Plot Synopsis

THE EXPRESS WAY WITH DULE HILL is a one-hour docuseries that follows actor and performer Dule Hill and director Danny Lee, who take audiences on an emotional and celebratory road trip across the nation to explore the transformative power of the arts. Along his journey, Hill travels to California, the Appalachian region, Texas, and Chicago to connect with local visionaries, activists, changemakers and pioneers who are using their artistic passions to foster connection, deepen empathy, and create meaningful change within their communities.

What would it be like to create art without sight? How does one explore dance through music that cannot be heard? And how can creative expression be used to break down barriers, combat hate and create safe spaces for everyone? As Hill crisscrosses the country, he explores these questions and more, meeting with a wide array of creatives who are challenging traditional narratives, reclaiming space for themselves and their communities and paving a pathway forward for others to follow.

"The power of the human spirit is really an inspiring thing. There are many people in this world who create space out of nothing. They are the ones turning on the light, setting the path, and then guiding others along the journey," said Hill. "As a lifelong dancer, actor and singer, the arts are what drive me. There's something about when you see yourself reflected that allows you to believe that you exist."

Episodes include:

"California" (Premieres Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 9pm ET): In the Golden State, actor Dule Hill connects with people who are using art to rewrite their narrative, and the narrative of their communities. As a dancer himself, Dule never considered that it would be possible for someone to move to a beat that they could not hear. That is, until he meets deaf dancer, Shaheem Sanchez, who is showing the world that the "deaf can dance." In San Francisco, Dule meets a different set of artistic pioneers: the Grant Avenue Follies, a cabaret troupe made up of sassy senior citizens. Led by Cynthia Yee, the Follies' are also activists, keeping alive Chinatown's rich history, and using their newfound rap skills to combat anti-Asian hate. Finally in Los Angeles, Dule gets his groove on after meeting Carlos Sameniego, the founder of the world's first LGBTQ+ mariachi group, Mariachi Arcoiris, along with his friend Natalia, Mariachi's only trans woman.

"Appalachia" (Premieres Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 9pm ET): The Appalachian region has some of the highest poverty and addiction rates in the nation and in this episode Dule connect with artists who are improving life for themselves and their communities through music. First Dule speaks to Doug Naselroad, who is the founder of the Appalachian Stringed Instrument Company and the Culture of Recovery -- a program that assists individuals on the road to recovery from opioid addiction by teaching them to make stringed instruments. In Johnson City, Tennessee, Dule learns about the black community's contributions to traditional American music from Amythyst Kiah, a queer, black, bluegrass musician whose dedication and talents have earned her a Grammy nomination. Finally, in Durham, North Carolina, Dule meets Grammy-nominated artist Joe Troop, who is out to show the world that music has no borders. Joe is the creator of "Latin-grass," a fusion of Latin and American folk music played with traditional bluegrass instrumentation. Joe explains that by blending the cultural elements he's picked up abroad with the traditional music of Appalachia, he can take a stand against xenophobia and racism.

"Texas" (Premieres Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 9pm ET): In Texas, Dule connects with three artists, each a leader in transforming their communities. In Houston, Dule learns the "Mexica" handshake from Abuela M'api Rainflowa, the founder of Houston Aztec Dance & Drum. Rainflowa, who grew up as a devout Catholic believing that she was of Mexican decent, learned in college that she was actually indigenous. Rainflowa teaches Dule the Aztec Sun Dance, and he later joins her for a sweat lodge ceremony, exploring the spiritual roots of indigenous practices. In Dallas, Dule meets David Lozano, Executive Director of Cara Mia Theatre. Cara Mia uses daring theatrical productions to amplify the Latino experience in the United States including one-woman play featuring Liz Magallanes, an undocumented immigrant, about her experience as a "dreamer." And in Denton, Dule connects with John Bramblitt, a blind painter who lost his vision in 2001 and, as a result, re-taught himself to paint by touch. He currently leads workshops at museums like the Guggenheim, helping others with blindness reclaim their artistic abilities.

"Chicago" (Premieres Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 9pm ET): Chicago is a city known for its rich history and culture, but for some, it's been marred by crime and violence. In this episode, Dule meets several of the city's talented artists to explore why art and activism are often synonymous in the Midwest. On the South Side of Chicago, Dule joins a casting session with the Andre Theatre Collective, a group trying to produce their first play written by incarcerated playwrights. The play examines why much of the city has been riddled by crime, especially for those living in Black communities. Dule also meets with Vershawn Sanders Ward, founding Artistic Director and CEO of Red Clay Dance, who is creating a space for people of color to be seen and highlighting issues affecting her community, like food inequality, through African Diasporic dance. Dule also takes the stage with Bassel Almadani, a first-generation, Syrian-American musician who is using his platform to bring awareness to the civil war ravaging his family's beloved homeland, and the resulting refugee crisis.