John Cooper News

Chester Literature Festival opens at Storyhouse this weekend, and there is a packed two-week programme of book events, performances, discussions and workshops to enjoy. 

Award-winning performance poet Benjamin Zephaniah has been revealed as Storyhouse's artist in residence for 2021/22.

Vapor Vespers, the edge- and button-pushing transcontinental collaboration between acclaimed NYC & Hudson Valley-based multi-instrumentalist Sal Cataldi (aka Spaghetti Eastern Music) and Alaskan playwright, actor and slam poet Mark Muro, will be staging their first-ever ever public performances in New York City and Kingston, NY in October.

The Green Room 42 will present a selection of songs from the new musical, Call Me From The Grave. A finalist at the Eugene O'Neill 2021 National Theater Conference, the original show tells the story of real-life Bluesman, Robert Johnson. The concert will be the New York City premiere of the show's music and lyrics by Charlie Romano, and book by Harold Hodge, Jr.

This is the world of Vapor Vespers, the edge- and button-pushing transcontinental collaboration between acclaimed NYC & Hudson Valley-based multi-instrumentalist Sal Cataldi (aka Spaghetti Eastern Music) and Alaskan playwright, actor and slam poet Mark Muro.

This year's festival, which is one of the longest-running annual literature events in the country, takes place from 6-20 November with a packed programme of visiting poets, writers, broadcasters, wordsmiths and actors. 

The new season opens on Friday, 27 August when favourite funnyman Alan Carr comes to Chester to try out new material on the city's comedy fans. The evening will also include a support act. 

For 20 years Suffolk resident Luke Wright has been used to touring the world to perform his flamboyant, political and riotously funny poetry. In March 2020 all that came to a halt. He is now emerging from his temporary enforced retirement with an infectious thirst for life. But what kind of life? And does it bear any resemblance to the one he had before?

The regular on-sale is set for Friday, June 25 at 10am local time. G

Luke Wright, winner of Best Spoken Word Performer at May's 2021 Saboteur Awards, has based his 11th full length poetry show on bawdy Georgian street ballads and takes it to London's Bethnal Green Working Men's Club at 7.30pm on Wednesday 14 July as part of an extensive UK tour.

Before we get to know this year's Jimmy Awards nominees, BroadwayWorld is catching up with some of the program's alumni! Below, get to know just a few, including: Ethan Hardy Benson, Sarah Chico, Jamie Colburn, Caitlin Finnie, Adam Ross Glickman, Emma Heistand, Daniel Kohanbash, Emily Kuhn, Dino Nicandros, Samantha Steinmetz, and John Zamborsky.

POETRY PICNIC is a snack heavy celebration of music and poetry. With fun (and quite silly) games poet Simon Mole & musician Gecko build kids' confidence and skill with words to help them unlock their poetry powers. Ally Pally's Poetry Picnic, surprisingly, takes place at Alexandra Palace on Sunday 6 June 2021 at 3pm.  

Modern life is shit and pointless. Phones, beer, sex, chips. Garish bright flashing lights. Mere distractions.

The lineup for the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, taking place on a Sundance-built and feature-rich online platform, goes well beyond feature and short films, episodic work and the VR/XR of New Frontier.

The Appalachian Theatre has announced that it has received a major challenge grant. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, up to $100,000 in new gifts will be matched. Gifts via memberships, Take-A-Seat, and donations into January are eligible!

Families can get creative at home this Sunday 15 November by taking inspiration from a DIY Picnic Activity Pack designed by artist Anna Bruder from A Line Arts, before logging in at 3pm for poet Simon Mole's and musician Gecko's online Poetry Picnic.

Poet Simon Mole and musician Gecko's indoor Poetry Picnic is coming to the Albany in South East London on Sunday 15 November at 3pm, with the theatre audience taking part from their picnic blankets in their bubbles, and also online.

Luke Wright returns to the Norwich stage for the first time since 2019 at Interlude.

The Frist Art Museum has established a plan for reopening in stages beginning June 22 with an initial members-only period. With continued improvement/stability of Davidson County COVID-19 metrics, the exhibition galleries will reopen to the general public on July 1 with required advance timed ticketing.

This week, mayors from cities across the nation-supported by San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed and spearheaded by the San Francisco Arts Alliance.