The problem with me replying to this is that I wear a gown and sing in the same church. While I'm just about certain I have a much greater love for slam than you do, I do have more than one genre of music in my cd collection.
Right now, what I'm aiming for is to build "an experience." I think that poetry should be a layered gift, where you can just sit back and enjoy it, but if you're willing to listen and put in some work, it offers up even more.
I think we're going in the right direction. The Encyclopedia Show, for example, has created a theater event out of poetry, and I adore that. It's not where I'm trying to reach, but it's a hell of a lot closer than anything I've managed to do during a regular feature.
Several times, I've spit during musician open mics, and sometimes it falls flat, but other times there is an energy that is intoxicating. I feel that when we plan events. I feel that, when the poets involved in these events hit homeruns that people go home and talk about for weeks. That feeling comes over me whenever something I hear, or perform, strikes ears like I, or whoever is listening to me, is experiencing it in that very moment. If we are not looking to connect with one another, and have others connect with us on that primal a level, then I honestly don't know what we are doing.
The questions I'm asking myself right now focus on the destruction of separation. I want to engage senses. I want there to be music, and smells, and sights that contribute to the feel. I want there to be interactivity. I want to break down everything that lets the audience feel like they are safely disconnected from what is going on onstage.
So, should we dress in costume . . .yes, if it adds something to the work. Are we crazy? No. We're just having fun and putting on some shows. Is there even more we can do? Yes. Let's figure out how.
Waiting 4 the Bus
click to like us on Facebook
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
open mics and beyond
I've recently come to a conclusion. A conclusion is different than an Epiphany. It's been several years since W4tB started as an open mic. I like a good open mic. It's a good place to practice new stuff, to fine tune your work, to tweek your performance abilities. All good stuff.
Part of me has always known it could be more. Performing poetry has been boxed and packaged in sort of a slam colored wrapping paper and placed on the gift table, or it goes a step too far and becomes performance art. Nobody wraps that, it's incognito enough on it's own.
I worry sometimes that the most important part gets lost. Sometimes we forget that poetry is about words colliding with emotions. Something can be artfully rendered and not have enough power to light a room. Other times the emotion just pours out and leads to phrases like empty soul or hole where my heart used to be. I've heard good slam and seen good performance art. I'm not knocking either. If that's where your mad skills lead you, more power to ya.
My mad skills crave something different, a fusion of poetry and theater. I'm not talking about anything pretentious. I'm talking about a thematic show with some lighting, some minimal props, and maybe some sound effects. I want stuff that adds to the poetry and enhances the performance. If it's a character piece, should the poet dress in costume? I dunno. Maybe, maybe not. The element of surprise is also theatrical. A voice that doesn't match the poet/performers physicality is a great way of grabbing an audience.
The W4tB collective has done 2 shows and many ensemble reads based on this premise. Are we crazy? I dunno. It seems to work.
Part of me has always known it could be more. Performing poetry has been boxed and packaged in sort of a slam colored wrapping paper and placed on the gift table, or it goes a step too far and becomes performance art. Nobody wraps that, it's incognito enough on it's own.
I worry sometimes that the most important part gets lost. Sometimes we forget that poetry is about words colliding with emotions. Something can be artfully rendered and not have enough power to light a room. Other times the emotion just pours out and leads to phrases like empty soul or hole where my heart used to be. I've heard good slam and seen good performance art. I'm not knocking either. If that's where your mad skills lead you, more power to ya.
My mad skills crave something different, a fusion of poetry and theater. I'm not talking about anything pretentious. I'm talking about a thematic show with some lighting, some minimal props, and maybe some sound effects. I want stuff that adds to the poetry and enhances the performance. If it's a character piece, should the poet dress in costume? I dunno. Maybe, maybe not. The element of surprise is also theatrical. A voice that doesn't match the poet/performers physicality is a great way of grabbing an audience.
The W4tB collective has done 2 shows and many ensemble reads based on this premise. Are we crazy? I dunno. It seems to work.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Omniphonic challenge
an evening of Music and Poetry with
Omniphonic
Charlie Newman & Mike Ravesloot
That's Clever
Lawrence and son
Omniphonic
Charlie Newman & Mike Ravesloot
That's Clever
Lawrence and son
7:30pm - 10:00pm
Jaks Tap (the back room)
901 W Jackson
Hosted by Buddah309 & a whole slew a jamokes
Green Zone, Dude
Monday, September 7, 2009
Tuesday, Sep 8
Open mike & feature every Tuesday...8:00-10:00
The Cafe
5115 N. Lincoln
Feature - Tom Curry
And...more home-baked chocolate brownie cupcakes!
Great poetry, great drinks, great googlie-mooglie!
$2 Admission
(And we do pass the Crown Royal bag for voluntary feature financial enhancement.)
The Café is a Poetry Green Zone.
many freakin updates
Exact Change Only Submission Guidelines
http://www.exactchangepress.com/
Exact Change Only is now accepting submissions for its Winter issue. Submit between 1 – 5 poems at a time. We will read all styles and themes of poetry, as long as it is honest, quality material. Prefers poetry 50 lines or shorter.
We only accept submissions over e-mail. Poems should be attached as Word documents, with the poet’s name along with the names and number of poems attached. Include both e-mail and mail addresses.
Exact Change only acquires first rights. We accept only original unpublished work. No previously published poetry or simultaneous submissions. We tend to comment on rejected work. All contributing poets receive a special hand stitched copy of the journal.
All submissions must be sent by October 15th, 2009.
SEPT 21-Carol Anderson-UNDER THE INFLUENCE NIGHT
OCT 5-Nina Corwin
OCT 19-Omniphonic
POETRY AND MUSIC NIGHT, are you willing to go toe to toe and head to head with Omniphonic
NOV 2-Wayne Allan Jones/Dave Gecic
NOV 16-POETRY PENTATHALON-THE FIRST W4tB GAMES
Coming November 16th, the first ever Poetry Pentathalon.
every contestant must compete in all 5 events. It's a test of both writing and performance skill.
the events are as follows.
1:form poem, this years form is the Shakespearean sonnet.
2:A poetry Prompt. A line or concept will be provided. The goal...to take that line or concept and turn it into something completely your own.
Max limit is 40-60 lines
3:Rewritten or Edited poem. This will also be provided by an unbiased source. The goal...to portray the overall feeling of the original poem in your own style and words.
max limit 40-60 lines
4:Character/monologue. This one is pretty self explanatory. Write a piece in a character voice, or from a different point of view than your own.
max limit 40-60-lines
5: The Rant. Just a good old fashioned rant poem.
max limit: 3 minutes
poetry prompt and poem to be rewritten/edited will be provided no later than Oct 1st.
all contestants should be registered with W4tB by Sept. 18th
DEC 7-Michael C. Watson/ Shelley Nation
DEC 21-Robert Lawrence/ Allan Stevo
http://www.exactchangepress.
Exact Change Only is now accepting submissions for its Winter issue. Submit between 1 – 5 poems at a time. We will read all styles and themes of poetry, as long as it is honest, quality material. Prefers poetry 50 lines or shorter.
We only accept submissions over e-mail. Poems should be attached as Word documents, with the poet’s name along with the names and number of poems attached. Include both e-mail and mail addresses.
Exact Change only acquires first rights. We accept only original unpublished work. No previously published poetry or simultaneous submissions. We tend to comment on rejected work. All contributing poets receive a special hand stitched copy of the journal.
All submissions must be sent by October 15th, 2009.
SEPT 21-Carol Anderson-UNDER THE INFLUENCE NIGHT
OCT 5-Nina Corwin
OCT 19-Omniphonic
POETRY AND MUSIC NIGHT, are you willing to go toe to toe and head to head with Omniphonic
NOV 2-Wayne Allan Jones/Dave Gecic
NOV 16-POETRY PENTATHALON-THE FIRST W4tB GAMES
Coming November 16th, the first ever Poetry Pentathalon.
every contestant must compete in all 5 events. It's a test of both writing and performance skill.
the events are as follows.
1:form poem, this years form is the Shakespearean sonnet.
2:A poetry Prompt. A line or concept will be provided. The goal...to take that line or concept and turn it into something completely your own.
Max limit is 40-60 lines
3:Rewritten or Edited poem. This will also be provided by an unbiased source. The goal...to portray the overall feeling of the original poem in your own style and words.
max limit 40-60 lines
4:Character/monologue. This one is pretty self explanatory. Write a piece in a character voice, or from a different point of view than your own.
max limit 40-60-lines
5: The Rant. Just a good old fashioned rant poem.
max limit: 3 minutes
poetry prompt and poem to be rewritten/edited will be provided no later than Oct 1st.
all contestants should be registered with W4tB by Sept. 18th
DEC 7-Michael C. Watson/ Shelley Nation
DEC 21-Robert Lawrence/ Allan Stevo
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
call to pens
We are working on a piece to be performed at Black Rock, so we need this one no later than the 20th of September. The prompt is..."No Stranger to the Sound of Upturned Pianos."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
