On the 5/15/24 edition of Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Local columnist Bob Dunning discusses starting a Substack, where he has found overwhelming support from the loyal readership he garnered during his many years writing for the Davis Enterprise. Anthony Robles explains his mission to share publication opportunities with others and develop a supportive community through GTFO poetry and as an open mic host at Silver Lining Piano Bar. He then reads a haiku. Al Cortez explains how responsibilities are delegated amongst the GTFO poetry group, his style rooted in rap and observation, and an upcoming BBQ potluck in Sacramento’s McKinley Park on May 25th. He shares a poem titled “April 21st.” Anthony Xavier Jackson mentions his engagement with the arts and then reads a poem titled “Liquid Diamonds” inspired by Tori Amos. Dr. Andymentions his upcoming hosting position at the Summer Institute on Teaching and Technology to be held in September. Keith Miller, the final member of GTFO poetry, discusses his formative poetry experiences in academia; their perspective really flourished after finding community in Sacramento. Miller reads a poem called “Yellow House on 14th.” The episode concludes with a snippet of CBC news in memory of Alice Munro.

Bob Dunning has written a daily column for the Davis Enterprise for the last 54 years. Starting his time with the Enterprise in 1970 as a sports editor, he has now written about a myriad of topics, producing an estimated 28,000 pieces. At his Substack, titled The Wary One, you can read the articles and columns by the opinionated columnist, as he addresses topics with insight, humor, and irony.

Anthony Robles is a minimalist poet who specializes in the haiku and cinquain forms. He is a contributor to the Sacramento Poetry Day Curriculum and the host of the Silver Lining Open Mic.

Alexander Antonio Cortez is a Chicano spoken word poet and mosh pit enthusiast from Sacramento, California. His work has appeared in Fleas On The Dog Magazine, and Tule Review.

Anthony Xavier Jackson is a poet, performer and musician who has been writing for years about life as a queer Black man in America, recovery from substance use, and family and romantic relationships. Most recently published in the 2023 Tule Review of the Sacramento Poetry Center, Anthony is collecting works for his first full-length book of poetry.

Keith Miller, a narrative poet from Sacramento, has been captivating audiences with their poetry for decades. Keith navigates the urban landscape, shedding light on both its struggles and moments of beauty. Keith's art serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of LGBTQA+ perspectives in poetry.

The Poetry Night Reading Series is excited to feature poets from the GTFO Collective at 7 PM on Thursday, May 16th, 2024, on the first floor of the John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 1st Street in Davis.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, visit his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com and follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andyojones.

On the 5/8/24 edition of Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Sharani Ramesh, Lee Brunkhardt, and Yuetong Lin join the podcast to discuss their upcoming Bike Scavenger Hunt.​​ This is a project for their design class that incorporates the field of paleobotany, community involvement, and creativity through the thematic storyline and hint booklets. Sinéad Rushe explains her unique reimagining of Hamlet that is being shown at the Wyatt Pavilion Theater. Rushde portrays her rendition of the classic play with a six-person cast, three of which play Hamlet and his split consciousness. Jake Johnson shares how their connections in undergrad encouraged them to continue their graduate studies at UC Davis, as well as their style that departs from traditional worldbuilding and adopts satirical and speculative fiction characteristics. Johnson then reads an essay titled, “My Friend, Me, and Dragon Ball Z.” Alex Ikuma closes out the episode by sharing information about the Whole Earth Festival and its new location at Russell Field.

Sharani Ramesh, Lee Brunkhardt, and Yuetong Lin are a part of Professor Tim McNeil's Narrative Environments Course here at UC Davis. They are all Design majors, each with a different emphasis. Sharani is interested in Exhibition Design, and Lee and Yuetong are interested in UI/UX design. This Spring they are putting on the fifth annual Bike Scavenger Hunt, The Great Botanic Panic, in collaboration with the City of Davis.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-great-botanic-panic-bike-scavenger-hunt-2024-tickets-891878902807

Sinéad Rushe returns to UC Davis to collaborate with Professor Margaret Laurena Kemp, chair of theater and dance. Rushe and Kemp’s previous project AntigoneNOW, produced online at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, was screened worldwide including an invited presentation at the Egypt International Experimental Theatre Festival. Rushe is the author of Michael Chekhov’s Acting Technique: A Practitioner’s Guide, co-translator into French of four plays by Howard Barker and was senior lecturer in acting and movement at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. In fall 2023 she became lead acting tutor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

https://arts.ucdavis.edu/seasonal-event/whos-there-0

Jake Johnson is a graduate student in the creative writing MFA program at UC Davis. They are working on a novel, and they have an adorable dog named Bandit.

Alex is a third year physics major and Chaos Control Coordinator for the Whole Earth Festival. She has been involved with the festival through her entire time at UC Davis and is very excited for the weekend.

https://wef.ucdavis.edu/

The Poetry Night Reading Series occurs on the first and third Thursdays of the month at the John Natsoulas Gallery (521 First Street), beginning at 8pm. An open mic follows the featured performer. Come early to find a seat or a spot on the open mic signup sheet. The Poetry Night Reading Series is hosted by Dr. Andy Jones, the former Poet Laureate of Davis.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, visit his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com and follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andyojones.

On the 5/1/24 edition of Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:

Mario Ellis Hill shares his love of advocacy work and how this guides his writing as a poet. Dr. Andy and Hill share their love of jazz and how the protean and improvisational music genre can inspire, inform, and shape poetry. Hill reads a poem about becoming a poet and comments upon the balance between memorization and improvisation that he utilizes in live performances. Michael French joins the episode and shares his preference for the cinema industry over interactive gaming. French then informs listeners about the many upcoming events coordinated by the Arts Department, like an art talk with Maria Maea, exhibits, noon concerts, and a cultural exhibit about contemporary design in China. Dr. Andy then reads a poem to commemorate Karim Abou Najm's life.

Mario Ellis Hill began writing & performing poetry in the early 1990’s, and has since made an impact as a featured poet/spoken word artist throughout the Sacramento region, California & beyond. He is the founder & leader of the Poetry Machine - a performance group of rotating artists that fuses spoken word, live music, movement & song. Mario served as a co-host of Joe Montoya’s Poetry Unplugged! Open Mic Series in Sacramento, CA, and host of Open Stage Open Mic Series in Davis, CA. Besides featuring at poetry venues & open mics, Mario also delved into the world of slam poetry. He was crowned the 1994 San Francisco ‘Aloud’ Anthology Poetry Slam Champion, and 1998 KALX FM Poetry Slam Champion. He also served as a slam team member representing San Francisco (1995) & Chico/North Valley (1997) in the National Poetry Slam. Events & venues that Mario has performed at include the Nuyorican Poets Cafe (NYC), The Knitting Factory (NYC), University of the Philippines - Diliman, California State Fair, Yoshi’s (Oakland), San Francisco Jazz Festival, Sacramento Music Festival, Floricanto Poetry Festival, UC Davis Whole Earth Festival, Watershed Environmental Poetry Festival, and California State Summer School for the Arts. Published works can be found in Sacramento Anthology: One Hundred Poems, Jive’s In The Jug, Poetry Now, Paleoanthology, Sex In Public, The Flatlander, New Poets Revolution, and Nevada County Poetry Series: Year 2001 Anthology.

Michael G. French is an arts and theatre events marketing specialist for the UC Davis College of Letters and Science. He promotes performances and events for the departments of Art and Art History, Cinema and Digital Media, Design, Music, and Theatre and Dance. French previously held similar positions at Southern Utah University’s College of Performing and Visual Arts, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Pacific Conservatory Theatre and the Walnut Street Theatre. He earned his bachelor’s degree at New Jersey City University.

The Poetry Night Reading Series is excited to feature Sacramento poets Mario Ellis Hill and Bill Carr at 7 PM on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024, on the first floor of the John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 1st Street in Davis.

Find out more about Dr. Andy's Poetry Night Reading Series in Davis, California by visiting http://www.poetryindavis.com. Invite your friends to sign up for the mailing list. To learn more about Dr. Andy’s tiny media fiefdom, visit his weekly newsletter at https://andyjones.substack.com and follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andyojones.