Third Street Writers Open Mic Night
By Nancy Carpenter
Say “open mic” and people think karaoke. Or jamming with jazz. Maybe a comedy club to practice a new routine.
In the world of poetry and literature, open mic is reading that requires writers, their written words and a location. These elements came together Thursday, March 23, when Third Street Writers held their spring Open Mic at the LCAD Gallery at 374 Ocean Blvd.
First – the location. The Laguna College of Art + Design has had an educational presence in our community since 1961. Their LCAD Gallery is unique even for us: It provides an active venue for showcasing the work of students as well as well-known artists while increasing awareness of the diverse art that makes up Laguna Beach. They also host cultural events – such as Third Street’s Open Mic – and educational workshops.
Thursday was the last night of Peep Show by Susan Tibbles. She has a talent for seeing potential in everyday paraphernalia that when assembled offer thought-provoking statements. Her raw materials come from kitchens, forgotten drawers, repurposed party favors, found objects – whether trinket or treasure. I recognized several pieces that accompanied past editorials in the Los Angeles Times’ Opinion pages.
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Photo by Nancy Carpenter
“Blah, Blah, Blah, One Scoop or Two?, Panic, One Scoop or Two? Capitalization, One Scoop or Two?” by Susan Tibbles, 2022
As of this writing, the Gallery’s walls are bare in preparation for the next installation. They are mounting the 48th Annual COLOR IT ORANGE exhibition of original works of high school students throughout Orange County. Mark your calendars for the opening reception April 6 at 6 p.m.
And now, the writers. Over the years, I’ve attended and read at open mic events hosted by Third Street Writers as well as other groups, in libraries, galleries and independent books stores, most available to members and non-members. These are rare and coveted venues for sharing poems, essays, short stories, and fiction and nonfiction book excerpts.
Full disclosure, I have known two Third Street Writers members – Rina Palumbo and Michael Schaffer – for six years. I like to think they wonder why I’m not a member. I certainly wonder.
Third Street kicks off the week with Monday workshops from 12-2 p.m. Writers need that sort of discipline. Their membership fee is nominal, they create an environment for sharing, and their website is available for promoting creative work. Members are given priority when registering for sponsored workshops and retreats. Two of Third Street Writers four Beach Reads anthologies – Paradise and Adrift – are available through Amazon.
Their newest project is the online literary journal, Third Street Review, featuring visual art and photography as well as fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry. The inaugural edition is easily accessed at Third Street’s website, by clicking here.
But my assignment was Thursday evening’s Open Mic. “Spring Cleaning” was the appropriate name for this event, carrying the suggestion that it’s time to dust off projects old or new and, simply, read.
My friend and I arrived 15 minutes ahead of schedule. I wanted time to linger over the art, settle into the creative ambience and meet writers who are otherwise a solitary bunch.
Just inside the door an impressive spread of raw vegetables with dip, cheese and crackers, and some amazing cookies occupied a counter with room for the arrival of beverages and wine. What is it about Madeleine cookies that pair so well with red wine? We talked and nibbled and sipped and talked some more as Third Street’s President Amy Francis Dechary filled the proverbial hat from which the names of those who were reading would be drawn.
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Photo by Amy Francis Dechary
Members of the Third Street Writers who read at “open mic”
Let the readings begin. These are gifted writers who have each earned an acknowledgment, however modest. So here goes.
Jheri St. James opened with “Bodies of Water” that made Cleveland seriously appealing. Jackie Bayless’ essay “Letting Go Reluctantly” was an ode to her child’s first day of school. Continuing with the water theme, Suzanne Spinelli mashed humor with the terror of Jaws in “The Water is Fine.”
The title alone – “Moon the Jogging Chicken” – by Jenet Dechary was about a son’s ventures and adventures in biology while bonding with a chicken. Miranda McPhee’s “Podiatric Poppycock” was an adventure of a different kind, repurposing orphaned socks.
Writing is harrowing, the reality of that not lost in Gina Harlow’s “Fifteen Minutes.” Amy Swartzstein Capron reinforced the theory that every bride has a story. Uninvited bees made for a memorable day in “Long Live the Bride and Groom.” And who couldn’t relate to Rina Palumbo’s piece titled “Cavity,” another uninvited and unwanted guest homesteading a tooth?
A mid-performance break was an opportunity to sip and nibble, engage with guests and writers, and take a closer look at the underlying social commentary of the art.
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