Journalism in Rhyme: Poets Bring News Media in Free Verse
The Spoken Word Almanac Project (S.W.A.P.) is a poetry and media extravaganza recapping and responding to the current news events of the year through an array of words from a diverse group of some of New York's finest performance poets.
Online, November 30, 2011 (Newswire.com)
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A Poet steps out onto the stage carrying a newspaper and reads
aloud the news headline that appears on the screen behind him,
"BIN LADEN IS DEAD". He turns to the audience, does a double take
and poeticizes, "Obama got Osama, tell your mama!", walking off
as the audience erupts with laughter. This cut is a one-liner
from a show gaining momentum in the New York City performing arts
community that delivers your journalism, news and media on stage
in free verse.
The Spoken Word Almanac Project is back.
Featured by Time Out NY as the Critics Pick of the Week in 2010,
The Spoken Word Almanac Project (S.W.A.P.) is a poetry and media
extravaganza that highlights, recaps and responds to news stories
from the entire year, giving the audience a time-line of reverie
that is sometimes funny, sometimes dramatic and always
entertaining.
Written by an impressive cast of the nation's top performance
poets, including New York City Poetry Slam Champions, published
writers and HBO Def Poets, these S.W.A.P. artists collaborate all
year long to write fresh material that can be described as "The
Daily Show meets Def Poetry Jam". The familiar content combined
with a variety of poetry styles gives the performance a universal
appeal that will inspire audience members to continue the
discussion long after the curtain falls.
The Spoken Word Almanac Project was created by Darian Dauchan
(Broadway's Twentieth Century, Nuyorican National Poetry Slam
Team 2006, Nickelodeon's Bet The House) in 2008 and has been
growing in success each year. After opening at the Stella Adler
Studio in 2008 and continuing to grow, last year's show opened at
The Tank on 45th St in New York's esteemed Theatre District
eventually selling out the last two shows. This year the
performance will find itself at home in the world famous
Nuyorican Poets Cafe on December 15-17, 2011 at 7pm. For the
2011 year, the S.W.A.P. crew has tapped award-winning director,
Leah Bonvissuto, whose work has been seen at the Playwrights
Horizons Mainstage Theater, The Snapple Theater and FringeNYC.
Co-produced by the dynamic actor, Malcolm Barrett from ABC's
Better off Ted, award winning movies American Violet and The Hurt
Locker and a former Nuyorican Slam team member himself, S.W.A.P.
not only features news in poetry, but it also brings an
innovative media display that weaves graphics, photography and
sometimes video with each performance.
Riding the energy of a July 28th preview performance at the well
known venue, 92YTribeca, the show will feature a fresh and
exciting look into 2011's most interesting news stories; a year
in review from a poets point of view!
This show is being produced by DDNMB Productions. If you'd like
more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview
with Darian Dauchan, please call Darian Dauchan at (347)453-5509
or e-mail Darian at darianperforms@gmail.com