Tonight we will be hearing from poets speaking in adopted voices. The Persona Slam requires all of its participants to compose and perform poems in the voice of someone, something, or somewhere other than themselves, generally a recognizable voice (a historic/cultural/political figure/place, an individual present at a major event, etc.) To make it all the way through the slam, poets are required to bring three persona poems for the night. If you do not meet the theme, you cannot earn points towards semi-finals, or be counted as having participated in a theme slam. If you have any questions about the theme slam, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Our feature for the night comes to us from Providence, Rhode Island, in the package of the wonderful PHIL KAYE!! Phil is a touring poet, published author, and co-director of Project V.O.I.C.E. He has appeared on NPR, performed at Lincoln Center, and is the two-time recipient of the National College Poetry Slam award for “Pushing the Art Forward”, given for outstanding innovation in the art of performance poetry – the only person to receive the award twice. He was the former head coordinator of Space in Prisons for the Arts and Creative Expression (SPACE) and taught weekly poetry workshops in maximum-security prisons. Most recently, he coached and performed on the 2011 Providence National Poetry Team, ranked third in the nation. His first book, A Light Bulb Symphony, was released in 2011, and his work can be found regularly in CHAOS Magazine. 

As always, DJ Eliel Lucero will be editorializing from the booth, the drinks will be 2-4-1, the open mic will be amazing, and the sign-ups will open at 7:00 (though you should show up by 6:45 to give yourself a good shot at making the list) $6/$5 with Student ID. Bar 13: 35 E 13th St (corner of University), N/R/Q, 4/5/6, L to Union Square