Our December Speak Easy, titled Regrets & New Beginnings, capped off a fantastic first year for us here at Rochester Spoken Word. Like all our previous events, our final Speak Easy of 2017, held on Sunday December 10 at Cheshire, was another sellout. Our readers brought their A-games and impressed the appreciative crowd with their writing talents. We had a total of 11 readers, four of which were first-timers. In a Speak Easy first, we had more poetry than prose this time around, with six of our readers sharing poems.
Next up, Speak Easy turns one year old and we celebrate with a party! Come join us and some of the writers that made our first year a success. Besides the normal great readings, great drinks, and great popcorn, there’ll be birthday cake! This one is selling out FAST, so get your ticket ASAP!
Lineup for Speak Easy No. 12, Sunday 12/10/2017 at Cheshire:
My Farewell — Scott Seifritz Untitled Nos. 2, 4 & 10 — Michaela Chan A Letter to Myself — Makaila Banks The Muse — Lise Kunkel A National Geographic View — Evvy Fanning Red Rover — Robert Shelton Can I Get You Another Manhattan? — Diane Rivoli Screenplay and Exhibitionist — George Steele Angel Kiss — Amanda DiLella Intruder — Christine Green What is Your Purpose? — Asha Abdalla
Special thanks to Dattatraya Tembare for photography and to everyone who submitted their New Year’s Resolutions!
Speak Easy No 12!
We’re feeling festive!
Rochester Spoken Word Co-Founder, Scott Seifritz, chats with the early arrivals
Rochester Spoken Word Co-Founder, Evvy Fanning, and Cheshire bartender, Jeremy Cooper, are all smiles.
And the audience begins to arrive.
It’s another full house!
In honor of our theme, Regrets & New Beginnings, we posted resolutions that were submitted to us in advance.
This could be your POV if you come read at Speak Easy.
Scott Seifritz welcomes the crowd.
Scott shares his story, My Farewell.
Third-time reader Michaela Chan takes the stage.
Michaela reading her poems, Untitled Nos. 2, 4 & 10.
Next up, first-time reader Makaila Banks.
Makaila reading her poem, A Letter to Myself.
Lise Kunkel returns for her third time.
Lise reading her story, The Muse.
It wouldn’t be a Speak Easy without Evvy Fanning! (In fact, it wouldn’t exist at all.)
Evvy sharing her story, A National Geographic View.
One of our few 4th-timers, Robert Shelton is up next.
Rob reads his story, Red Rover.
Intermission means time to read some Resolutions!
We want to thank everyone who shared their resolutions.
Act two kicks off with second-time reader Diane Rivoli.
Diane reads Can I Get You Another Manhattan? from her novel in progress.
Back after a long absence is fourth-time reader George Steele.
George reading his poems, Screenplay and Exhibitionists.
The audience is tuned in.
Next up, Amanda DiLella makes her Speak Easy debut!
Amanda reading her poem, Angel Kiss.
Another first-timer to the Speak Easy stage is Christine Green.
Christine reading Intruder.
And we finish the day off with our last first-timer, Asha Abdalla.
Asha performing her piece, What is Your Purpose?
As always, we invite the readers up for a brief Q&A session.
Asha talks about the parallels between her poem and her life.
