WordXWord warms up for the annual festival with a series of feature performances, open mic opportunities, and poetry slam events May 30 & 31;June 27 & 28; and July 11 & 12.
Laura Brown-Lavoie will perform May 30th at 7P at the Lichtenstein Center in Pittsfield, MA. Laura is a writer and farmer in Providence, RI. Co-host of the Providence Poetry Slam, she was a finalist at the 2013 Women of the World Poetry Slam, and a member of the third place 2011 Providence slam team at the National Poetry Slam. She is a writing mentor, coordinating the Providence Youth Slam and teaching writing workshops at local high schools and universities. When she isn’t writing, she works as a farmer, growing and selling vegetables in and around Providence, and she teaches and writes about that, too. Laura’€™s performance will be preceded by an open mic for poetry and spoken word.
Brown-Lavoie will guest host the first of three WordXWord Poetry Slam Prelims on May 31 at 7P at the Lichtenstein Center. A poetry slam is a highly entertaining, fast-moving, friendly competition. Judges who are chosen from the audience rate the competing poets’€™ poems and performance on a scale of one through ten. Things can get a little rowdy at a slam as the audience is encouraged to express their feelings not only about the poetry, but also about the scoring! The top finishers in the prelims move on to the semifinals in August.
Thomas Fucaloro will perform on June 27th at 7P at the Parlor Cafe in North Adams, MA. Thomas is an NYC poet and WordXWord alum (2014). His latest book, It Starts from the Belly and Blooms has received rave reviews. Fucaloro has been on two national slam teams and was the Inspired Word’€™s 2012 Grand Slam Champion. Thomas’€™ performance will be preceded by an open mic for poetry and spoken word.
On June 28th, Fucaloro will guest host the second of three WordXWord Poetry Slam Prelims. The top finishers in the prelims move on to the semifinals in August.
Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib will perform on July 11th at 7P at the Whitney Center for the Arts, Pittsfield, MA. Hanif is a poet, writer, and dessert enthusiast from Columbus, Ohio. He is the editor of Again I Wait For This To Pull Apart, an anthology forthcoming from Freezeray Press. As a teaching artist he has conducted workshops and given readings across the US. His performance will be preceded by an open mic for poetry and spoken word.
Hanif will guest host the third and final WordXWord Poetry Slam Prelim onJuly 12. The top finishers in the prelims move on to the semifinals in August.
Call for Poet/Performers
Anyone interested in reading during an Open Mic or competing in a Poetry Slam prelim should visit wXw365.org for details and to preregister for one of the limited number of slots.
Admission to all WordXWord events is free and open to all; however, parents/guardians are advised that the programs will likely contain “salty” language and mature content which may not be appropriate for younger children.
WordXWord Pre-Festival Events
May 30, 7P
Laura Brown-Lavoie feature & Open Mic
Lichtenstein Center for the Arts
28 Renne Ave, Pittsfield, MA
Free
May 31, 6P
Poetry Slam Prelim hosted by Laura Brown-Lavoie
Lichtenstein Center for the Arts
28 Renne Ave, Pittsfield, MA
Free
June 27, 7P
Thomas Fucaloro feature & Open Mic
The Parlor Cafe
303 Ashland Ave, North Adams, MA
Free
June 28, 6P
Poetry Slam Prelim hosted by Thomas Fucaloro
North Adams, MA (location tba)
Free
July 11, 7P
Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib feature & Open Mic
The Whitney Center for the Arts
42 Wendell Ave, Pittsfield, MA
Free
July 12, 6P
Poetry Slam Prelim hosted by Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib
The Whitney Center for the Arts
42 Wendell Ave, Pittsfield, MA
Free
For more information visit http://wXw365.org.
WordXWord uses spoken word, poetry and storytelling in shared space and time to celebrate diversity and creativity, empower the individual, foster understanding and empathy, and make real human connections. We aim to change the world one voice at a time. WordXWord Festival 2015 will take place August 16-22 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Visit wXw365.org for more information.
