Brandon Ray rehearses his performance with (l-r) Ali Luciani, Ross Caganello, Eleanor Clifford and Jackson Ward for Wilton Library’s Poetry in Motion.
Though popular culture depicts teenagers as interested in only their own worlds, Wilton Library’s fourth annual Poetry in Motion performance event powerfully dispels that myth in the two-night event on Friday and Saturday, March 26 and 27, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. “In A World Without Limits” is the theme for this year’s poetry initiative in which kids in grades 7 through 12 created their own original poetry. The students will read or perform their works based on “a world with no restrictions, where anything’s possible – good or bad.” Many of the pieces will be performed with music and dance, and highlighted by photography.
According to Susan Lauricella, the head of Teen Services, “This is our fourth year of giving students this creative outlet, which means we have kids who have come up through their freshman year participating, and we have a whole new ‘farm team’ joining us from Middlebrook. The kids are enthusiastic and are very much looking forward to expressing themselves.” The students have worked since the beginning of the school year in September, first crafting their poetry, then going through edit sessions, and this winter taking performance direction from Regie Gibson, a nationally-recognized poetry slam winner. To prepare for their Friday and Saturday performances, the teens are being directed by Nancy Ponturo, choreographed by Brenda Froehlich, and will have musical direction by Tony Burnett.
In addition to the performances, a book of the teens’ poems will be available for purchase. Tickets are on sale now at the circulation desk and are $5 per person for each night. A limited number of tickets will be sold at the door, based on seating availability. Proceeds from the sale of the books and the tickets benefit future teen programs. A reception follows each evening’s performance. The Poetry in Motion program is sponsored by Wilton Library and made possible by funding from a generous patron. Wilton Library is located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in the heart of Wilton Center. For information: 203-762-3950 ext. 243.
