Our first event with the Rochester Cocktail Revival was held Sunday May 7 at Cheshire cocktail bar, and it was a great time for our readers and sold-our audience. The stories ranged from the poignant to the funny, and the cocktails ranged from the delicious to the very delicious. We look forward to teaming up with the Rochester Cocktail Revival for their 2018 event.
If you missed the May Speak Easy, don’t worry! We have a similar Speak Easy at Cheshire on the second Sunday of each month, and conveniently, there are wonderful hand-crafted classic cocktails to be enjoyed at each one. Check out our Events calendar for more information and to purchase tickets.
Next up, though, on June 8, Rochester Spoken Word teams up with Writers & Books to present Listening to the Future: An Evening of Prose and Poetry by Area High School Students. Ten readers in 9th – 12th grade will share their short works. It’s a free event, but tickets are required and can be ordered here. We hope you come out and support these young writers.
Please be sure to check out the pictures from the May Speak Easy below, and don’t forget to sign up for our mailing list so you know what’s coming up!
Lineup for Speak Easy No. 5, Sunday 5/7/2017 at Cheshire: What Noise Does a Whale Make? — Kevin Watt
Excerpt from Years of Joy, Days of Grace — Howard Marc Solomon Heaven and Earth — Evvy Fanning Foregone — Rob Shelton The Big Melt — Justin Brucker
Excerpt from Life in Progress — Stacey Freed Cold Intimacies — David Holloway Setting the Record Straight — Scott Seifritz Thinking Ahead — Kate Mapother
Special Thanks To:
Julio Nieves — MC
Mark Widman — Photography (nomadic.photography)
Rob Marriage, Kevin Watt, and Kate Mapother — Website and social media assistance
Speak Easy: Stories with Cocktails, May 7, 2017 at Cheshire
That free popcorn doesn’t make itself!
Evvy serving up the Mimosas to get the party started.
MC Julio Nieves is in the house!
RSW co-founder, Scott Seifritz (r), meets first-time reader, Howard Mark Solomon.
Another packed house!
First-time reader. Rob Shelton, and many-time reader, Kevin Watt, chillin’ before the show.
Two of our favorite audience members: Past (and future?) reader, Victor Kogan and Tonya Girard.
Julio prepping for the show.
Cheshire-owner and RSW co-founder, Evvy Fanning, talks to the audience about the history of words and alcohol.
Julio takes a selfie with the crowd.
Speak Easy favorite, Kevin Watt kicks us off.
Kevin shows us What Sound A Whale Makes.
As always, the audience enjoys Kevin’s wit.
First-time reader, Howard Mark Solomon, shares an excerpt from his book, Years of Joy, Days of Grace.
All eyes and ears are on Howard.
Julio surveys the crowd for their favorite cocktails.
Evvy Fanning wrangles the mic.
Evvy shares her piece, Heaven and Earth.
Rob Shelton shares his piece, Foregone.
Rob’s wife, Tara, enjoys his reading.
It’s hard to believe it’s Rob’s first time!
Friends and family congratulate Rob on a job well done.
Finally getting a momentary break, Evvy savors a drink that Cheshire is famous for: the Old Fashioned.
Saturday-night Bartender, Jeremy, makes a surprise appearance on a Sunday afternoon.
Our fantastic photographer, Mark Widman, and his lovely wife, MaryJo Weihrauch.
Intermission means back to work for Evvy!
Readers and audience mingle during the break.
Howard and his wife enjoying their first (and hopefully not last!) Speak Easy.
Justin Brucker is ready for his turn on stage.
Julio kicks off Act II.
You never know when a spontaneous drinking contest may erupt at Speak Easy!
Justin shares his piece, The Big Melt.
Justin’s biggest fan.
Past reader, George Steele, takes some notes.
Stacey Freed shares an excerpt from her book, Life in Progress.
Stacey is quickly becoming another Speak Easy favorite.
Everyone has a good time at Speak Easy!
David Holloway reads his piece, Cold Intimacies.
David gives us some air quotes.
We’re not gonna touch this one.
Scott Seifritz takes the stage.
Scott Setting the Record Straight.
Cheshire’s very own Dr. Julius operates on a cocktail.
Speak Easy favorite Kate Mapother closes out the readers.
Kate shares her piece, Thinking Ahead.
Q&A time!
Julio gets the crowd involved with the Q&A.
Evvy answers a question from the audience.
Kevin explains what it’s like to write an unflattering piece about himself.
And Speak Easy: Stories with Cocktails comes to a close. See you next month!
