of reporting it. But he was doing it through beautiful lyrical storytelling. His shows were in verse," Pringle said. "So it was almost like going to a rap show. We hope the era translates to everyone in the family, from the little kids who love the dance and color and fast motion of everything, and also mad, mad like jokes and insight and commentary for adults."

Jackson Doran, "Jax," is a writer, director and part of the ensemble.

"You take the essence of these old stories, and you smash them together with contemporary music and rhymes. And they just sort of dovetail into each other," Doran said. "I love to celebrate the culture. I love to exalt it. I revere it deeply, and I think it's a beautiful part of American History."

"It is like nonstop; it is an assault of humor, and and dance, and beats and music. I mean, it is the funnest show we've ever created," Pringle said.

"Rome Sweet Rome" is at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier through Oct. 19.