The Inspired Word Presents Poetic People Power - Thursday, June 2

The Inspired Word Presents the 9th annual show of Poetic People Power, featuring founder Tara Bracco and poets Erica R. DeLaRosa, Andy Emeritz, Frantz Jerome, Jonathan Walton, and Justin Woo.

http://www.poeticpeoplepower.com/

Poetic People Power was founded by writer Tara Bracco in 2003 to create an ongoing project that combines poetry and activism. Each year, Poetic People Power commissions poems about social and political issues. This year, Poetic People Power is presenting a new show titled "The Revolution Will Be..." and it focuses on what protest and revolution means today. Inspired by recent world events and the Gil Scott-Heron poem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," poets will creatively explore this topic and share their new work with the audience.

NOTE: This event was produced many months ago, before Friday's sad news of the passing of Mr. Scott-Heron. May he rest in peace.

Of past Poetic People Power shows, audience members have said:

“Moving and inspiring.”

“It moved me to tears.”

“So good. Presented intelligently.”

“A powerful and moving experience.”

“I loved it. So many inspired voices.”

“This is a beautifully organized event and an amazing concept.”

*****

ARTIST BIOS:

TARA BRACCO is the founder of Poetic People Power. She has been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, Time Out New York, The Huffington Post, and MSNBC.com. Her non-fiction writing has appeared in Cosmopolitan, American Theatre, BUST, Clamor, and Brooklyn Rail. She has performed her poetry and spoken about art and social change at colleges, festivals, theatres, and poetry venues. Tara has received awards from the Puffin Foundation and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. She is a Fellow at the Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership.

ERICA R. DELAROSA is a performer, director, activist, and educator. She is a co-founder and performing member of Mahina Movement, a performance trinity and production company. She has directed several productions and facilitated numerous artistic workshops in the New York and Texas areas. Speak the Fire, Mahina Movement's first CD, is available now. More info at mahinamovement.org.

ANDY EMERITZ has been performing as both a poet and musician since 1995. His writing has appeared in The Good Apple Literary Magazine and on nerve.com. Andy has performed as a musician in venues throughout NYC. He holds a BA in Political Theory from Cornell University, where he studied poetry and narrative writing under James Farrell and Dan McCall.

FRANTZ JEROME has performed at many venues including P.S. 122, Summer Stage in Central Park, the Nuyorican Poets Café, Dance Theatre Workshop, at various schools, and on BET. He was a featured poet in the publication Off the Subject: The Words of the Lyrical Circle of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol. Frantz has shared the stage with Sekou Sundiata, Baba Israel, Lemon, Full Circle Production, Universes, Project 2050, and many others. He is also a member of the spoken word group The Peace Poets.

JONATHAN WALTON has published three books of poetry: My Release, The Second Verse, and Legal: The First 21 Years. He has taught creative writing workshops at all levels including work with the National Foundation for the Advancement of Arts and the Department of Juvenile Justice. A graduate of Columbia University, he is the NYC Urban Project Director for InterVarsity. A sponsored artist for World Vision, Jonathan aims to bring holistic social justice to the forefront of America's consciousness. More info www.nycurbanproject.com.

JUSTIN WOO is a poet, theatre artist, and DJ. He has performed at universities and theatres in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and D.C., including the 2007 NYC Fringe Festival and the Tony Award-winning Crossroads Theatre. He has collaboratively created several multidisciplinary spoken word theatre pieces, and is currently working with Insurgo Stage Project and the Spoken Word Almanac Project to create two new shows.

*****

When: Thursday, June 2, 2011

Where: One and One Bar & Restaurant (downstairs Nexus Lounge)
76 East 1st Street (corner of 1st Avenue)
Manhattan, NYC
Phone: (212) 598-9126

Doors open @ 6:30pm

Show starts @ 7pm


Cover Charge: $15

NO AGE LIMIT!

The Inspired Word's NYC Rising Stars Night + Open Mic - Thursday, May 26

Mike Geffner Presents The Inspired Word features Rising Stars Night: spoken word poet Esoteric Structure, actress/poet Lillian Rodriguez, and Blues/Art Rock/Baroque Pop band Sylvana Joyce + The Moment.

Also a 15-slot open mic (open not only to poets and spoken word artists but fiction/nonfiction writers, comedians, monologists, singers, and musicians).

Hosted by 3-time HBO Def Poetry star Gemineye.

*****

ARTIST BIOS:

Lillian Rodriguez was raised in the Bronx. She is an actor and a spoken word poet. First working with International WOW Theatre Company in the summer of 2009, she has since, had her Fringe Festival, NYC debut in "Survival of the Fittest," was 'Helen of Troy' in "The Trojan Women" at Looking Glass Theatre, and acted in "Men Die and They Aren't Happy," a film touring the world (from Miami to Haifa, Israel). She works as an Associate Correspondent on Diplomatically Incorrect at the United Nations, where she interviews women active in art and diplomacy; exploring the notion of the "Diplomat Artist." Lillian just finished shooting the second webisode of "Red Notice," she plays a lead in this webseries based off Dante's Inferno. For more info, please check out http://www.lillianrodriguez.com/.

In the summer of 2010, Sylvana Joyce (piano/voice/music/lyrics) founded a five-oiece band with her childhood friend, Sean-David Cunningham (violin), after finally deciding to get her lifelong itch to perform out of her skin. The granddaughter of the late Romanian composer/celebrity George Sbarcea, Sylvana took to songwriting early in life. Her compositions range the spectrum of Blues, Soul, Jazz, Cabaret, and Gypsy, with a nod to her Eastern European heritage and theatre background that has drawn comparison to Gogol Bordello, Dresden Dolls and Billie Holiday. So far, the band has garnered a respectable reputation among Boston and NYC venues, having impressed McGann's, Parkside Lounge and The Bitter End, as well as having enjoyed a long summer residency at Northern Soul in Hoboken, NJ, where they later performed as nominees for Best Band of 2010 at the Hoboken Music Awards. Their next show will be as headliners at the Algonquin Seaport Theater at South Street Seaport, Pier 17, on May 28. For more info, go to sylvanajoyce.com.

Esoteric Structure is a spoken word poet and the winner of the 2nd Inspired Word "American Idol" contest. He's also a clothing designer, illustrator and filmmaker. He recently completed a short film called "Dom & Magdalena."



*****

When: Thursday, May 26, 2011

Where: One and One Bar & Restaurant (downstairs Nexus Lounge)
76 East 1st Street (corner of 1st Avenue)
Manhattan, NYC
Phone: (212) 598-9126

Doors open for open mic sign-up @ 6:30pm

Showtime @ 7:30pm

Cover Charge: $10

NO AGE LIMIT!

HBO Def Poet Paul S. Flores @ The Inspired Word - Part 2

Spoken Word Poet Paul S. Flores @ Mike Geffner Presents The Inspired Word, Thursday, April 14, 2011 @ One and One Bar/Restaurant, Nexus Lounge, Manhattan, NYC.

This is the second of two parts.

Videographer: Elaine Delehant

Music by Oveous - "Is This Real?"

Tuesday Night NYC Open Mic Joint Set to Debut June 7 - Hosted by Nathan P.!

The Inspired Word's NYC Open Mic Joint makes its grand debut on Tuesday, June 7!

This will be a weekly Tuesday night series open to all types of artists - comedians, musicians, storytellers, singers, poets, fiction/nonfiction writers, playwrights, spoken word artists, performance artists, dancers, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.

Hosted by the legendary Nathan P.

25-30 slots, 5 minute time limit.

Our goal: to be the BEST open mic variety event in NYC.

The venue: One & One (downstairs Nexus Lounge), 76 E 1st St (corner of 1st Ave), Manhattan, New York City

Phone: (212) 598-9126

Doors open for signup @ 6:30pm

Showtime @ 7:30pm

Cover charge: $10

NO AGE LIMIT!

Please follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/NYCOpenMic and look for us on Facebook!

Video - Actress/Poet Lillian Rodriguez - "I'm From the Bronx"

Watch more on lillianrodriguez.com

Ms. Rodriguez will be featuring @ The Inspired Word on Thursday, May 26. One & One (downstairs Nexus Lounge), 76 E 1st St (corner of 1st Ave), Manhattan.

Please check out her links:

http://www.lillianrodriguez.com/

http://www.projectgirlperformancecollective.org/

Def Poet Big Mike & Love the Poet (of The Punany Poets) + Open Mic - Thursday, May 19

Mike Geffner Presents The Inspired Word features HBO Def Poetry star Big Mike and Love the Poe (of The Punany Poets) + a 15-slot open mic (open to ANYTHING and EVERYTHING).

Hosted by the legendary Nathan P.!

BIOS:

Big Mike has appeared on Russell Simmons presents Def Poetry Season 6, episode 39 and was a member of the 2005 Nuyorican Slam Team. In 2002, he read his first spoken word piece at Serengeti Plains in Montclair, NJ. Since then he has performed at colleges and universities up and down the East Coast, at the National Poetry Slam and the Southern Fried Regional Poetry Slam. In 2008 at the 16th annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam, He placed 1st in the Individual Poetry Slam Competition, and the New Jersey team placed 4th. He has been teaching elementary school for 16 years and is currently a 3rd grade teacher who uses the power of poetry to help his students, not only to write, but express how they feel. He has conducted creative writing and poetry workshops for students from grades 3 to 12 and is the founding father of the NJ Youth Slam Team. He also runs open mics and poetry slams for youth poets all over NJ. Big Mike the Home Movies DVD not only focuses on his poetry, but welcomes you into his home where anything and everything can happen. Bitter Married and Bald, his self-published book, is another journey into his poetry and the stories behind them. His debut CD Reality Bytez was released in 2004.

Michelle Antoinette Nelson, also known as LOVE the poet, is a prominent poet/author on the national performance and literary art scenes, and in the field of creative writing education. She has appeared on CNN as a speaker at the Jena 6 rally in Washington, D.C., co-produced and appeared in "Passion Fruit Tea" (a short film based on her poem with the same name), released multiple spoken word CDs, and has performed on college campuses nationwide. Michelle is also an active member of the Maryland Speaker’s Bureau, a member of the Punany Poets (as seen on HBO), the creator of Live Lyrics! Creative writing workshops, host of BE FREE Fridays, and an active member of Poetry for the People Baltimore. For booking and more information visit http://www.lovethepoet.com/

*****

When: Thursday, May 19, 2011

Where: One and One Bar & Restaurant (downstairs Nexus Lounge)
76 East 1st Street (corner of 1st Avenue)
Manhattan, NYC
Phone: (212) 598-9126

Cover charge: $10

Doors Open for open mic sign-up @ 6:30pm

Showtime @ 7:30pm

NO AGE LIMIT!

Grammy Nominated Singer Carolyn Malachi @ The Inspired Word

Grammy nominated singer Carolyn Malachi (backed up by drummer Baba Don of The Last Poets) @ Mike Geffner Presents The Inspired Word, Thursday, April 14, 2011 @ One and One Bar/Restaurant, Nexus Lounge, Manhattan, NYC.

Songstress, musician, dancer, spoken word artist, philanthropist are just a few titles 2011 Grammy Nominee, Carolyn Malachi holds. She is a Washington DC native whose great grandfather happens to be legendary jazz pianist John Malachi. Her sound is a soothing genre-bending blend of jazz, pop, R&B, and spoken word. Her 2010 release of the "Lions, Fires & Squares" EP is composed of songs regarding relationships, love, and strength which bear influence of her recent tours in South Africa inspired by the South African artist Hip Hop Pantsula. The single "Orion" from the "Lions, Fires, & Squares" EP has earned Carolyn a 2011 Grammy Nominee for Best Urban Alternative Performance. For more info on Ms. Malachi, please visit http://carolynmalachi.com.

The Inspired Word is New York City's hottest new spoken word poetry series happening every Thursday night in downtown Manhattan, produced by longtime writer/journalist and former Village Voice columnist Mike Geffner and hosted by HBO Def Poetry star Gemineye.

Videographer: Elaine Delehant

Music by Oveous - "Is This Real?"
http://oveous.blogspot.com/

"Best American Poetry" Poet Michael Cirelli @ The Inspired Word

Poet Michael Cirelli @ Mike Geffner Presents The Inspired Word, Thursday, April 28, 2011 @ One and One Bar/Restaurant, Nexus Lounge, Manhattan, NYC. Host: Erica Bradshaw.

Cirelli was born in Providence, RI in 1975. His newest collection, Everyone Loves The Situation (Penmanship Books, 2011), deconstructs MTV's hit reality show, Jersey Shore, flipping the cultural zeitgeist on its (gelled and sprayed) head. He is also the author of Vacations on the Black Star Line (Hanging Loose Press, 2010), which was named in About.com's Poetry Picks "Best Books of 2010," and Lobster with Ol' Dirty Bastard (Hanging Loose Press, 2008), which was a NY Times bestseller from an independent press and was featured in the "Debut Poets" issue of Poets & Writers Magazine. His work has appeared in The Best American Poetry, Hanging Loose, Texas Review, World Literature Today and King Magazine, among others. He is the Executive Director of one of the nation's largest youth literary arts organization, Urban Word NYC, and has authored two poetry curricula, Poetry Jam (Recorded Books, 2010) and Hip-Hop Poetry & the Classics (Milk Mug, 2004). He has also appeared on HBO's Def Poetry Jam and Brave New Voices.

The Inspired Word is New York City's hottest new spoken word poetry series happening every Thursday night in downtown Manhattan, produced by longtime writer/journalist and former Village Voice columnist Mike Geffner.

Filmed and Edited by: Laurence Wallace
http://www.laurencewallace.com/

Music by: Oveous
http://oveous.blogspot.com/

The Inspired Word's Hot NYC Spoken Word Poetry Open Mic

The Inspired Word's hot open mic @ One and One Bar/Restaurant, Nexus Lounge, Manhattan, NY.

Featured in this video: Featuring Nathan P., Alexander Hu, Mark Anthony Vigo, Starski, Kevin Patrick Nelson, Dean El Negro, Joy Deva Baglio, Ululy Rafael Martinez, Maria Chisolm, and Romeo Ballantine. Host: Erica Bradshaw.

The Inspired Word is New York City's hottest new spoken word poetry series happening every Thursday night in downtown Manhattan, produced by longtime writer/journalist and former Village Voice columnist Mike Geffner.

The Inspired Word open mic is open to ALL types of artists - comedians, storytellers, musicians, singers, as well as poets and spoken word artists. 

Filmed and Edited by: Laurence Wallace
http://www.laurencewallace.com/

Music by: Oveous
http://oveous.blogspot.com/

HBO Def Poetry Star Paul S. Flores @ The Inspired Word NYC Spoken Word

Spoken Word Poet Paul S. Flores @ Mike Geffner Presents The Inspired Word, Thursday, April 14, 2011 @ One and One Bar/Restaurant, Nexus Lounge, Manhattan, NYC.

Paul S. Flores, one of the most influential Latino performance artists in the country, is a published poet, playwright, novelist, and co-founder of Youth Speaks. Flores was raised in Chula Vista, California near the Mexican border. He moved to San Francisco in 1995 where he co-founded the Latino poetry performance group Los Delicados: Poetas del Sol and recorded the spoken word CD Word Descarga (Calaca Press, 2000). His performance projects have taken him from HBO's Def Poetry to Havana, Cuba, Mexico City, and El Salvador. He is the 2003 PEN Award winning author of the novel Along the Border Lies, and his most recent play REPRESENTA! was directed by Danny Hoch, commissioned by the San Francisco International Arts Festival and presented by the Hip-Hop Theater Festival 2007. Flores holds an MFA in Creative Writing, and teaches Hip-Hop Theater and Spoken Word at the University of San Francisco. He is married with two children and lives in San Francisco.

The Inspired Word is New York City's hottest new spoken word poetry series happening every Thursday night in downtown Manhattan, produced by longtime writer/journalist and former Village Voice columnist Mike Geffner and hosted by 3-time HBO Def Poetry star Gemineye.

Videographer: Elaine Delehant

Music by Oveous - "Is This Real?"

NYC Youth Poet Laureate Justin Long-Moton @ The Inspired Word

NYC Youth Poet Laureate Justin Long-Moton @ Mike Geffner Presents The Inspired Word, Thursday, April 28, 2011 @ One and One Bar/Restaurant, Nexus Lounge, Manhattan, NYC. Host: Erica Bradshaw.

Long-Moton is an ambitious and talented writer/performance poet and activist. Born in Harlem, New York, and now residing in the Bronx, he has quickly become a force to be reckoned with on the spoken word slam scene. He has performed and competed in world renowed venues across the country, including the Apollo Theater, and such local places as New Amsterdam Theater on Broadway and Saban Theater, just to name a few. He's one of the six members of the 2010 Urban Word NYC Slam Team that took top honors at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam this past summer in Los Angeles, the 2010 Knicks Poetry Slam Champion, and currently serving as New York City's Youth Poet Laureate. Now a 17 year old senior in high school, he finds himself searching for what it really means to be a man -- believing all life has a purpose. He prides himself for his courage and inability to bow down to life's obstacles. Next fall Justin intends on pursuing a degree in both journalism and English education.

The Inspired Word is New York City's hottest new spoken word poetry series happening every Thursday night in downtown Manhattan, produced by longtime writer/journalist and former Village Voice columnist Mike Geffner.

Filmed and Edited by: Laurence Wallace
http://www.laurencewallace.com/

Music by: Oveous
http://oveous.blogspot.com/

2 Videos - Spoken Word Legend Taalam Acey @ The Inspired Word

Spoken Word Legend Taalam Acey @ Mike Geffner Presents The Inspired Word, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011 @ One and One Bar/Restaurant, Nexus Lounge, Manhattan, NYC.

Acey, a child of the Newark Rebellion, was raised by a single mother who was a member of the famed writer and activist Amiri Baraka's community organization. Acey is an independent artist whose work has been featured frequently on TV One and was selected as the original "number one thing you need to know about" on BET's countdown show, "The 5ive."

Over the years, BET has featured and aired roughly a half dozen segments featuring Acey. He ranks among the vanguard of artists who use the internet to connect with listeners. Likewise, his YouTube videos have been seen by more than a half million viewers and he has tens of thousands of social network contacts.

The Newark, NJ native's poetry has appeared in Essence Magazine and Susan Taylor, the magazine's Editor Emeritus, personally invited Acey to perform for an audience of six thousand at The Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. Acey was honored to be a guest of Congresswoman Maxine Waters for the Congressional Black Caucus' 2007 & 2008 "Young Gifted and Black" panels.

He has shared his work in several countries and approximately one hundred schools of higher education; including the prestigious Graduate School of Education at UC Berkeley, where he delivered a lecture on contemporary Spoken Word.

He has recorded more than a dozen CDs and authored four books. Additionally, films that include his work have garnered an Audience Award (2002) and a Special Jury Prize (2006) at the Sundance Film Festival. He was featured in an acclaimed Radio-One London slam poetry documentary and Marc Smith, the founder of slam poetry, used Acey's work in his definitive book. He currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland.

"You have so, so much inspired me with your Spoken Word," said the legendary Stevie Wonder, while interviewing Taalam Acey, during Wonder's own birthday celebration in May 2008.

For more info on Acey, please visit http://www.taalamacey.com/

The Inspired Word is New York City's hottest new spoken word poetry series happening every Thursday night in downtown Manhattan, produced by longtime writer/journalist and former Village Voice columnist Mike Geffner.

Videographer: Elaine Delehant

Music by Oveous - "Never Stop" (w/ Quetzal Guerrero)
http://oveous.blogspot.com/

A Mother is...

A mother is a mother still,
The holiest thing alive.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Happy Mother's Day!

Video - Actor Adrien Brody reads Bukowski and Biggie

Adrien Brody reads the poetry of Charles Bukowski and Biggie Smalls at the Academy of American Poets at Lincoln Center, New York City. April 27, 2011.

Shimmying the Spoken Word: Sensing the Sensual w/Sugar Shack Burlesque - Thursday, May 12

The Inspired Word Presents "Shimmying the Spoken Word: Sensing the Sensual" with Sugar Shack Burlesque, featuring some of New York City's most original artists - Dame CuchiFrita, Jezebel Express, RunAround Sue, Advocate of Wordz, Jo Boobs, Jonny Porkpie, John DeVore, and Madame K.

Plus, a 12-slot open mic (open to ALL types of artists, but pieces MUST be geared toward our theme - something sensual about the senses).

Don't miss out on this uniquely hot, sensory-titillating night.

*****

On the menu, a positively delicious evening delving deep into the senses:

Dame CuchiFrita- TASTE (working with Advocate of Wordz)

Jezebel Express - TOUCH (using her own work)

Madame K - SMELL (using her own work)

Jo Boobs - SOUND (using her own work)

Jonny Porkpie - SIGHT (using his own work)

RunAround Sue - SIXTH SENSE (working with John DeVore)

******

BIOS:

A self professed chameleon, Dame Cuchi pushes the boundaries to morph into characters. Coming from an indigenous culture where nudity is shunned, she often felt out of place. Her belief in storytelling through shedding the exterior, is a scintillating response to growing up in the shadows of Dutch Colonial repression. Watch the memorable moments as Cuchi The Grease Monkey honors her sensual side where she invites the audience to get in touch with their inner "peeping Tom" in Little Red Corvette. In X-Files government conspiracy can only be proven plausible by disrobing to her very basic accoutrement.

Jo Weldon is the Headmistress and Founder of the New York School of Burlesque, and quite likely the most recognized burlesque instructor in the world. Internationally renowned as burlesque personality Jo Boobs, she's rounded her heels on stages from Coney Island to Sydney Harbour. She was recently voted one of the Top 3 Burlesque Performers in the World. She's taught thousands of women (and men!) to twirl tassels, and has conducted performance workshops producing some of the most respected new performers in burlesque. She's the winner of such exotic titles as Best Bump N Grinder, Best Teacher and Mentor, and Biggest Cougar in Burlesque! She has worked with performers from Leonard Cohen to Spinal Tap, and has been featured on television shows from CBS Sunday Morning to Gossip Girl. She's taken it off in the grimiest strip clubs and at the most esteemed venues, including The New York Public Library, and has performed and headlined at dozens of festivals all over the world. She is Co-Director of Education at The Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, and conducts the Master Class in Burlesque at Coney Island USA. She has released three acclaimed how-to burlesque DVDs, and her book The Burlesque Handbook, with a foreword by Margaret Cho, was released by HarperCollins/ItBooks in 2010.



Miss Jezebel Express is a New York-based burlesque artist, teacher, producer and dance choreographer. Jezebel holds a BA in Dance Choreography from the University of Iowa, and has been awarded State of Iowa, University of Iowa, Department of Dance and Newfoundland Arts Council grants for her artistic work. Jezebel co-produces Glitter & Gin, a gender-bending burlesque-theatre extravaganza and vintage fantasy jazz party The Champagne Riot. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and Amor y Sexo, as well as in the Village Voice, The New York Daily News, NEXT Magazine, The New York Press and The Washington Examiner. Jezebel is a faculty member at the New York School of Burlesque, and currently performs at various venues around New York City, as well as nationally and internationally at festivals and private events.

Often called "The Moving Violation" and "The Make it Happen Girl," RunAround Sue currently produces and performs regularly with her company Sugar Shack Burlesque in NYC, Brooklyn, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington DC. She has had the honor of performing at the New York Burlesque Festival, Slipper Room, Starshine Burlesque, Sweet and Nasty Burlesque, The Jalopy Music School, Ars Nova, Galapagos, Public Assembly, The Living Theatre, The Palace of Wonders, and many other enchanting venues on both coasts and on both sides of the Mason Dixon line. Miss Sue has a background in performance and first appeared on the stage in a mother's day play presented by her kindergarten class. She played the little girl. She also spent many years developing the runaround part of herself through long and varied road trips during which she would say things like, "Can we stop by Memphis today?" and "How about we head North?" Eventually, she hightailed it to the big city where her sense of southern hospitality soothes many a broken heart. Find out more about her on her here http://www.sugarshackburlesque.com/

John DeVore is a playwright, editor and blogger. His plays have been performed in New York, Chicago, Vancouver, London and Edinburgh DeVore has written for The New York Times, Maxim Magazine, Comedy Central and CNN.com. He has been heard on Sirius Satellite Radio and been seen on FOX News, CNN, MSNBC, G4TV and CBS.

Papers, stages, mics, unfair parking tickets, chastity belts - the Advocate of Wordz rips them all! This Bronx native has been fashioning the English language and teaching kids how to talk their way out of detention for a decade now. He is the creator of HipHopPoetry.com, a founding member of El Grito De Poetas and the host of the "Open Room" at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Café. He is also a cast member of the "Lose Control Comedy" troupe and performing poet for Lincoln Center's "Meet The Artist" series. Wordz has toured the country and his work has been featured and/or written about in El Museo Del Barrio's "Speak Up! Speak Out!" series, PBS, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, San Jose Mercury, Orlando Sentinel.



Ms. Karen Lee (aka Madame K) began her career on the Broadway stage and around the globe, titillating and educating audiences to the delightful pleasures of the senses through song and dance. She now spreads her message throughout the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, where she has become the 'Queen of Burlesque', after the sensational BURLESQUE FOR BOOKS event at the Lenox Library with Sugar Shack Burlesque. Ms. Lee is a featured dancer/ MC of GYPSY LAYNE, the Berkshires first home grown burlesque troupe, as well as an actor, choreographer and owner of PILATES CENTRAL. Madame K is thrilled to be bringing her country flair to the city air with her muse and musical genius (and accordion) Ms. HEATHER FISCH, also a force of nature and burlesque pioneer in those parts. These two delectable divas conspire to inspire your desire,to squeeze and tease, to move and groove, to shake and bake, and create. To thine own self be true.

Jonny Porkpie, recently awarded the title of "Best Naked Impresario" by NY Press, is the co-creator, producer, and writer of Pinchbottom Burlesque ("Best Burlesque" in NYC -New York Magazine, The Village Voice, called "daring, funny, imaginative, and titillating for all tastes" by the Sunday Telegraph UK), and of Grab My Junk, an internationally-franchised bump-and-grind game show. He is one of the first-ever recipients of the "Most Innovative" award from the Burlesque Hall of Fame, and has taught burlesque across the country and around the world, from NYC to Seattle, and as far away as England and New Zealand. He is the author of the burlesque murder mystery "The Corpse Wore Pasties," (Hard Case Crime) which Publishers Weekly described as "witty and telling."



*****

When: Thursday, May 12, 2011

Where: One and One (downstairs Nexus Lounge)
76 East 1st Street (corner of 1st Avenue)
Manhattan, NYC

Doors Open: 6:30pm

Cover Charge: $15

Must be 21 years of age or older. Please make sure to bring ID.

Speaking Volumes: A NYC Spoken Word & Music Benefit for Behind the Book - Wed, May 11

The Inspired Word proudly presents a special Wednesday night fundraiser - Speaking Volumes: A Spoken Word and Music Benefit for Behind the Book, featuring such amazing artists as Carlos Andrés Gómez, The Robin and The Lady Poet, Samantha Thornhill, Shanelle Gabriel, Ainsley Burrows, Bonafide Rojas, and Doron Lev. Hosted by Punchline.

100% of the proceeds go to Behind the Book.

Behind the Book’s mission is to excite children and young adults about reading. Working with low-income students in New York City’s K-12 public schools, Behind the Book brings authors and their books into individual classrooms to build literacy skills and nurture a new generation of book readers.

http://www.behindthebook.org/home.html

The Inspired Word is a popular performance series that happens every Thursday night in Manhattan's East Village/Lower East Side.

ARTIST BIOS:

Few artists await their solo debut after already being featured on a certified gold album, and lyricist Rashaan “Punchline” Truell is by far not a newcomer to this industry. Being surrounded by the conscious hip-hop scene, Punchline first found his calling in high school, writing rhymes in the back of class. From there, he formed the three member group, Uprising. After losing one member of the group, Punchline met up with upcoming rapper Wordsworth. After losing another original member of Uprising, Punchline and Wordsworth continued to work together and became the duo Punch ‘N’ Words. For more info, please visit http://punchplanet.wordpress.com/



Carlos Andrés Gómez is an actor, playwright, and Pushcart Prize nominated poet from New York City. A former social worker and public school teacher, he has appeared on HBO’s “Def Poetry” and in Spike Lee’s #1 movie “Inside Man” with Denzel Washington. You can visit him online at: www.CarlosLive.com. He is honored to be a part of this event.



The Robin and the Lady Poet are a hybrid-mix of music, poetry and performance. Robin Andre (musician, singer/songwriter and performer) and Erica Miriam Fabri (poet and performer) are NYC-based artists and partners in love. Their work embraces romantic and political storytelling and a touch of sexy humor and genuine heart goes into all that they do. For more info, please visit http://www.ericafabri.com/



An international poet, Samantha Thornhill has travelled throughout Africa and Europe to share her poetry with audiences of all types. In 2004, she received her Masters of Fine Arts in poetry from the University of Virgina. In New York City she serves as writer in residence at the Bronx Academy of Letters. In addition, she teaches poetry to actors in training at the Juilliard School. Last year, Scholastic Press published her ode to the late singer Odetta in the form of a picture book for children and adults, receiving starred reviews in Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, and School Library Journal. Under the umbrella of Bowery Arts & Sciences, Samantha founded the collective PUP (Pop Up Poets), galvanizing local poets to curate free poetry readings in unexpected public spaces. Thanks to a Jerome Foundation grant, Samantha was able to spend three months in her homeland, Trinidad & Tobago. For more info, please visit http://www.samanthaspeaks.com/



Bonafide Rojas is a poet, musician, teacher, the author of "Pelo Bueno: A Day in the Life of a Nuyorican Poet" (Dark Souls Press, 2004), The 2002 SLAM THIS! Champion and member of the 2002 NYC/Union Square Slam team and 2003 Wicker Park/Chicago Slam Team. He has worked with Teachers and Writers (NY), ASPIRA of NY (NY), ENLACE (NY), Muevete! (NY), Youth Speaks (CA), The Guild Complex (IL), Young Chicago Authors (IL), and the Louder Arts Collective (NY). His work can be found in Bum Rush the Page: a Def Poetry Jam (Three Rivers Press, 2002), RoleCall: "A Generational Anthology of Social and Political Black Literature and Art" (Third World Press, 2002) among others.



Internationally acclaimed poet, Ainsley Burrows has performed at festivals, cafés and institutions across Europe, America, Canada and the Caribbean, receiving numerous awards. These include Best International Performer of 2001 and 2002 from the Farrago Poetry Café in London, Munich’s International Poetry Slam Championship award in 2001 and awards from the Nuyorican Poet’s Café in 2001 (for participating in the National team) and the in 2004 (for being the Coach of the National team). In addition, Ainsley has conducted many workshops from London’s Hackney Community College to New York’s Julliard School of Music. For more info, please visit http://www.burrowsink.com/



Shanelle Gabriel is a soulful singer and a gifted writer/lyricist. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, she both opened and featured on the 6th season premier of HBO's Def Poetry Jam, and has performed in productions with Nas, Q-Tip, Les Nubians, Erick Sermon, and more. She was a member of the 2006 Nuyorican Poets Cafe National Slam Team and a competitor in the 2007 Individual World Poetry Slam Competition. Shanelle is presently working on her second album while facilitating creative writing workshops as an Urban Word Mentor and with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. For more info, please visit http://www.shanellegabriel.com/



Doron Lev is a musician with a three-art band. Please visit his site at http://www.uglybraine.com/

Harvey Milk High School Students

A class of students worked with spoken word artists, Staceyann Chin and Samantha Thornhill to develop their own poems that will cover a range of topics including LGBT activism, immigration, their own family and childhood experiences. Harvey Milk High School, located in the East Village, is a public school that serves primarily gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth. It is also open to all New York City students who are seeking an alternative education from their current high schools. The school strives to provide students with an inclusive, safe, and supportive academic environment; one where students can freely express their identities and individuality. Harvey Milk has been a Behind the Book partner school for over five years.

*****

Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Location: One and One (downstairs Nexus Lounge) 76 East 1st Street (corner of 1st Avenue), Manhattan, New York 10009

Minimum donation: $25 @ the door, $20 if paid in advance online through this link:

http://behindthebookfundraiser.eventbrite.com/

Doors open @ 6:30pm, Show starts @ 6:45pm

Howl! Festival Needs Poets for NYC Open Air Poetry Circle Readings June 4-5

HOWL ! FESTIVAL

PRESENTS: POETS IN TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK

POETRY CIRCLE !

http://www.howlfestival.com/

On Saturday June 4th and Sunday June 5th, ALL poets are invited to participate in Open Air Poetry Circle Readings !

The format is as follows: poetry circles will be created throughout the park. Poets will each read for 5 minutes.

To sign up in advance simply:

Email: poetrycircle@howlnyc.org

the following information ASAP:

1. Your name

2. A one sentence bio.

3. Any online links to website(s) blogs etc.

4. A photo with permission to post and photographer credit.

5. The day Saturday or Sunday you would like to read in one of the circles.

6. The preferred time you would like to read 12-1pm, 1pm-2pm, 2pm-3pm, 3pm-4pm, 4pm-5pm.

7. In one, two or three words describe your poetry.

The HOWL ! Festival will confirm your participation by email in advance of the reading !

Space is limited only by the number of circles we create (4), the number of hours for reading (5), and the number of poets who can read each hour (12). The Poetry Circle readings will accommodate up to 240 poets reading each day in Tompkins Square Park in the Open Air ! Wow !

Write poem now !

Thank you !

Created and presented as part of The HOWL! Festival 2011 June 3, 4, and 5th Tompkins Square Park, East Village, New York City !