Russell Simmons' hip-hop poetry series Def Poetry Jam goes from HBO show to theatrical revue beginning June 18 at San Francisco's Theatre on the Square. The evening of underground poetic performance, interspersed with recorded hip-hop, jazz, R&B and gosepl tracks, plays through July 28. "After that, we have our sights on Broadway," Simmons told Variety June 5. The series' co-creator Stan Lathan directs.

Def Poetry Jam features the work of nine poets with Tendaji serving as DJ. Their works range from hymns to love and poetry to comic works like performer Georgia Me's poem about her war with Little Debbie snack cakes. Joining Me are Poetrl, Black Ice, Lemon, Beau Sia, Mayda Del Valle, Suheir Hammad, Steve Colman and Staceyann Chin.

Tickets are $25 for previews, $35-$40 for performances. Theatre on the Square is located at 450 Post Street. Def Poetry Jam is on the web at http://www.defpoetryjam.com. Theatre on the Square is on the web at http://www.theatreonthesquare.com.