New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
No question, all poets are in love…. in love with words! So this February the spotlight is on Poets of New Bedford! Your Theatre’s first poetry coffeehouse is coming soon and promises to be an electric event. We are fortunate that our first act includes five accomplished local poets who will demonstrate the power and promise of poetry.
New Bedford’s Poet Laureate and our emcee is Patricia Gomes. All who know Pat know she’s an enthusiastic poetry advocate. An award-winning poet, she has published in countless literary journals and written four books. She regularly performs as well as runs poetry workshops for both students and adults. Co-founder of the Greater New Bedford Writers’ Block Workshop, she is a member of the Bartley Scrivener Poetry Group and the Southcoast Horror Writers Association. (Does that tell you anything?)
Everett Hoagland, the area’s first Poet Laureate from 1994-98, will be our first guest reader. Everett is well known locally for his teaching at UMA but has also impressed audiences in Cuba, China, West Africa and throughout the US. His poetry has been published in many fine periodicals, anthologies and college texts. He is the 2015 recipient of the Langsten Hughes Society Award.
Susan Grace, founder of New Bedford’s Bartelby Scrivener Poetry Group which encourages fellow poets to share their creations, is our next guest. Having worked in
the publishing world for more than thirty years as publisher, editor, journalist, designer, marketing/advertising manager and printing press assistant, she is now with New Bedford’s Spinner Publications, promoting the history and culture of Southeast New England.
BJ Nooth came to poetry-writing later in life. After leaving a career in state government, she had the time to explore and develop her literary interests by working at Baker Books and her local library plus joining The Second Half at UMA (The Lifelong Learning Institute). Her connections with area writers and poets encouraged her to begin writing her life experiences, which then inspired her to facilitate a poetry group at The Second Half, something she has done for five semesters.
Catherine McLaughlin, our final guest reader, promises to leave us in awe. After 40 years teaching English at Framingham State, publishing four novels, several articles and memoirs, she has now retired to South Dartmouth and published her first poetry book.
And this only starts the evening’s entertainment! Our second act will be a poetry slam with totally different poets! Come to YTI Saturday Feb 6, 2016 (snow date Feb 20) at 7 pm for dessert and coffee / 7:30 for the event. Seating is limited so come early to Your Theatre Inc at 136 Rivet St, parking and entrance off County St. For additional information please call 508-993-0772 or email poetry@yourtheatre.org.
Performance to be held at the wheelchair accessible Your Theatre, Inc. Playhouse located at 136 Rivet St. (corner of County St.), New Bedford, at the St. Martin’s Episcopal Church complex. Free parking is available off County Street.
LOVE TO HATE TO LOVE ~ Poetry of the Soul
Admission $10. Students/Seniors $5.
