The Dark Room is a place where writers take center stage and their work has a chance to grow. The Dark Room is an ongoing event held on the second Tuesday of each month. The Dark Room affords emerging and veteran playwrights the space and resources to develop new works. It offers a venue to workshop plays, novels, poems, or any other written work in a supportive, yet critical environment.

Tuesday, April 9th

7:00pm: Sign-up begins for writers and actors (space is limited). Writers can bring up to 10 pages of work to be read; actors will be cast on the spot!

7:30pm: Featured Performance of  “The Poetry Psychic Show” by Denis Michael Griesmer

8:15pm: Open Mic Session readings begin

Suggested donation of $5 is welcomed at the door, but not required.

ABOUT THE FEATURED READING: “Can you see your fortune in a random poem?” Take a seat across from Denis Michael Griesmer as he casts light on how coincidence and accident, stories and insights - and especially random poetry - can illuminate the choices you have in deciding your fate. 

After years of research, Mr. Griesmer has developed a unique and unorthodox method of divination for our difficult and overly-rational times. Using a set of carefully selected, mostly modern, mostly American poems, Mr. Griesmer coaxes forth stories and confessions, insights and revelations. Join Mr. Griesmer to receive a poem to help determine “What is the Universe trying to tell me tonight?” 

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM: Denis Griesmer has been CFO & General Manager at Cleveland Public Theatre since 2007 and has been part of CPT since 1999. Denis was also Director of the CPT’s Y-Haven Theatre Project from 2006 to 2009. Other notable artistic roles also include Associate Producer for CPT’s original production, Blue Sky Transmission: A Tibetan Book of the Dead. A graduate of the Northwestern University School of Speech Theatre Program, Denis was Production Manager and then Associate Producer for San Francisco’s acclaimed Pickle Family Circus. He later worked as Production Coordinator on feature films by Cleveland screenwriter Joe Eszterhaus including Telling Lies in America and Burn, Hollywood, Burn. Other theatre credits include production and artistic roles at San Jose Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Cleveland Play House and the Valley Shakespeare Festival (Saratoga, CA). Denis has served on the board of Network of Ensemble Theaters which is dedicated to propelling ensemble theatre practice to the forefront of American culture and society. 

Chris Seibert has created over 40 original performance works – new plays, solo performances, dance theatre and original adaptations – through a variety of collaborative methods, engaging both professional and community artists in the creative process. Current projects include Fa(r)ther, a touring solo show and writing workshop for young adults; Reckoning, a dance theatre duet, and Love’s Lost Raree Box, an original street performance. Love's Lost Raree Box and The Poetry Psychic Show will appear in BorderLight International Theatre + Fringe Festival this summer and will be further developed through an Artist Residency with Gordon Square Arts District in the Fall 2019. Prior to developing these works, Chris created several solo performances while a core ensemble member at Cleveland Public Theatre. As Director of Education at CPT she facilitated the creation of original performances by immigrant and refugee teens, adults in recovery, and children in public housing, and developed over fifteen outdoor touring plays/adaptations by low-income teens in collaboration with professional artists.

 

Open session readings are first come, first serve until all slots have been allotted. All submissions should be made to Mindy Herman at herman.mindy@gmail.com or to John Busser at jpbusser@gmail.com .