TalkWithME

John Burroughs is a nationally-touring poet and performer from the Cleveland area and the author of over a dozen books including Water Works, Electric Company, Beat Attitude and The Eater of the Absurd. His latest, Loss and Foundering, will be released April 6th by NightBallet Press (nightballet.com). In various past lives, John served as playwright-in-residence for the Ministry of Theatre at Marion Correctional Institution, his blog was ranked #1 on MySpace, he won the first poetry slam he ever competed in, and he co-founded (with Dianne Borsenik) the infamous Lix and Kix Poetry Extravaganza and almost-annual Snoetry: A Winter Wordfest. John has edited numerous volumes, including the Oct Tongue poetry series, Cheap and Easy Magazine and the anti-censorship anthology Fuck Poetry, and he is probably most proud of his work since 2008 as the founding editor of Crisis Chronicles Press.

Monte grew up in a musical family, and began playing guitar and writing songs as a young child.  He has served as a teacher, coach, principal, professor, trainer and consultant.  He earned Master's and PhD in school leadership.  Monte's passion is bringing people together through collaborative songwriting about themes important to them.  He does this in work with youth in schools across the country, co-workers in corporations, participants in national and international conferences, and more.  On the creative side, he’s co-authored eight books and composed over 200 published songs, including “Check Your Attitude”, featured on the 2012 Grammy Award winning Best Children’s Album, “All About Bullies.”  Over one thousand performances, workshops and leadership presentations have left audiences laughing, singing, and applauding across North America, Asia and Europe.

Perry and family live in rural Douglas County, KS after adventures that carried him to Vietnam, Mexico, and a variety of states (of mind & of USA).  He is a Vietnam veteran, an artist, a worker dedicated to lifting youth out of crisis, a loving husband and more.

Born in Michigan, John Gary Brown resides half-time in Lawrence, KS and half-time in Creede, CO.  He received his MFA from University of Washington in 1970.  He has spent time teaching and traveling and is currently working asa professional artist – mostly painting, still photographing, and writing a memoir.

David is a dramaturg, actor, PhD student, and more, headed toward teaching dramaturgy.  David shares stories of family, appreciation for those who laid the groundwork for being able to marry his husband, Mexican heritage, and more. David was born and raised in KC, KS, and has tried to leave the state numerous times, but always finds himself coming back "home."  He is now in the Theatre Department at Kansas University. David has had the privilege of working as a dramaturg for the past five years. The first show he dramaturged was the Rocky Horror Show and he was hooked immediately!  Dramaturgy is that comfortable space where David can unleash his inner nerd and celebrate the two things he loves: research and practice. 

As dramaturg for "Perfect Arrangement," David’s research and education of the cast and crew enhance their performances.  The play by Topher Payne, is an “acerbic comedy of love and marriage” that “explores the challenges of maintaining a queer family during the McCarthy era.”  Performances are from Saturday, March 31–Sunday, April 8, 2018.  Tickets and info at http://kutheatre.com/perfect-arrangement

Rhina was born in the Dominican Republic in 1932, has lived in the U.S.A. since 1939, grew up in NYC, and now lives in Newburyport, MA.  She earned a B.A. from Hunter College, where she majored in English and minored in Humanities and Latin, and has a Master of Science in Education from Queens College. Espaillat taught high school English in NYC for several years, most of that in Queens. She was a founding member of the Fresh Meadows Poets, a literary group still active in the borough.

In 1990 Espaillat moved to Newburyport with her late husband, Alfred Moskowitz, a well known and beloved sculptor and teacher (deceased in 2016). For many years she coordinated the Newburyport Art Association's Annual Poetry Contest and organized poetry events of the yearly Newburyport Literary Festival. She is a co-founder and member of the Powow River Poets,  and has been instrumental in bringing bilingual poetry readings to the North of Boston area, and bilingual activities shared by area high school students.

Espaillat writes poetry and prose both in English and in her native Spanish, and translates from and into both of her languages.  Her work has appeared on many internet sites and magazines, and in over seventy anthologies in both languages.  She is a frequent reader and speaker in the Boston area, and conducts workshops, as visiting poet, at colleges and universities on many states.  Espaillat has published thirteen collections, and has received many awards throughout her career thus far.