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Monday, July 17, 2006

 

The 2006 FRESH FRUIT FESTIVAL in association with URBAN PRODUCTIONS and WE 3 PRODUCTIONS present:

PURE POETRY

at the TELEPHONE BAR NYC - with co-hosts Robert Urban and Julie Androshick

 

A reading embracing the myriad of poetic styles born of a diverse LGBT reality.

 

The diverse cast of LGBT poets include:
baron - Tamiko Beyer - Angelina Lim - Thomas March - Richard Loranger - Carol Polcovar - Chavisa Woods - Robert Urban - Chocolate Waters - Joel Allegretti

 

 

 

 

Pure Poetry's CAST OF POETS 

(live at Pure Poetry photos by Robert Urban)

 

 

 

 

Joel Allegretti is the author of The Plague Psalms, which appeared in 2000 from The Poet's Press and is now in its third edition, and Father Silicon (2006), also from The Poet's Press. Allegretti has been a featured reader at the Writer's Voice Series at the West Side Y, the Museum of the City of New York, CB's Gallery, Cornelia Street Cafe, The Ear In, The Center for Book Arts, the Paterson Museum and scores of other venues.

 

"Robert: Thanks to you for being such a great host. It was fun" - Joel Allegretti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angelina Lim is a junior, majoring in English at Hunter College. She works part-time at a public library where she is the only one who has unsettled the dust in the poetry section. She greatly advocates that people go out and borrow a book of poems. Save the books from dust!

 

 

 

 

 

baron's talent spans photography, graphic arts, music production, songwriting, journalism, and performance poetry. As a performance poet, baron's style is vivid and captivating. His brutal and heart-wrenching depiction of urban life shocks audiences again and again, yet a careful listener quickly discerns an underlying message of love. baron's work is truthful, honest and passionate. He candidly speaks about the issues that divide the African American community on the subjects of love, family, community, and sexuality. For baron, our similarities as humans out weigh our differences; we are all created equal. His poetry CD release is entitled Troubled Man.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carol Polcovar, the Artistic Director of the Fresh Fruit Festival, is a playwright, director and producer who began her career as a poet. She studied with John Ashberry and has been published in many literary magazines-- most recently in BROOKLYN. Her work is included in the anthology DOWNTOWN POETS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas March is a poet and essayist who lives in New York City. In 2005, his poem Virginia Woolf Pockets, Full of Stones was a finalist for Gival Press' Oscar Wilde Award for poetry. His poems have appeared (or are forthcoming) in Café in Space, The Gay and Lesbian Review, The North Atlantic Review, Perigee, Verbatim, and the anthology Poetic Voices without Borders - Volume 2 (Gival Press 2006). He regularly reviews books for The Gay and Lesbian Review and American Book Review, and has reviews forthcoming in New Letters, Shenandoah, and The Believer.

 

"Dear Robert, Thanks again for such a great event Monday night. It was a fantastic crowd, and I think you put together a talented bunch of writers.
Thanks for including me" - Tom March

 

 

 

 

Chavisa Woods born and raised in Southern Illinois, spent three years in St. Louis Mo., working in theater, competing in Poetry Slam, political action, and experimental performance art. She was poet in residence at Gathering of Tribes Gallery. Chavisa has appeared at Saturdays, Salient Saturdays at the Bowery PoetryClub, Poetic License, longshot Beat Bush, among others. Her work appears in Prima Materia, Howl 1003, Fuzion, Rhapsodists, Tribes Magazine, The Gay and Lesbian Poetry Review Worldwide, Matador, and others. She is currently editing a poetry anthology on the theme of religion and it's impact on the political climate, to be published by Fly by Night Press in the fall of 2006.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Loranger is a poet, performer, and visual artist currently living in Brooklyn, New York. He is the author of a recent book, Poems for Teeth (We Press), which Bob Holman of The Bowery Poetry Club calls one of the most extraordinary and virtuosic poetic feats since Francis Ponge took on Soap. Other books include, The Orange Book (International Review Press) and eight chapbooks. Recent work can be found in Barrow Street,Interim, and Hanging Loose 83. He currently hosts Queer Ink, a quarterly reading series for gay poets at the Bowery Poetry Club.

 

"Thank you, Robert. I had a terrific time - and the show was splendid! And I made a few new friends as well.
I appreciate all the hard work that you put into it.Cheers" - Richard Loranger

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Waters was one of the first openly lesbian poets to be published during the "second wave of feminism". A pioneer in women's publishing and in the art of performance poetry, she has toured throughout the United States, but makes her home in Manhattan. Her three collections: To the man reporter from the Denver Post, Take Me Like A Photograph and Charting New Waters were produced by Eggplant Press during 1975-80 and are considered classics of the early women's movement. Her CD, Chocolate Waters Uncensored, which spans three decades of groundbreaking work, was released by Eggplant Productions in 2001. A recipient of the New York State Foundation for the Arts fellowship in Poetry and a grant from the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, her work, has appeared in hundreds of publications.

"It was great fun doing the PURE POETRY gig. Thanx so much for including me. You all rock!"- Chocolate 

 

 

 

Tamiko Beyer is a queer, mixed-race poet and freelance writer who lives in Brooklyn, NY. Her poetry has appeared in a variety of publications including Calyx, Crab Creek Review, DMQ Review, and Triplopia. She is a founding member of Agent 409, a multiracial NYC- based writing group of queers and trannies who believe in the power of writing to create social change.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

guest appearance by poet DOUG ALLEN

 

Hi Robert - "Thanks for including me in the Pure Poetry show. What a wonderful lineup of readers! Best" - Doug

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

guest appearance by poet JEN ED

 

"Greetings Robert- just a quick 'note' of congratulations for two very successful events during the Fresh Fruit Festival!
- always enjoy your work and your energy! Namaste. sending much peace"- jen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PURE POETRY host & producer Robert Urban is also owner/operator of Manhattan-based URBAN PRODUCTIONS Recording Studio. He has composed music scores for numerous professional dance, theater and film productions. In addition to his own 4 CD releases, Robert's work (esp. as guitarist) can be heard on the recordings of many other musical artists. He is producer/host of Urban Productions BOLDLY Presents - live-in-concert music series (now in its 6th year). Robert is the author of the poetry book Abominations; founder of Gay Guitarists Worldwide and contributing arts & culture writer for AfterElton.com and StonewallSociety.com. Robert is the recipient of the 2003 PRIDE IN THE ARTS Literary Award for his poem "Fable"; and again in 2005 for his poem "Who We Are". In June 2006 Robert was awarded "Outmusician of the Year" by the members of Outmusic.

 

More info on Robert Urban and URBAN PRODUCTIONS at: www.roberturban.com

 

 

 

 

 

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