Search ErieReader.com
DonateBest of Erie40 Under 40TicketsAdvertiseDistributionIssuesAboutContactEventsNewsletter
Close
Donate!
Best of Erie 2025
40 Under 40
The Reader Beat
Tickets
Newsletter Signup
Erie Reader Business Quarterly
City Guide
Events
Opinion
Features
Issues Archive
Events Calendar
Advertise
More
Arts & Culture
Business
Columns
Community
Environment
Film
From the Editors
Gem City Style
Local, Original Comics
Music Reviews
News & Politics
Recipes
Sports
Theater
Distribution Locations
About Us
Contact Us
Issue Archives
Internship Opportunities
Write for Us
Share:
Arts & Culture / EntertainmentSpotlight Events

Poetry Takes Stage At Erie Playhouse

The showcase features all six Erie County Poet Laureates and more

by Charles Brown
View ProfileFacebookTwitterInstagramRSS Feed
May 8, 2019 at 11:15 AM
Suvan Chowdhury

Tuesday, May 14

Poetry in the City of Erie has been undergoing a strong revival with no sign of fading to black. Post-Poet's Hall (the international family of poets and spoken word artists) at the Avalon, the art form has been promoted consistently through establishments such as Calamari's Squid Row and local coffee shops such as Tipsy Bean and Ember + Forge, with certain nights during the week providing opportunities for novice and veteran wordsmiths to read their works to the public.

Seasoned writers Bigg Wash and Cee Williams have made their way through the revolving door of local radio show Fazed Cookies to push and preserve the culture. The momentum of this agenda continues to accelerate as the Erie County Poet Laureate Initiative, a non-profit collective based on finding and presenting poets throughout the region, hosts a showcase at the Erie Playhouse on Tuesday, May 14. Open to the public, the event's proceeds will go towards promoting more poetry events throughout the region. Books will be available for purchase during the intermission, to fuel fans' love language long after they exit.

The showcase also honors its own history with all six Erie County laureates in attendance, to get you up to speed on the who's who of the regional scene. Community-based artists Monica Igras and Sean Thomas Dougherty will share material to spark your brain, while Buffalo's Eve Williams Wilson will take the stage as well. With so much art manifesting in the Erie area, providing artists with a platform and spectators with a show to feast their imagination on, the Poetry Showcase is determined to play its role in contributing to our ever-evolving scene. — Charles Brown

7 p.m. // Erie Playhouse, 13 W. 10 St. // $15 // facebook.com/ErieCoPoetLaureate

poetrychuck joymonica igraserie county poet laureateerie playhousepoets hallcalamaris squid rowtipsy bean

Featured Events

Today Tomorrow This Weekend

Work In The Age Of AI: What's Changing, What's Not, And What Matters Most

Community & Causes
Aug. 5th, 6 PM to 7:30 PM

Live Music at the Flagship City Food Hall

Music
Aug. 5th, 6 PM

At A Breaking Point: Erie County Nonprofits Navigating Cuts, Delays, And Uncertainty

Community & Causes
Aug. 6th, 12 PM to 1:30 PM

Bowser's Brew Bash

Community & Causes
Aug. 6th, 5 PM to 9 PM

The Imperial Grounds of Transcendence: Colin Tucker

Visual Arts
Aug. 6th, 5 PM

Submit Your Event   View Calendar

July 2026: 40 Under 40
Erie Reader: Vol. 16, No. 7
View Past Issues
In This Issue
Erie Reader Best of Erie City Guide 2023-2026

Popular This Week

COVID-19 Cases Rise Slightly In Erie County, Across Country

xRepresentx, Vice, Counterfeit, Cop Torture at BT

Ludacris Shows Behrend Some Southern Hospitality

Best of Erie 2014 Finalists

Hangin' Out at the South Pier

Related Articles

Celebrate 31 Years of Rhythm at the 2026 Erie Blues and Jazz Festival

by Aaron Mook7/24/2026, 8:00 AM
Two days of world-class music, local flavor, and community await in one of Erie's favorite summer traditions

Reel Rituals Revs Up for Driller Killer

by Nick Warren7/23/2026, 8:00 AM
Up-and-coming film series unpacks genre oddities

Highland at the Hall

by Larry Wheaton7/22/2026, 7:30 AM
Ally the Piper brings bagpipes to Centennial Hall

Tracy Turnblad's Moves Aren't Bad!

by Cassandra Gripp7/15/2026, 8:00 AM
Award-winning musical Hairspray returns to Erie Playhouse

An Interview with Harry Connick Jr.

by Larry Wheaton7/13/2026, 12:00 PM
A conversation ahead of his Chautauqua performance

Erie Reader Book Club: July 2026

by Ally Kutz7/13/2026, 8:00 AM
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Member of Reporters Shield
© 2026 Great Lakes Online Media
PO Box 10963  //  Erie, PA 16514
Editorial Standards Terms of Use Privacy Policy