Poetry at artspace

An arthouse Presentation!

Thursday, May 6th, 6:30 pm

Arthouse, artspace’s monthly performance night, presents SPOKEN WORD on Thursday, May 6th at 6:30 pm, featuring Becky Haigler, Shirley Campbell and URIAH.

The evening includes an Open Mic for audience members to share poetry and recitations. Readings can’t last longer than 6 minutes.

$50 CASH PRIZE for the Best in Show on the Open Mic as voted on by the audience.

Admission: $10

Boston Poet Chad Parenteau to perform in Shreveport

iNception of Shreveport, INC presents Poet's Nite out Thurs. April 8, 2010, featuring Boston Poet Chad Parenteau, 7pm -9pm at The Naked Bean Cafe' 3307 Line Ave., Shreveport, LA 318.864.2999. $5.00 suggested donation.



Chad Parenteau (http://chadparenteaupoetforhire.weebly.com/) has an MFA from Emerson College in Boston. Chad won a 2003 Cambridge Poetry Award, for his chapbook "Self-Portrait In Fire". Mr. Parenteau’s poetry appears in numerous print and online publications, including anthologies such as French Connections: A Gathering of Franco-American Poets. In 2007, his poem "Moonlighting" was on display at Boston City Hall as part of The Mayor's Prose and Poetry Program. 2008 saw the publication of his third chapbook, Discarded: Poems for My Apartments from Červená Barva Press. Earlier this year, a catalog of his work was added to Framingham State College's Alumni Collection at the Henry Whittemore Library.



Chad has featured in several venues, including Spoken Word Nantucket, the Fox Chase Reading Series in Philadelphia, the 17 Poets! Reading Series in New Orleans, and the Out of The Blue Art Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he is the current host and organizer of Stone Soup Poetry, one of the longest-running weekly poetry venues in the state. His recent contribution to the reading series is creating and editing its online tribute journal Spoonful.



Poet's Nite out is an ALL AGE Open mic (including singer/songwriter's) Held the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month at The Naked Bean Cafe' a locally owned and operated business.



I look forward to hearing and seeing you there. Thank YOU for supporting your local artists and poets during National Poetry Month!

Harmony and Peace,
Joanna Ballard ~ Louisiana Storyteller/Artist
jb@ballardsbytes.com
Ballard's Bytes ~ http://www.ballardsbytes.com

Trapped Truth poet to teach at Multicultural Center

January 18, featured reader Joanna Ballard, right, presided over the afternoon gathering of poets, writers, and a few supportive listeners. Joanna, a professional storyteller, will lead workshops on oral presentation of poetry in February.

The Multicultural Center of the South is offering Love Poetry performance workshops for all ages, conducted by professional storyteller and spoken word artist Joanna Ballard. The family-oriented workshops will be held the first two Saturdays in February. Cost is $10.00 a person, $8.00 for seniors and age 11 and under, or $18.00 family rate.

Performers may attend one or both workshops, to be held 12:30-2:30 p.m. on February, 7th and 12:30-1:30 p.m. February 14th. The workshop on the 14th will be followed by a performance of participants at 1:30 p.m. General public admission $4.00 for the Love Poetry Performance Showcase. Those attending the workshops are asked to bring a favorite love poem, their own work or someone else’s, no longer than five minutes, and appropriate for all ages.

Workshops will cover stage presence, body language, and projection along with other aspects of public live performance. Attendees are encouraged, though it is not required, to attend both workshops and to participate in the final performance. The workshops are designed for beginning performers but would also be good refresher courses for others, and a great family activity.

Joanna Ballard is a Shreveport storyteller with a bachelor’s of arts degree in English and a minor in theater. Joanna has been performing poetry (her own as well as others' work) for over three decades.

For more information or to pre-register, as spaces are limited, please call Janice Gatlin at 424-1380.

Wild Bill's CD release party

Saturday, October 4, William Macaulay Johnson, a Trapped Truth poet and participant in many Shreveport writing groups, celebrated the release of his new poetry CD, Mars Calling, at Actors' Cafe. Bill, seen at right, was recovering from a bad fall a day earlier, which left him with facial lacerations (not visible in this shot,) a dislocated right shoulder and a fractured left hand! After spending Friday night in the hospital, Bill was still game to perform. 'The show must go on' for this trooper!



The CD features Bill reading several of his poems with a background of original music by Chris Alexander, left, of Why the Hell Not Music!

(photos by Dave Haigler)

new edition of SUNDAY AT FOUR

TTS visitors Alena Harris, left, and Amanda Currie, right, flank Pamela Raintree, editor of the latest edition of Sunday at Four, quarterly publication of the Trapped Truth Society of Poets and Writers. The visual appeal of the interior layout skillfully showcases the poets' work. Pam's artistry is also seen in Sunday at Four's cover art, a photo of her recent painting of a pre-Katrina Mississippi shoreline. Copies of the thirty-two-page chapbook, with work by twenty-one poets, are available, while supplies last, for $5.00. Contact Carlos Colon at ccolon423@comcast.net or 868-8932. Copies also available at TTS meetings.

Featured reader for the September 28 gathering of Trapped Truth was Dexter Smith, right, who read some selections from a favorite author, Judith Viorst.













Lee Marvin Adams, below, USAF veteran, USO performer, poet and writer, is always a welcome participant at TTS, inspiring us by sharing his observations and experiences or his work.

(All photos courtesy of Becky Haigler.)

Trapped Truth celebrates 17 years!

Trapped Truth Society of Poets and Writers celebrated 17 years of writing and performing on Sunday, August 17. The group currently meets at Johnny's Pizza, Fern and Gilbert, in Madison Park. The gathering was billed as "Sunday in the Park with George," in honor of George Burton III, a founding member of the group who returned to be the day's featured reader. George is seen above, with Melissa Fowle, who also read some of her work. Other member/readers are seen below this story.


Johnny's manager Sonya, left, is a wonderful hostess and takes good care of the group every week.








Below Carlos Colon reads while Nadine Charity waits her turn at the mic.







Lillian Moskeland, right








Michelle Butler

Nan McJamerson, left









Benjamin Moon, right


Phillip Volentine, left











Jim McLain, right


William Macauley Johnson, below left, and Myles Grisset, below right





Laura Flett, below

Jim Williams, right

Pamela Raintree, left








Becky Haigler, right











Group shot by Lynn Jan Shehee. Other photos by Becky Haigler

Artists' Workshops inspire Shreveport writers

Saturday, January 19, the Trapped Truth Society event committee sponsored two free, half-day workshops for artists. Here, moderator Neil Ellis Orts of Houston, is seen, second from left, with participants, from left, Teresa Mormino, Liz Chrysler, and Jim McLain.

After the morning session, many of the participants braved the winter chill to walk two and a half blocks from Shreve Memorial Library to Blind Tiger for wonderful hot food and conversation. Michael Parker of West Edge Books, seen at right with Teresa Mormino and Neil Orts, dropped in to visit.





Susan Caldwell and Marlon Hite, below left, were among the writers who produced interesting, short first draft writing in the stimulating writers' gathering and in response to the moderator's prompts.


At breaks in the mornings activities, the writers produced several "exquisite corpses," a surrealist party game.
Joanna Ballard, in hat, and her mother Martha both participated.




Pam Viviano reads another "exquisite corpse" at left.








A highlight of the afternoon session was analyzing photo collections brought in by participants for clues to individual creative style and preference. Neil encouraged the artists to be aware of this personal focus and to use it as a tool when writing or creating other art. Among other things, an artist might break a deadlock in a creative project by focusing on the personal style more closely, or, conversely, by consciously working against the usual style. Another afternoon activity dealt with stage presence for performers. The session ended with a playful group activity combining visual art, writing and performance.



Trapped Truth Society event committee, including Laura Flett and Pam Raintree, left to right, is pleased to report participants in the workshops donated LOTS of washcloths, several bath towels and tote bags, a blanket and $30 for Hope House outreach to Shreveport's homeless population. The money and items were delivered to Centerpoint Services, the umbrella agency over Hope House, on January 22nd. Forgot the camera and the cell phone didn't deal well with the backlighting, but here is Becky Haigler, left, of the Trapped Truth Society event committee, with Shirley Holder and director Terry Brock of Centerpoint/Hope House with some of the donated tote bags. Thanks, Shreveport artists!