Shab-e She’r (Poetry Night) LVI

Shab-e She’r (Poetry Night) LVI

The most diverse poetry reading and open mic in Toronto

At Shab-e She’r (Poetry Night) we don’t just wait for diversity to happen: we actively invite it.

Please spread the word through social media and any other way you know. Let our event become as diverse as we are.

Featured poets: Ayesha Chatterjee & Johnny D Trinh

Host: Bänoo Zan

Time: Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Place: Church of St. Stephen in-the-Fields, 365 College St, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2N8

Doors open 6:15 p.m.

Open-mic sign-up 6:30 p.m.

Show 7 p.m.

Admission: $5

Born and raised in India, Ayesha Chatterjee has lived in England, the USA and Germany, and now calls Toronto home. Her poetry has appeared in The Missing Slate (Pakistan), The Moth (Ireland), The Rusty Toque (Canada) and elsewhere as well as being featured by the (Great) Indian Poetry Collective and on the official website of Canada’s Parliamentary Poet Laureate, George Elliott Clarke. She has two full-length poetry collections published by Calgary-based independent press, Bayeux Arts: The Clarity of Distance (2011) and Bottles and Bones (2017). Chatterjee is Past President of the League of Canadian Poets.

Johnny D Trinh is an interdisciplinary and spoken word artist. Exploring the use of music, projection mapping, video, social media, movement, theatre, and creative technology- Johnny’s practice integrates the multi-layered realities within which we exist to create immersive spoken word experiences. Johnny’s pedagogy is rooted in the constant goal of fostering a sense of empowerment, agency, and compassion through socially engaged, community based art. He creates opportunities to support marginalized communities cultivate their voice: “Pass the mic, or silence the future.” Johnny D Trinh is an award-winning playwright, and author of several chapbooks. Johnny’s first audio album #undeniable was released in July 2017.

Highlights: Verses Festival- Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (CIPS) Tournament Director 2017, Regina Slam Champion 2016, Finalist- CIPS 2016, Finalist- Capturing Fire 2016 & 2015 (Washington, DC). Feature performances: Victorious Voices, Tongues of Fire (Victoria), Canadian Festival of Spoken Word (2016, 2015), Pride Toronto (2016), Toronto Poetry Slam, Tonight It’s Poetry (Saskatoon), Victoria Poetry Slam, Toronto Art Bar Poetry Series, Saskatchewan Festival of Words (2017,2016,2015), WordPlay Poet, Saskatchewan Artists in Schools Program. Training: Banff Centre for the Arts, MFA: Interdisciplinary Studies: Theatre & Creative Technology- University of Regina, Dell’Arte International School for Physical Theatre: Summer Intensive, Musical Theatre Performance: Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, Hon. BA- Drama- University of Waterloo. www.johnnydavidtrinh.com

Both Shab-e She’r and St-Stephen-in-the Fields strongly support freedom of expression and encourage our features and open-mic’ers to use any language they wish.

This event is partially sponsored by St-Stephen-in-the Fields Church.

St-Stephen-in-the Fields accessibility information:

The venue has a wheelchair ramp entrance and is all on one level; however, the wheelchair ramp door does not yet have a pushbutton, so someone needs to hold the door open. There is one fully barrier-free washroom.

All washrooms are gender-neutral.

@BanooZan

@ShabeSherTO