Waiting For Jack
“The people tonight were really amazing. It was an alive needed vital evening of poems and entertainment.
Jill Jarrett was sensational with her camera, as a photographer she captures the whole scene beautifully.
First let me say
all the touches, the saxophone player in the beginning
the trumpet the voice over,
it keeps coming more and more alive.
Michael C Ford and Rex Weiner kept the ball rolling as MC’s
with the provoking witty dialog and setting the pace.
This show is alive in the now
and no one is doing anything like this.
This is so much fun to be involved with.
Everyone should see it many times.
S.A. Griffin as Laurence Ferlinghetti was sensational, fun & marvelous.
Always an interesting intriguing performer
full of energy
he knows how to move and play to a receptive crowd.
Eve Brandstein was sexy, funny,
her poems by Diane DiPrima were very sensual and they rolled
off her tongue
like her delivery of the “Kisses” poem.
She had me from the start.
Kenneth Patchen’s poem as usual delivered by our friend Herbert T. Schmidt, Jr.
moved everyone in the house.
He read it from the heart and with great conviction
waited for the response of people
and built a tension in the air
What a great timeless sincere poem
What is the Beautiful? (Pause, and begin again)
If we all could live that poem
the world might be different
kinder sweeter.
Susan Hayden as Bobbie Louise Hawkins was charmer a sweet and lovely being.
She infused her poem wit, compassion and love,
it got to me.
She allowed the rhythm of the evening to flow.
Elkanah Burns as poet Frank O’Hara was right on the money, delivering his thoughtful poem with tenderness and heart as Frank O’Hara would’ve himself, it seemed like he was there last night.
Lisa K. Thayer’s Ann Waldman was a killer.
The way she moves her body
the way she makes the poems live.
Lisa is entertaining, funny, poignant, and uses visual textures,
showing us that the poem is an experience,
a living breathing thing.
John Difusco as poet Lew Welch was mesmerizing and John Densmore playing bongos for him was a wonderful, fun,
happening occurrence.
John Densmore from The Doors, was so into his character, and the choice of poems and the way he read them as poet Gary Snyder, captured me and made me smile.
He spoke them in such a simple a manner,
he made them seem easy. He brought a sense of fun and a beat to the evening and has a humility that none of my drummer friends or partners ever had most of the time.
I like him more and more every time I see him perform.
The way he cares about getting it right the way he focuses on what he will say and takes it on as a responsibility and still has fun with it.
Doug Knott as Bukowski brought the house down. He has so alive and becomes Charles B. and takes you on ride.
He is great, funny and I can relate to his weakness
and his appeal his attraction and why Bukowski
still lives stronger in death
perhaps than in life.
Eric Trules blew me away as Allen Ginsberg and got everyone going.
He has a great sound a wonderful voice
like a Rabbi or an evangelist with depth.
he cracked the stillness open
with his sense of timing and getting the audience to participate.
He really gets into the Ginsberg mold and I believe he channeled Alan G.
for a few moments.
Theida Salazar as Bob Kaufman, was amazing.
The poem which he chanted from memory says so much. He was a wonderful addition.
Bill Duke as Leroi Jones was a powerful presence.
That large beautiful frame
his demeanor that can frighten you speaks the lines
in such a caressing a manner,
in the moment of expectation brings a soft tone and gradually builds the poem
so you can experience every word. Bill Duke taught me last night
you do not always have to shout these poems
they shout themselves
they sing their own music.
He rises and the fever expands by the end of his words
he has crept into you in a subtle way. Bill gets himself out of the way and lets the words come alive within him. At least that is how I experienced it.
It was wonderful and this evening at many points lets people into the play
involves and engages the audience and maybe it could even go more in this direction.
I only know this show was one of the best I have ever been to and I love these poets and the people inhabiting them.
It is an experience of collaboration and community and brings people together in an important and vital way.”
– Stephen John Kalinich
L. K. Thayer adds…
“Stephen Kalinich is a brilliant poet in his own right, who takes care with wit and reverence to every word
Jack Micheline wrote and delivers it with humor and grace, touching the audience with his soul and the soul of the poet.
The sold out crowd in the loft art gallery said it all. People are hungry for this experience and the words of these beat poets that are timely, especially now. Their words and passion ring true and will live on through this one-of-a-kind show
~”Waiting For Jack”~
– L. K. Thayer