>>PREVIEW
SLAM POETRY
Runs until May 25
The Mayhem Poets
Calgary International Children’s Festival
Max Bell Theatre (Epcor Centre)
Imagine a diverse collective of young writers dedicated to bringing a love of poetry to everyone. Give these smart, business savvy artists their own theatrical performance and you have the Mayhem Poets. The New Jersey trio of Kyle Sutton, Scott Tarazevits and Mason Granger have internationally toured and performed what they dub accessible performance poetry.
"We perform for all different ages and all different demographics," says Sutton, who has credits in both film and slam poetry. "I guess our slogan is, ‘From prisons to playgrounds.’ We perform our poetry in elementary, middle schools, high schools, colleges, detention centres, prisons, nursing homes – anywhere we can bring this style of poetry and perform and express ourselves. Our style of poetry is very influenced by hip hop, standup comedy and classical theatre."
Between hip hop rhythms and the stage, Sutton recently won the Microsoft Small Business Challenge (ideaWins.com). His proposal for the group included a smart business plan, coupled with the idea of creating a workshop and café to promote accessible education, multiculturalism and performance poetry. The prize included $100,000 and a year rent-free to help launch the business.
Together, the group of modern-day bards has worked to encourage others to hone a love of poetry through ongoing workshops, including at this year’s festival. "We do workshops that highlight the writing, as well as the performance tactics, that we utilize and have learned. We try to help people get in touch with their own creativity and imagination and performative voice," Sutton says. "We get a chance to do what we love, and access the kids using pop culture, movies – all different references that they can relate to. It makes poetry fun. When we were in school there wasn’t anything like this. We were taught to memorize ancient scripts from dead white guys. Now it’s a chance to make it come alive with some things that they can relate to, whether they be in movies, music, politics, etc."
Sutton is quick to add that they don’t want to take anything from canonized poetry, but add other voices to it. "There’s a lot to be learned, and a lot of the influence that we have is from that," he says. "I just think that sometimes it’s a very hard entry point to dive into an appreciation or love for poetry or language. Once a student has developed a passion for language at whatever point they’re accessible at, then they’ll want to learn the different types and avenues and ways they can expand."
Sutton says the group works towards making work that is as strong on the page as it is in their live performance. Their work includes the recordings Reverse Birth (forthcoming) and Eat Your Words. "It embraces that idea of not just locking yourself into one disciplinary style, being influenced by all different forms of art, even dance," he says. "That’s what I love about performance poetry – there’s room for all that stuff. The incorporation of the diversity, not only of cultures, but artistic styles. They can all be put into the pot of performance poetry and come out and alchemize into gold." |
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