Poetry Takes Stage At Erie Playhouse

Suvan Chowdhury

Tuesday, May 14

Poetry in the City of Erie has been undergoing a strong revival with no sign of fading to black. Post-Poet's Hall (the international family of poets and spoken word artists) at the Avalon, the art form has been promoted consistently through establishments such as Calamari's Squid Row and local coffee shops such as Tipsy Bean and Ember + Forge, with certain nights during the week providing opportunities for novice and veteran wordsmiths to read their works to the public.

Seasoned writers Bigg Wash and Cee Williams have made their way through the revolving door of local radio show Fazed Cookies to push and preserve the culture. The momentum of this agenda continues to accelerate as the Erie County Poet Laureate Initiative, a non-profit collective based on finding and presenting poets throughout the region, hosts a showcase at the Erie Playhouse on Tuesday, May 14. Open to the public, the event's proceeds will go towards promoting more poetry events throughout the region. Books will be available for purchase during the intermission, to fuel fans' love language long after they exit.

The showcase also honors its own history with all six Erie County laureates in attendance, to get you up to speed on the who's who of the regional scene. Community-based artists Monica Igras and Sean Thomas Dougherty will share material to spark your brain, while Buffalo's Eve Williams Wilson will take the stage as well. With so much art manifesting in the Erie area, providing artists with a platform and spectators with a show to feast their imagination on, the Poetry Showcase is determined to play its role in contributing to our ever-evolving scene. — Charles Brown

7 p.m. // Erie Playhouse, 13 W. 10 St. // $15 // facebook.com/ErieCoPoetLaureate