PlayhouseSquare's Slam U Team to Perform 7/15

Cleveland's National Youth Poetry Slam Team will perform in the Westfield Insurance Studio Theatre at PlayhouseSquare (1375 Euclid Ave.) on Thursday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. before traveling to Brave New Voices, the annual International Youth Poetry Slam Festival, in Los Angeles, July 19-25, 2010. PlayhouseSquare provides for the team's travel and expenses through the generosity of individual and corporate donors and foundations. The performance on July 15th is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.

Six students earned a place on the team by participating in Slam U, the annual series of free poetry workshops and slams for teens held by PlayhouseSquare's Community Engagement & Education Department. Local artists provide training to prepare students for the competition that determines the members of the team.

The Slam U 2010 finalists, making up Cleveland's National Youth Poetry Slam Team are:
Alana Belle, Freshman, Cleveland State University
Derick Holifield, Senior, Cleveland School of the Arts
Maya Jones, Senior, Cleveland School of the Arts
Ariana McCall, age 19
Lee McKinstry, Freshman, College of Wooster
Eric Odum, Graduate, Cleveland School of the Arts

New to the team are Alana, Ariana and Maya. Derick and Lee were on the team last year, and Eric has been a team member for the past two years. Students are eligible to participate through age 19.

Slam U is the annual series of free spoken word poetry workshops and events held by PlayhouseSquare's Community Engagement & Education Department. Slam U 2011 will begin in January. Drop-in practice sessions will be offered at Cuyahoga County Public Library branches and at PlayhouseSquare. Information about Slam U is available by calling 216-348-7909 or online at playhousesquare.org/community.

Brave New Voices was created to give teens their own forum for expressing themselves with the aim of gathering, educating and showcasing young writers from across the country. The festival includes open microphone time for the teen participants, an adult reading that features professional poets and performers, panel discussions, workshops led by professional writers and educators and the International Youth Poetry Slam. Although the slam is a competitive event, teens are encouraged to focus on commitment to the craft and growth as a writer, person and community member.

Poetry slam is the competitive art of performance poetry. Emphasis is on both writing and performance. At a poetry slam, poets perform their work and members of the audience serve as judges.

PlayhouseSquare understands its vital role as an educator in our community, and is committed to providing arts learning opportunities of the highest quality to enrich the lives of students, families, teachers and adults. PlayhouseSquare's Community Engagement & Education Department is unique in the performing arts industry for the variety of programs it offers, the partnerships it initiates and the access it provides students, educators and aspiring artists to performing arts professionals. Since its inception in 1998, the Community Engagement & Education Department has offered thousands of events, workshops, classes and more, most with minimal or no fees, to people of all ages from all areas of Northeast Ohio. The generous support of individual and corporate donors and foundations makes it all possible.

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