Poetic License: RENEWAL
March 4-8, 2020
In honor of a new decade, and in celebration of 10 years of poetic theater, this year’s festival will feature five nights of live performances from Wednesday, March 4th through Sunday, March 8th. Poetic License: 2020 will highlight poetry and theatrical collaboration that places an emphasis on this year’s theme – renewal – which evokes stories of restoration, rejuvenation, and a re-setting of the human spirit, all while paying homage to where we come from, and a sense of hope and optimism for who we hope to become.
BREAKING OUR SILENCE: SHAPING OUR FUTURE
MARCH 4, 2020
8:00PM
A night of bold new works that are inspired by the legacies of queer artists and activists of the past and are manifesting an intersectional and revolutionary future for queer art and liberation.
featuring:
poetry by Joanna Hoffman and Lynae DePriest AKA Thoughtress
New re by Mickey Bolmer
Shapes I Cannot Name, Sacred | Visceral | Mine, and Horizon by Maya N. Carter
Youphoria by Mika Kauffman
tell me the stories of your soul by Janelle Lawrence
Taz (with two syllables) by Maurisa Li-A-Ping
THE BROBOT ADVENTURE: WRATH OF THE WACKNESS
MARCH 6, 2020
8:00pm
The Brobot Adventure: Wrath of the Wackness follows the alien Hip Hop android Flobot Owens, legendary Brobot MC, as he “abducts” an audience of humans from Earth for a Sci Fi Hip Hop dance party to eradicate the wacknesss that’s slowly plaguing his planet. The piece includes intricate live looping that combines verses with beatboxing, vocal melodies, and sound effects while mixing socially conscious lyrics in the genres of Hip Hop, Afrofuturism, and Afrobeat.
Presented in association with Hi-ARTS
written and performed by Darian Dauchan
featuring guest artist Craig ‘muMs’ Grant
VETERAN VOICES
MARCH 7, 2020
2:00PM
Veteran Voices calls upon the traditions of past warrior cultures such as the Greeks, Romans, and Native Americans, who welcomed their military home in rituals of storytelling. Reviving these practices, military veteran artists take the stage to share their stories and experiences in a way that is both healing and informs others, sharing the moral burden of war.
Following the showcase, there will be a post show discussion on the movement to support existing and new programming in New York which highlights veteran voices.
curated by veterans J.A. Moad II and Jenny Pacanowski, and producers Jeremy Karafin and Ellen Mischinski
No veteran will be turned away for lack of funds.
featuring work by
Omar Columbus
Everett Cox and Raphael Cox
Maurice Decaul
King Luck
J. A. Moad II
Sarah N. Mess
Johnny Meyer and Karen Alvarado
Jenny Pacanowski
Drew Pham
and more!
POETIC LYRICISM: BODY LANGUAGE
MARCH 7, 2020
8:00pm
Poetic Lyricism: Body Language, co-presented by Poetic Theater Productions and Musical Theatre Factory, will feature new collaborations merging poetry, music, and choreography. Poetic Lyricism explores the intersection of poetry and musical theater, and serves as an experimental lab for developing new work. Artists will present short devised pieces set to live music in an environment that supports and enhances collaboration as well as the lyrical possibilities of spoken word and body.
featuring
Adam Fleming
Albert Andrew Garcia
Susan Toni
Kelsey Burns
Louis DeVaughn Nelson
Georgina Bates
Erika Y Ji
Alex Petti
Stephen Elkins
Danny Haengil Larsen
ES Wex (Emily Wexler)
Jennifer Cendaña Armas
Nkosi Nkululeko
Layla Diaz-Ferreiro
Celeste Sage (Tabatha Gayle)
Jenny Pacanowski
Karl Hedrick
teshale Nuer
GENERATION NOW!
MARCH 8, 2020
2:00PM
The 8th annual Generation NOW! will feature youth from arts organizations around NYC. These organizations provide youth with spaces of empowerment through engaging with poetic performance. This showcase seeks to amplify the voices of youth as they navigate their relationship with various communities and reckon with the realities of a politically turbulent world. In doing so, these performances vocalize a spirit of youth collaboration that rebels against structures that render youth voiceless in everyday life.
featuring
Developing Artists’ Ensemble
Urban Word NYC
Girl Be Heard
viBe Theater Experience
Co-Op Theatre East Youth Ensemble
EarSay Youth Voices
Climate Museum
City Lore Urban Explorers