Short Hiatus on the Blog
As you know from the post on February 22, the editor-in-chief of Cytopoetics Events, Greg Frankson, will be taping a CBC TV special called Canada’s Smartest Person on Saturday.
As a result, the next posting will appear on Sunday, when we share the weekly synapsis of poetry for the coming week.
In the meantime, you should know the 2-hour special will be aired on Sunday, March 18. Stay tuned for more details about the show and Ritallin’s appearance in it over the coming weeks.
In the meantime, you should know about the online quiz posted on the CSP Facebook page — take the test and see how well you do!
Last Toronto Poetry Slam Before Semifinals Saturday Night
Chris Tse features at TPS Saturday night. Photo by Miv Fournier
This weekend, the Toronto Poetry Slam will host its final slam of the regular season. For those who don’t know, TPS is one of about two dozen poetry series across Canada that hosts shows on a monthly, twice-monthly or weekly basis until they reach their semifinal and/or final shows. That is when the teams that represent each series at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word‘s national slam championships are selected. So this show is the last chance for slammers to try and make it into the TPS Semifinals, to be held on March 31.
So if you’re into seeing high drama on a poetry stage, feel free to stop by The Drake Hotel Underground (1150 Queen St. W.) to watch the fireworks explode.
The show is hosted by David Silverberg and will open its doors at 7pm. Poet sign-up is 7:30 and showtime is 8pm. Admission is $5 at the door.
The feature performer is Chris Tse, a member of the Capital Slam Team that won at nationals at CFSW 2010 Ottawa, and Canada’s representative at the 2011 Poetry Slam World Cup, where he finished in second place.
For more information about TPS, visit www.torontopoetryslam.com.
RELEASE: Cytopoetics Founder to Appear in Television Special
Greg Frankson to appear on Canada's Smartest Person
As announced in a press release by Media Headquarters yesterday, Cytopoetics founder and Creative Director Greg Frankson is one of four finalists selected to appear on CBC TV’s Canada’s Smartest Person.
The show will air on Sunday, March 18 as a two-hour special.
Taping of the program takes place this Saturday, February 25, 2012. The information for members of the public interested in attending (as shown on the Canada’s Smartest Person CBC webpage) is below:
AM Show: ** check-in: 8:15 AM ** Shoot: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
PM Show: ** check-in: 1:45 PM ** Shoot: 2:30 PM – 6:30 PM
The shows are being taped at the CBC Broadcast Centre located at 25 John Street in Toronto.
Taping typically takes about three to four hours per show. You can pick whichever taping works best with your schedule, or, if you would like to stay for both shows (AM and PM) you are more than welcome to. Attending the taping is absolutely free!
If you are interested in getting tickets to a taping, please indicate which show (AM or PM) you are interested in along with: name, email, and number of guests that would like to attend and send an email to: csp-audience@mediahqs.net.
Art Bar Focuses on Black History Month Tuesday Night
Every Tuesday night, the Art Bar Poetry Series brings the words of writers to Toronto. These words cover a wide variety of topics and encompass diverse styles. This week, it is the words of African Canadian poets that will light up the stage at Pauper’s Pub (539 Bloor St. W. at Bathurst, on the second floor). The show will get underway at 8pm.
The youthful JV da' Poet features at Art Bar Tuesday evening at Pauper's Pub for Black History Month
The show features poetry from Josh Smith, Gabrielle Bowen, Keisha Monique Simpson, J. Nichole Noel, Charlie Bobus and JV da’ Poet.
The Art Bar is acknowledged as Canada’s longest-running poetry-only reading series in Canada. It has been held at a number of venues since it began in 1991, but be sure to get over to Pauper’s a bit before the show starts, order a meal or a drink (or both), and settle into one of the comfortable booths for a great evening of poetry.
And if you want to share your own work, there is an open mic as well.
The Art Bar Poetry Series is a free event.
Decathlon Challenges Toronto Slammers Thursday
In track and field, the decathlon is considered the most difficult event of all. Due to the challenge the event presents to those brave enough to take it on, the Olympic decathlon winner is dubbed the “world’s greatest athlete.” Competitors have to be sufficiently talented in ten different events over two days to emerge victorious: 100m dash, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400m on day one; 110m hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw and 1500m on day two. It’s a gruelling test of athleticism, stamina, endurance and mental toughness.
Alessandra Storm represents Toronto at WOWps in Denver CO
Toronto poets will take on a task of epic proportions when two teams of 10 are constructed for the Decathlon Slam on Thursday evening at Supermarket (268 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market). The show is sponsored by the Toronto Poetry Project (organizers of Toronto Poetry Slam) as a fundraiser for TPS’ Women of the World Poetry Slam representative Alessandra Storm and her coach Lishai, who will both travel to Denver in March for WOWps.
According to the event invite, the show “features the city’s top spoken word poets in a series of unreasonable challenges, including haiku battles, geek poetics, team pieces, poems with interpretive dance, worst poem contests, instant-erotica & more.”
Each round, an event will be pulled out of a hat and one member of each team will be selected to face off head-to-head to complete the challenge. The team that is victorious in the most challenges wins the slam.
The winners are determined by audience vote, so the more the merrier!
If you’re a poet and would like to participate, there are a few spots left. Send an email to lishai.peel [at] gmail [dot] com to get on the list.
The Decathlon Slam will be hosted by Alessandra and Lishai. Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm. Admission is $10 at the door.
A Synapsis of Poetry: February 19-25, 2012
Here we are again at the top of the week, and Cytopoetics Events is right here to provide you with a run-down of the week to come in GTA spoken word and poetry slam. It’s now been a month since we launched and we’d love to hear your feedback. What do you think of the site? Do you have suggestions? Are there other events going on and/or coming up you think we should write about? Send your comments to events [at] cytopoetics [dot] ca.
Spring is inching closer every day but the it’s not just the temperature that warming up. Here’s the week of hot poetry offerings for you to check out, Toronto:
Sunday
The week starts as always with Sunday Poetry at Ellington’s (805 St. Clair Ave. W.) at 11:30am. This week, the show will focus on Black History Month and will include the poetry of Mansa Musa, Charles C. Smith, Safia Gahayr, Charles Roach, Steve Hall, Whitney French, Dwain Wellington, Bhekuzulu Khumalo, Lena Uakolda and Greg “Ritallin” Frankson. There’s an open so bring your words to share. The event is free.
In the early evening, Plasticine Poetry will get rolling at 6pm inside Pauper’s Pub (539 Bloor St. W. at Bathurst). This week’s show, hosted by Late Night Knife Fights author Cathy Petch, will include the work of Beatriz Hausner, Lynn McClory and Jim Nason. It’s free to get through the door but the experience will be enriching.
Chris Tse features at Roots Lounge Sunday and Toronto Poetry Slam Saturday
A little later in the evening, Up From The Roots Entertainment presents Roots Lounge at Harlem (67 Richmond St. E. at Church). The event will be hosted by Lishai and feature the poetry of 2010 national slam champion Chris Tse. Doors 7pm, poet sign-up 7:30pm and showtime 8pm. $5 at the door.
Tuesday
The dean of poetry series in Canada, Art Bar, brings a Black History Night flavour this week with words from Keisha Monique Simpson, J. Nichole Noel, Josh Smith, Gabrielle Bowen, Charlie Bobus and JV da’ Poet. The show starts at 8pm at Pauper’s Pub. Admission is free.
Wednesday
The second edition of YorkSlam featuring Keisha Monique invades Jake’s on Main Bar & Grill (202 Unionville Main St. in Markham), with doors at 6:30pm, poet sign-up 7pm and showtime 7:30pm. The series is presented by Cytopoetics and sponsored by the Markham Arts Council. Admission is $5 at the door.
Thursday
The Toronto Poetry Project presents the city’s first-ever Decathlon Slam in support of Alessandra Storm and her coach Lishai who are both travelling to the 2012 Women of the World Poetry Slam in Denver on March 7-10. Two teams of 10 poets each will compete in a series of unreasonable head-to-head challenges such as haiku battles, poems with interpretive dance, insta-erotica and more. It takes place at Supermarket (268 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market). Doors at 7pm, showtime at 8pm.
Friday
The Mississauga Arts Council in collaboration with the Mississauga YMCA (325 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W.) present an Open Mic Night for youth at the YMCA. This free event is hosted by Damon Pfaff. Spots are reserved in advance by calling 905-615-4278. Sign-in is at 7pm and showtime 7:30pm. The show is part of the MAC’s Limelight Association of Young Artists initiative.
Saturday
The largest slam series in the country, Toronto Poetry Slam, hosts its second show of the month at The Drake Underground (1150 Queen St. W.), featuring the poetry of Chris Tse. This is the final TPS regular slam before the semifinals on March 31. Doors 7pm, poet sign-up 7:30pm and showtime at 8pm. $5 at the door.
There’s always a lot on offer for lovers of poetry and spoken word in the city, so go out and enjoy. Let’s keep the poetry poppin’!
Slam in Markham Featuring Keisha Monique Wednesday
Keisha Monique features at YorkSlam on Wednesday
At the When Sisters Speak Spoken Word Concert in January, Keisha Monique stepped to the microphone in front of a full house at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. With her poetic colleague and mentor Dwayne Morgan looking on from the wings, she delivered a powerful performance that left people talking after the event was over.
She brings the energy and momentum her WSS appearance generated to the people of Markham at YorkSlam on Wednesday, February 22. The doors open at Jake’s on Main Bar & Grill (202 Unionville Main St.) at 6:30pm, with poet sign-up at 7pm and showtime at 7:30pm. Admission is $5 at the door.
The event, presented by Cytopoetics and the Markham Arts Council, is the second of six that will determine the first-ever York Region Slam Team that will seek to participate in the SLAMtario provincial championships in July and the national slam championships in Saskatoon in October.
The show will be hosted by Rajie and it will fill up, so be sure to get there early enough to have your pick of seats. There will also be a short open mic so bring your poetry to share if you are a little shy to slam. Most importantly, bring your energy because it’s going to be an incredible show. See you there!
This Weekend in GTA Poetry
It’s been a very busy week in spoken word and poetry slam in the region. There are no major events scheduled Friday night, but the rest of the weekend has quite a bit in store. Check out these events to get your fix this weekend:
On Saturday evening, the reggae-dub band from Peterborough known as Dub Trinity will be in town to celebrate Bob Marley’s birthday at The Drake Underground (1150 Queen St. W.). Participating in a live music and poetry collaboration will be Ritallin, who has worked with the band previously with excellent results. Showtime is 8-11pm.
Also on Saturday, the community of Brampton will be treated to Where Poets Dream, a night of spoken word by Jonell G, Juanita, Denyce and LaMoi. The show will be hosted by Elle Seon at Liberation Lounge (177 Queen St. W., downstairs from Knowledge Books). Doors open at 6:30pm and showtime is 7-9pm. $10 at the door.
Sunday Poetry at Ellington’s hosts its Black History Month focused event from 11:30am to 2:30pm at Ellington’s Music & Cafe (805 St. Clair Ave. W. near Oakwood). There is a all-star cast of writers from the African Diaspora who will share their words and perspectives. The event is free and there will be an open mic.
In the Annex on Sunday evening, Plasticine Poetry hosts its monthly show at Pauper’s Pub (539 Bloor St. W. near Bathurst). Showtime is 6pm. Hosted by Cathy Petch (who had a phenomenal turnout and tremendous performance at Hot-Sauced Words this week), the words of Beatriz Hausner, Lynn McClory and Jim Nason will take centre stage.
Across town the same evening, The Roots Lounge Open Mic & Poetry Slam goes down at Harlem Restaurant (57 Richmond St. E. at Church). Poets will take another step towards making the 2012 Up From The Roots Slam Team. The featured performer is 2010 national slam champion and 2011 world championship runner-up Chris Tse. Music by DJ Manifest and hosted by Lishai. Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm. $5 at the door.
There’s lots to do and see over the next few days. There’s a little something for everyone on this weekend of poetic amazingness, so don’t miss out. Support GTA poetry this weekend!
