Exercising a firm focus on the pulse of “now,” the HartBeat Ensemble’s new and provocative works take root in the diverse stories of its local communities. Drawing from an eclectic mixture of performances styles (from commedia dell’arte to hip-hop), this emerging theatre company has hosted a series of timely world premieres, from Graves, a contemporary retelling of The Grapes of Wrath set in modern day Connecticut, to News to Me, a theatrical exploration of the controversy surrounding the “No Child Left Behind Act”.

Equally dedicated to bringing their art back to the community itself, the HeartBeat’s Open Air performance series brings free theatre to city parks, streets and Neighborhood rally’s, while its education programs aim to create social change in some of Hartford’s most unlikely urban institutions and public schools.

Hartbeat Ensemble Information