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Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts

Saturday, April 03, 2010

Prospero’s Books stages a 120-hour poetry marathon - KansasCity.com

Prospero’s Books stages a 120-hour poetry marathon - KansasCity.com: "Prospero’s Books stages a 120-hour poetry marathon
By TIM ENGLE ~ The Kansas City Star


GARVEY SCOTT (photo credit)
“Sometimes for poetry to be noticed, it has to be noticed in a big way,” said Connie Dover, who helped launch a marathon reading."



Five straight days and nights of poetry reading sounds like a colossal undertaking, but it all started Friday morning with one little boy and an even littler poem.

“Day by day the ghosts go past,” recited almost-5-year-old Riley Werner-Leathem, hoisted up to the microphone by his dad, Prospero’s Books co-owner Will Leathem. Riley dressed up for the occasion, wearing a paisley tie over his Prospero’s T-shirt.
Minutes earlier it wasn’t ghosts but an ill-tempered thunderstorm that passed by. Former Kansas poet laureate Denise Low of Lawrence acknowledged it with her work “The Bear Emerges,” part of which goes:

In bed we hear the rumble,
distant, as we find again
under blankets and skins,
the deep-set thud of heartbeats.

All through the hard winter
we forgot about rain and lightning.
Prospero’s, 1800 W. 39th St., is spending all weekend and part of next week celebrating National Poetry Month — and trying to beat a record for longest poetry reading. The round-the-clock marathon will feature 200-plus regional and national poets, most reading in 20-minute chunks and most performing their own work.

It got under way at 10 a.m. Friday with about two dozen spectators and will wrap up at 10 a.m. Wednesday. The actual record-breaking moment, however, should occur around 7 p.m. Sunday — that’d be the 57-hour mark. Organizers are hoping to wallop a record set in Cincinnati in 1978, when a poetry marathon lasted 56 hours, 25 minutes.

If all goes well, the local effort will rack up 120 continuous hours of poetry, more than double what those disco-era dudes did.

Complete Story





Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/04/02/1853420/prosperos-books-stages-a-120-hour.html#ixzz0k4a3uMVP

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

120 hours of non-stop poetry!

The Pit at Prospero's [photo credit Prospero's]

The poetry filibuster, 120 hours of non-stop poetry is coming to Kansas City starting Friday April 2nd at 10:00 a.m. The longest poetry reading ever is planned for the Pit at Prospero's Books. The event is sponsored by Prospero’s, Write the Future and Spartan Press.




In celebration of National Poetry month, over 200 regional and national poets will gather in Kansas City to establish a world’s record for the longest poetry reading. The previously established record in 1978 as reported by the Associated Press and NPR’s All Things Considered, was in Cincinnati, Ohio where 50 poets performed 56 hours and 25 minutes of poetry.

The Kansas City event will be vidio taped and a live internet feed of the event is planned.



Some highlighted participants



Friday-

  • Ron Jaffe: world renowned jazz-poet 
  • Connie Dover: winner of the Loft’s Speakeasy prize for poetry
  • Denise Low: imediate past Poet Laureate of Kansas
  • Jo McDougall: Pulitzer nominated poet and memoirist
  • William Trowbridge: former editor of The Laurel Review, author of 5 books of poetry including the The Book of Kong and the Complete Book of Kong. 
  •  Maryfrances Wagner: past President of Kansas City’s The Writers Place and author of 5 books of poetry.  
  •  Wayne Miller: award-winning poet of 2 collections of poetry and editor of Pleiades: A   Journal of New Writing.  
  •  Jason Ryberg 
  •  Jeanette Powers 
  •  Marion S. Taylor 
  • David Morrissey
  • Patrick Lamb
  • Annie Rasmussen
  • James Kneece Joseph Davis
  •  Valorie Engholm
  •  Eve Brackenbury
  • Oshome
  • Trudie Homan
  • Trish Reeves  
  • Steven Proski
  • Tony Plocido
  • Greg Field



Saturday-

  •  Marc Smith: host of the Green Mill poetry series in Chicago, Ill.. PBS identified Marc as the founder of slam poetry in America. Smith will come off sabbatical to perform for the longest poetry reading record attempt.
  • Mark Tom Hennessy: former front man for the Lawrence, KS grunge and PAW.
  • Marc Zorn
  • Mike Bannen + 7year old
  • Carl Bettis
  • Noon Jan Kroll
  • Stan Banks
  • Janet Banks
  • Alarie Tennille
  • John Peterson
  • Stacey Donovan
  • Lindsey Martin Bowen
  • Carl Rowden
  • Robert Stewart
  • Michelle Boisseau
  • Jeanie Wilson
  • Pat Danneman
  • Phyllis Becker
  • Pat Lawson
  • William Peck
  • TJ Jude
  • Marc Smith
  • Ed Tato
  • Mark Hennessy
  • Jason Ryberg
  • Margueritte Rappold
  • Iris Appelquist
  • Aaron Fuhr
  • Thad Havercamp
  • Ron Worley
  • Jason Harding
  • Vic Swan
  • Joshua Upsha
  • Creed Shepherd
  • Michelle Nimmo
  • Tommy Mason
  • Jacob Johansen
  • Steve Goldberg
  • John Dorsey
  • Brent Kinder
  • Holly Stewart
Sunday-

  • The Recipe: founding members of the Black Poets Collective, Pries and 337 define the word “LIVE” in poetry performance.
  • David Smith: author of White Time joins us from Las Angeles, CA.
  • Dennis Weiser
  • Kale Baldock
  • Kathy Hughes
  • Gary Lechtliter
  • Sean Erixon
  • Dean Fessenden
  • Thomas Fessenden
  • Kevin Rabas
  • Josh Barker
  • Jeff Tigchelaar
  • Aaron Froelich
  • Alyson Fuller
  • Saira Jehangir Khan
  • Faith Bemiss
  • Britt Whitehead
  • Blair Johnson
  • Mickey Cesar
  • Laura Kitzmiller
  • Katie Longofono
  • Jas Abromowitz
  • Jeremy O'eal
  • Lance & Rachel Asbury
  • David Smith
  • John Dorsey
  • Abigail Beaudell
  • Jacob Johansen
  • Katie Kaboom
  • Steve Goldberg (Jacob)
  • Gretta Wilkinson
  • Becky Barrera
  • Lola Nation
  • Duke Smith
  • Diane Mora
  • TJ Jude
  • Janie Harris
  • Evanne Miller
  • James Canty
  • Chris Beard
  • Steve Bridgens

Monday-


  • Connie Dover: winner of the Loft’s coveted Speakeasy Prize for Poetry.
  • Nairba Sirrah: Book II of Paradise Lost: Satan Breaks Out Of Hell – 9 characters; 1005 lines; 59 minutes word for word memorized recital.
  • Eric Gandara
  • Megan Louise
  • Larry Welling
  • Mel Neet
  • Paul Goldman
  • Eve Brackenburry
  • Lee Eliot
  • Ken Buch
  • Maggie Ammerman
  • Dennis Weiser
  • Dez
  • Marion Dean McIrvin
  • Kevin Hiatt
  • Patrick Sumner
  • Norma Marshall
  • Jeremey Colson
  • Patrick Dobson
  • Stephen Karuska
  • Connie dover
  • Brian Harris
  • Silvia Kofler
  • Jose Faus
  • Maria Vasquez Boyd
  • Brandon Whitehead
  • Steve Wolfe
  • Megan Louise
  • Mikal Shapiro
  • Tracy Rockwell
  • Jon Bidwell
  • Arrika Brazil
  • Duke Smith
  • Rhiannon Ross
  • Abigail Henderson
  • Kara Werner
  • Robert Moore
  • Janie Harris
  • Jon Bidwell
  • Bob Chrisman
  • Brent Kinder
  • Lon Swearingen
Tuesday-


  • Philip Miller: the godfather of Kansas City poetry, founder of the Riverfront Readings series and author of 6 books of verse, joins us from Mount Union, PA.
  •  Dr. Patricia Cleary Miller: Rockhurst University Humanities Chair, four-term poet laureate of the Harvard Alumni Association.
  • John Mark Eberhart
  • Paul Goldman 
  • Susan Peters
  • Jim Fox
  • Maril Crabtree
  • Jan Duncan-O'Neal
  • Karin Frank
  • Anne Baber
  • Bob Chrisman
  • Joseph Davis
  • Missi Rassmussen
  • Michael Wells
  • David Morrissey
  • Shawn Pavey
  • Timothy Pettet
  • Tom Wayne
  • Philip Miller
  • Patricia Miller
  • David Arnold Hughes
  • Jason Vaughn
  • Steve Brisindine
  • Sara glass
  • Duke Smith
  • Rhiannon Ross
  • Tom Wayne
  • Will Leathem
  • Jason Ryberg

Wednesday-

  •  Victor Smith Memorial Reading: One of KC’s great ‘street’ voices, a poet’s poet, Smith published 5 chapbooks of poetry. A selection of poets  will read Victor’s poems in honor of his untimely passing.
  •  7-9pm VICTORY PARTY at The Conspiracy (at the Uptown Theatre). Live Music and much back slapping. $3 cover for the Kansas City literary arts nonprofit: Write the Future



Monday, January 11, 2010

Gretchen Rubin: The Happiness Project


I've previously mentioned The Happiness Project here but I've learned this weekend that Gretchen Rubin - formerly of Kansas City and the author of four books will be speaking at the Plaza Branch Library here in Kansas City on Wednesday, January 20th at 6:30.  I'm putting this on my Calendar right now!




Power Money Fame Sex: A User's Guide

Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill: A Brief Account of a Long Life


Forty Ways to Look at JFK

Friday, March 27, 2009

Zealous and vibrant...

Aimee Zez

Thursday night I was fortunate enough to be in the audience at a Kansas City reading by Aimee Neshukumatathil.  Aimee read from her book Miracle Fruit, her latest book titled At the Drive-In Volcano and from a newer, yet to be published manuscript.

Aimee's writer voice is not the particularly powerful voice that I usually am drawn to. Nor did she quite seem to meet the template for an academic poet. She is perhaps more in the style of Naomi Nye… a gentle voice, a voice of knowledge, a voice that is zealous and vibrant, a layered mingling of her pedigree and contemporary American culture. Among my favorites from the reading, Corpse Flower, Swear Words, and Fishbone.

She’s a very relaxed reader who commands the audience attention with a balance of humor and casual storytelling in addition to her poetry. Her tone of voice when reading is a pleasant and reassuring one.

I enjoyed reading through Miracle Fruit last night and today. Her poetry is tight and neat and relies upon a wide range of knowledge of the plant and animal kingdom as well as ethnic and cultural insight.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Aimee Nezhukumatathil in KC

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 I'm excitedly awaiting the KC visit of Aimee who will read from her book At the Drive-In Volcano.  She's part of a ethnic poetry series that earlier brought Victoria Chang to KC.  These are two poets that I've followed via the Internet (good Lord, sounds like I'm a stalker) for a while now so getting to see them both read in person is a treat.

Park University and the Missouri Arts Council have made this series possible so they deserve some credit for promoting these poets here locally.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

NOTE TO SELF

C.D. Wright Reading March 10 7:00 PM UMKC Person Auditorium - be there!

C.D. Wright Symposium March 11 7:00PM KC Public Library / Central Branch - Helzberg Auditorium. Don't Miss!

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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Mark Your Calendar - Local Poetry Events

Main Street Rag Poetry Showcase

December 21, 7PM

Join Shawn Pavey, co-founder of The Main Street Rag Literary Journal, for an open mic reading and holiday party at The Writers Place. The cost of admission will be a snack tray or any of your other holiday favorites, beverage of your choice, or any other holiday cheer that you wish to bring.  There's no sign up list, and the party goes until we're out of poems or can no longer stand, whichever comes first. 

New Year's Celebration Reading- 4th Annual!!!

January 1, 12PM-12AM

Start the New Year off right at The Writers Place with our fourth annual New Year's Celebration Reading and Open Mic. Sign up to perform original music or your own poems and short stories. $5 suggested donation.

www.writersplace.org Questions: director@writersplace.org 816-753-1090

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Poetry Happenings

Wanted to note a few items of interest - First off is Issue 23 of RIGHT HAND POINTING is out....  Dale Wisely is editor.  Dale always seems to put together a worthwhile read.

Tomorrow night...  Thursday, November 20th - the poet Mia Leonin will appear at Rockhurst University as part of the Midwest Poets Series. She is of Cuban-American descent. Her credits include two book of poetry; Braid (Anhinga Press, 1999) and Unraveling the Bed (Anhinga, the Van K. Brock Florida Poetry Series, 2008). She received a Green Eyeshade Award
for theater criticism and was selected as a fellow in the NEA/Annenberg Institute on Theater and Musical Theater. She received an Academy of American Poets Prize, a Money for Women Grant by the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, and a 2005 Florida Individual Artist Fellowship. She teaches at the University of Miami. This is a special treat for Rockhurst in that Leonin was a 1990 Graduate of Rockhurst University.  There is a reception at 6:00 PM and the reading begins at 6:30.  For information about this series or other Rockhurst University cultural events, call The Center for Arts & Letters (816) 501-4607 or (816) 501-4828 or visit
www.rockhurst.edu/artsandletters.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Three Poetry Events in a Row in Kansas City

Thursday 10-23 6:30 PM Charles Simic
Reading
Mabee Theater Rockhurst University
54th Street and Troost Avenue
Friday 10-24 8:00 PM Dan Jaffe Reading Writers Place

3607 Pennsylvania

Saturday 10-25
1:00-PM
Rebecca Stallard
Reading and book signing
Boarders
Boardwalk Shopping Dist.
Just off N.W. Barry Rd & I -29
       

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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Book Reading & Signing Saturday Sat. Oct 25th

rstallardFront_Cover_262x400Local Kansas City area writer Rebecca Stallard will appear at Boarder's Books - Border's Books - just off N.W. Barry Rd and I-29 in the Boardwalk shopping district in Kansas City North on Saturday, Oct. 25th 1-3PM.

Stallard will read from her book And the Birds are Singing, a poetic narrative that chronicles four generations of a family, their happiness and desire for laughter against a backdrop of their tragic hereditary plight

Rebecca Stallard is a member of the K.C. Metro Verse - a local chapter of the Missouri State Poetry Society. Her book is an extraordinary work of ancestry and poetic style.

rebeccastallard.com

Monday, October 13, 2008

Bohemian Ball

Saturday night I attended the the Bohemian Ball - a fund raiser to support the operations of the Writers Place in Kansas City. There were a few in costume and many who weren't. The evening got off to a rocky start when writers arrived to find the building dark and candle laden. The power on the entire block had gone out at the most inopportune. The muse in the end smiled upon us and the night ended in the light. Photo_101108_006 Photo_101108_005

Among the food and drink there were these long flat crackers that were so damn addictive. Picture wine + poets, only more. We just shortened the word cracker by dropping the er.

At one point a chorus of singers did a ditty to the tune of Abbas' Dancing Queen changed to Writing Queen.

Lots of silent auction items. People were carrying out tons of spoils at the end of then evening. The only downer beside the initial dark was the Chardonnay running out quickly. I don't do red wine.

Photo_101108_001 Photo_101108_003

Some upcoming Writers Place events:

Sunday, October 19, 2008 -- 7:00 p.m.

Main Street Rag Poetry Showcase Featuring Tim Pettet and Prometheus Unbound

Main Street Rag hosts a production of "Imagination, Please" featuring the voices of Sharon Eiker, Shawn Pavey, Timothy Pettet and others.

Friday, October 24, 2008- 8 p.m.

Dan Jaffee Reading

Poet Dan Jaffee will read political and social issue poems for the "First Tuesday in November".

Friday, October 03, 2008

Victoria Chang Brings Her Poetry to Kansas City

Photo_100208_001

In a reading before an appreciative crowd at the Central Branch of the Kansas City Public Library, Thursday night, California poet Victoria Chang shared poems from Her books, Circle and Salvinia Molesta.

Chang was the lead off guest of Park University's 2008-2009 Ethnic Voices Poetry Series. Her voice often on the dark side but not disparagingly so, offers a credible balance to a whole host of story lines including that of family history, the business world, relationships and more. While soft spoken, Victoria is quite accomplished with empowering words to their fullest.

It was another excellent Library Poetry Reading experience. The Central Branch Library has established quite a reputation now for poetry readings. The only downer for the night was the local bookseller Rainy Day Books which was advertised as being present was a no show. Instead a small handful of Victoria's book were swooped up right away and many wanting autographed copies were left in the cold.

And I still made it home in time for the debate. Wahoo!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

LOCAL POETS ON CD

The Monday night event at Johnson County Library was well done. Thanks to both Johnson County Library and The Writers Place for their part in making it a success and allowing many local poets greater exposure in the community. The CD produced by their joint efforts includes works from the following poets:

  • Katie Manning
  • Marie Asner
  • Bob Fisher
  • Jo McDougal
  • Michael Wells
  • Tina Hacker
  • Maria Vasques Boyd
  • Martin Zehr
  • Carol Bettis
  • Chalise Bourque
  • Donald Caswell
  • Elizabeth Upperon
  • Timothy Pettit
  • Jan Duncon O'Neill
  • Peg Nichols
  • Chloe Wagner
  • Sylvia Kofler
  • Meril Crabtree
  • William Trpwbridge
  • Albert James Dow
  • Greg Germon
  • Gloria Martinez Adams
  • Tom Gray
  • Carol Hamilton
  • Margarita Vallazza
  • Mark Scheel
  • Jose Faas
  • Missi Rasmussen
  • Sally Jadlow
  • Maryfrancis Wagner
  • Mary Rogers-Grantham
  • Genie Wilson

At the Writers Place - 3607 Pennsylvania, K.C., MO - This Sunday, September 14th, 2008 6:00PM there will be another reading and CD release party. First 50 get a free CD!

Sunday, September 07, 2008

FREE CD OF LOCAL POETS

Monday, September 8, 7:00 at The Johnson County Library, 8975 W. 87th Street, Overland Park, Kansas : Poets on CD release party and reading

Why should kids get to have all the fun? We deserve a reading program too! Come hear great poetry and find out how to participate in the BlitzRead! adult reading program at our kickoff party. The first 50 attendees will receive a free CD of local poets reading their work.

Yours truly will be there to read and is featured on the CD as well.

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Thursday, August 07, 2008

gotBREAST?


gotBREAST? is a feature-length documentary exploring how women feel about their breasts.

The documentary includes a diverse cross section of women...single, married and divorced, straight, gay and bisexual women. Ages 2 to 62 with broad ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds.



The film addresses a variety of aspects:
  • breast implants and body image
  • to sexuality and relationships
  • breastfeeding
  • breast cancer.

The purpose is to inspire open and honest dialog among men, women, and teens.

The documentary helps debunk myths and challenges audiences to examine societal and personal definitions of female sexuality, beauty, motherhood, and breasts’ relation to physiological and emotional health.

The filmmakers, Stacey Tolbert and Annie Walsh will take questions following the screening. Friday 8-8-08 @ 8:00 p.m.

Saturday 8-9-08 @ 2:00 p.m.

hosted by the YWCA's girls and health program directors. Mothers and daughter are encouraged to attend this screening together, as well as Youth organizations. Large groups are encouraged to reserve seats.
Donations accepted at the door.For more information, contact Patrick Alexander at palexander@ywca-kck.org.

YWCA of Greater Kansas City 1017 North 6th Street Kansas City, KS 66101
* Note: I met Stacey at a local poetry workshop over a year ago. She is a talented poet and writer. I also heard her on a local radio program discussing this production when they were working on it.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Rag Reading Review

Last nights Main Street Rag poetry reading - held at the Writers Place featured Amy Davis ( left) and Missi Rasmussen (right) followed by an open mic.

Amy's poems were an ecliptic journey through some of her earlier work to the present. While some of these poems I've had an opportunity to hear before, there were several I had not. Her delivery was casual and with commentary that included interesting insight into some of the work. Not filler; but things that really enhanced the experience.

Missi's read was smooth and deliberate. Again, some material I was familiar with but lots of poems I had not heard before. There was a great deal of maturity in both the material and the poise with which she delivered it. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of new pieces of work she presented

During the opem mic period - Pat Berge read her poem One Good Day. A moving piece that you could have heard a pen drop as it was read.

Shawn Pavey gets high marks for the selection of these two young women as featured readers for the event. The Main Street Rag is a quarterly literary magazine based in Charlotte, NC and is co-sponsor of the monthly reading series. Pavey is co-founder.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Poetry in the News

  • As much as his left-brain produces equations, formulas and theories, his right-brain gushes sentiment, passion and feelings. Retired scientist Leonard "Barry" Barrington has written a poem a day for thirty years.
  • Readers solve 'lost' poet mystery.
  • Napa Valley Writers' Conference presents public lecture series July 28-31 / On Thursday, July 31, at 9 a.m., Brenda Hillman will speak on “Reportorial Poetry: Bringing Poetic, Spiritual, and Political Activism Together.” More on the conference.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

K. C. Poetry Reading Event ~ Mark Your Calendars

AMY LEIGH DAVIS & MISSI RASMUSSEN
Sunday July 20th
at 7:00 PM
THE WRITERS PLACE
3707 Pennsylvania in KCMO

Amy Davis and Missi Rasmussen - two local poets will be featured readers with an open mic immediately following. I've had an opportunity to know both of these poets for several years now. They have distinctively unique voices.

Amy was awarded the 2008 Crystal Field Scholarship in Poetry and is attending UMKC. Her poetry has appeared in the in various venues including Park University Scribe and The Rogue Poetry Review. She is a member of the K.C. Metro Verse.

Missi was awarded the Nicholas Manchion English Scholarship Award at Park University. She is presently enrolled in graduate school. Her work has been published in numerous literary journals in print and online. She is the founder & president of KC Metro Verse.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Poetry To A Beat

List night I attended an event at the Kansas City Public Library featuring poet John Mark Eberhart, author of two collections of poetry, Night Watch (2005) and Broken Time (2008). The event turned out to be a family affair with brother Ken Eberhart who is a talented percussionist, brother-in-law Nick Drimmel, who preformed on keyboard. Sherri Eberhart, John Mark's wife performed as well.

John Mark's poetry resonates well with a music theme. So much of his work seems to be about place, be it geography or a place in time or life.

Sherri read from a snippet of the couple's upcoming project, Blood of Eden. She has a background in theater and it is really fun to see such a range of creativity pulled together in one event.

A full house was on hand. Kudos to the K.C. Public Library for yet another great display of the arts in Kansas City.



Monday, June 23, 2008

Celebrate Books & Anniversary

Yesterday was our 34th wedding anniversary and among other things my wife and I did book store outing. Hey, it's like having your cake and eating it too! We always enjoy book stores. While it may not be reality based, Cathy and I are of the philosophy that books are a commodity that everyone should have available to them and that you should just have a no-limit card that can be used for books only. What a deal!

This morning I had a time set aside for a recording of four of my own poems. One or more of them will be part of a CD that is being made of some local poets. Then they will be available in September at two different events in the area. One at a library sponsored event and the other at The Writer's Place here in Kansas City. I felt like the recordings went well. I'll post more about the events soon.

The San Francisco Giants were in town for a four game series this weekend. We went to Friday nights game, a 9-4 win by the Giants. It was a great evening at the ballpark! Of course I'm an avid Giants fan so this was like heaven. Plus there was an awesome fireworks display afterwords. I shot some game pictures - when I gent then downloaded I'll post a couple.