Red Sky Poetry Theatre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Red Sky Poetry Theatre^[1] was the longest running live weekly poetry series and open mic in Seattle history.^[2]^[3]

Don Wilsun, who previously co-founded Dogtown Poetry Theater with Joe Scozzy, was a driving force in the founding of Red Sky Poetry Theatre. Along with Joe Keppler, Tom Parson, who also started the Bumbershoot Small Press Fair in 1977,^[4] and Judith Roche, whose home was used as a meeting place to plan Red Sky Poetry Theatre, Wilsun formed the core of what would become Red Sky Poetry Theatre.^[5] Prior to forming Red Sky Poetry Theatre, Wilsun held ad hoc readings which were simply called Poetry Theatre. Wilsun named his labor of love Red Sky because one day he was putting up flyers for his Poetry Theatre in the Pike Place Market and as he was doing so, saw an amazing red sunset. He wrote a poem at the Soup and Salad called Red Sky. It inspired him to name his Poetry Theatre, Red Sky.^[6]^[7] The first Red Sky Poetry Theatre reading was May 24, 1981.^[8]

Bill Shively, Joseph Keppler, Judith Roche, Matt Lennon, and Tom Parsons joined the Red Sky Poetry Theatre board in 1981^[9] and were listed in the original incorporation documents as board members in 1982 with Don Wilsun as President and acting agent.^[10] Red Sky Poetry Theatre was a Non-profit Organization existing solely to promote and encourage poetry performance and Performance Art as well as other arts. Elliott Bronstein^[11] would join the board a short time later.

Trudy Mercer, an early editor of SkyViews, joined the Red Sky Poetry Theatre board in 1982,^[12] the same day Marion Kimes^[13] and Michael Hureaux were voted onto the board.

Kay Kinghammer,^[14] who performed in Burlesque Theatre and JT Stewart,^[15] who formerly taught at Seattle Central Community College,^[16] were also part of the early meetings to create Red Sky Poetry Theatre but never actually on the board.

Other early affiliated authors not officially on the Red Sky Poetry Theatre board included Mark Svenvold, who recently did a presentation at the Modern Language Association about the influence of Red Sky Poetry Theatre on the Literary World.^[17] Charlie Potts, another well known author, would frequently read for Red Sky Poetry Theatre.^[18] Paul Hunter,^[19]^[20] who collaborated with Red Sky Poetry Theatre early on, would officially become a board member in 1993. These authors added much to the early Red Sky Poetry Theatre creative process.

Bumbershoot

Charlie Burks, the coordinator of the first Bumbershoot Writers in Performance Competition in 1981,^[21] was not officially on the board but collaborated with Red Sky Poetry Theatre on a regular basis.^[22] Burks' influence on the collaborative efforts of Red Sky Poetry Theatre was substantial. The expression "Poet's Gymnasium", in the context of Red Sky Poetry Theatre as a forum for perfecting one's poetry, is attributed to Burks.^[23]^[24] Red Sky Poetry Theatre joined Burks in judging the Writers in Performance contests that would decide who, out of hundreds, would read at Bumbershoot. Bumbershoot Writers in Performance Competitions continue to this day, although without Red Sky Poetry Theatre. However, former board member Judith Roche coordinated the Bumbershoot Literary Arts Festival^[25] for One Reel after Red Sky Poetry Theatre discontinued the Bumbershoot Association.^[26]

Periodicals

Bill Shively edited the very first Open Sky in which writers and visual artists of any sort could contribute 400 pages to be included in the magazine. Red Sky Poetry Theatre considered its collective efforts to be more conducive to the creative process, the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Essentially, Open Sky wasn't edited so much as compiled. Shively's brainchild, Open Sky, eventually became a quarterly publication. The only person to submit to all twelve issues of Open Sky was author Dann O'Keefe.^[27] Open Sky became Open Sound in 1989 with 200 pages. Ezra Mark was the editor of the first Open Sound. Ezra Mark^[28] was later on the board of Subtext, another poetry series.^[29]

Shively created and edited the early SkyViews magazine which started out as a monthly newsletter with 'guest editors' but became a full-fledged poetry magazine shortly after the first issues. Charlie Burks added a 'Sunday Supplement' one month when he was guest editor that was much admired by the Pacific Northwest literary public. Trudy Mercer took over the compilation of this monthly magazine in 1984. Mercer published Redlines as well as working with Red Sky Poetry Theatre. SkyViews was renamed Parallel Discourse in 1989 with Phoebe Bosché and James Maloney as editors although it still referred to itself as SkyViews inside the first Parallel Discourse pages.^[30] Parallel Discourse soon spun off of Red Sky Poetry Theatre completely and was solely published by Bosché and Maloney. Swale Magazine was edited by Bosché and Roberto Valenza but it was not actually a Red Sky Poetry Theatre publication. Swale was well received.

Red Sky Poetry Theatre also had its own imprint called, of course, Red Sky Press. It published books of collected poets such as Red Sky Morning as well as publishing the Bumbershoot Anthology, a collection of the poems of the Bumbershoot Literary Contest performers, in 1984 and 1985. Visual Art was always part of the Red Sky Poetry Theatre milieu and many publications were replete with images such as the art of Keppler, Lennon,^[31] Roberto Valenza,^[32] or Grace Dager^[33] and many others. The line between poetry and visual art was consistently crossed as the two forms merged into something unique.^[34] There were many other publications by Red Sky Poetry Theatre affiliated authors that are too numerous to list.

Early history

When Don Wilsun withdrew from regular participation in Red Sky Poetry Theatre, the Secretary of State of Washington State listed Elliott Bronstein as the acting Agent for Red Sky Poetry Theatre and Marion Kimes as the acting President and Treasurer.^[35] Red Sky Poetry Theatre presented a continuous live poetry series for more than the 25 years that it was incorporated. This puts Red Sky Poetry Theatre on the same par as City Lights Books, which has been running a poetry series since 1953, and Nuyorican Poets Cafe, which has had a series since 1973. Red Sky Poetry Theatre still does occasional Red Sky Redux^[36] at the Hopvine Pub^[37] or venues such as the Richard Hugo House.^[15] Red Sky Poetry Theatre board membership changed much over the course of 25 incorporated years.

Red Sky Poetry Theatre held their first readings at the Soames Dunn Building in the Pike Place Market^[21] and continued there for more than a year, then moving to the Pike Development Authority meeting room for 6 months.^[38] From there, Red Sky Poetry Theatre stayed in the Pike Place Market and started reading in December, 1983 at the Soup and Salad Cafe overlooking Puget Sound. This was the first venue where people who weren't looking for Red Sky Poetry Theatre could come across them and walk in.

Michael Hureaux, who was an active member of Red Sky Poetry Theatre, was the instigator that convinced Red Sky Poetry Theatre to move to the Five-O Tavern on Capitol Hill in December 1984,^[38] thus changing the ambiance of the performance stage, when the Soup and Salad turned into the Soundview Cafe. Hureaux had already staged Poem People: Poetry Night at the Five-O Tavern and found the location conducive to poetry. (The Five-O later became the Hopvine Pub). The Five-O was an early venue for the fledgling Seattle Grunge Rock scene.^[39] It is among venues where the influence of Steven Jesse Bernstein,^[40]^[41] on Grunge first occurred.^[42] Bernstein had been reading at Dogtown Poetry Theater prior to Red Sky Poetry Theatre and was always an influence in Seattle and the West Coast.^[43]^[44]

Hureaux left the board in 1986 to pursue other interests,^[45] including becoming a member of the Choreopoets.^[46]

The renowned Pioneer Square Theater^[47]^[48] hosted Red Sky Poetry Theatre Works In Progress such as Charlie Burks "War Babies", in 1983 and 1984.^[49] Pioneer Square Theater continued working with Red Sky Poetry Theatre affiliated authors such as Roberto Valenza,^[50] although the connections with Red Sky Poetry Theatre were no longer direct.

In fact, Red Sky Poetry Theatre was so involved with the Seattle performance culture, that it was hard to tell where Red Sky Poetry Theatre ended and another organization began. Members worked with On the Boards performing in the 1982 Poetry Marathon to benefit Amnesty International.^[51] Matt Lennon hosted a monthly reading at the Comet Tavern, where Red Sky Poetry Theatre would cross pollinate with the Actor's Table. Joe Keppler hosted readings at the Greenwood Gallery^[52] before he left in 1983 to form "Poets, Painters, Composers"^[38]^[53] It was this flexibility which made it so easy to move venues as needed without harming the free-spirited, collaborative nature of Red Sky Poetry Theatre.^[7]

Phoebe Bosché and Roberto Valenza became Red Sky Poetry Theatre board members in 1984 and were influential in taking Red Sky Poetry Theatre in new directions toward Performance Poetry.^[9] Bosché recently edited Art and Politics Now Cultural Activism in a Time of Crisis.^[54] Bosché currently publishes Raven Chronicles with Philip H. Red Eagle.^[55]

Valenza, was a flamboyant character,^[50] who along with Bernstein, Gary Heffern,^[56] and others, encouraged heckling of his readings. Heckling gave a spontaneity and comedic value to performances although many of the other readers frowned upon it.^[9]

The 1980s found Red Sky Poetry Theatre receiving grants from the King County Arts Commission,^[57] the Allied Arts Foundation,^[58] the Seattle Arts Commission^[49] and 911 Media Arts Center,^[59] which allowed Red Sky Poetry Theatre to expand into other media.

Broadcasts

There were two radio shows affiliated with Red Sky Poetry Theatre in the early years, both on KRAB-FM from 1981 through 1983. There was Red Sky Radio hosted by Matt Lennon and Art Talk hosted by Don Wilsun.^[60]

Red Sky Poetry Theatre would branch off into Public Access Television hosted by TCI Cable in 1985 starting with the Paramount Poets by Alan Goodin and Martina Poth Goodin, both Red Sky Poetry Theatre board members since 1984. They would continue the tradition of video poetry with Cactus Poets, the show starting production in 1987.^[61] Red Sky Poetry Theatre Live would air, also on TCI, in 1988.^[62] These three video poetry series aired frequently until 1992.

margareta waterman (lowercase intentional)^[63] would join the Red Sky Poetry Theatre board in 1989, bringing with her nine muses books^[64]^[65] and producing Manifest Arts, a series of Poetry and Performance Art broadcast on TCI.^[66] nine muses published many Red Sky Poetry Theatre authors. waterman left the board in 1994 to travel and perform around the country.^[18]

An Alternative To Loud Boats

Members of Red Sky Poetry Theatre were instrumental in creating An Alternative To Loud Boats,^[67] which was a Performance Art event that coincided with the Seattle Seafair Albert Lee Cup Hydroplane Races, started in 1985.^[68] It soon had a different theme every year such as 'Censorship'^[69] or 'Sanctuary'^[70] (from the first Iraq War). Between 1988 and 1991, Alternative to Loud Boats was helped along by grants from the King County Arts Commission^[57] written by Cydney Gillis of Arts Focus. Arts Focus was a popular Seattle magazine dedicated to the Northwest literary and performance culture. Alternative to Loud Boats continued for ten years until 1994.^[71]

Musical collaboration

Many musicians worked with Red Sky Poetry Theatre, including Wally Shoup, who improvised saxophone on stage with poets and Michael Monhart, also a saxophonist.^[72] Pete Leinonen^[73] recorded many of the Red Sky poets along with The Pete Leinonen Band.^[74] The Bill Shively Band, was a mainstay of Red Sky Poetry Theatre from the beginning.^[75] Don Wilsun, himself, played the congas and would often recite as he drummed. There are recordings of much of this work, as well as recordings of spoken word.

Influence in Seattle

For all of the influence Red Sky Poetry Theatre had on the West Coast and national literary world, it was still considered "underground" by the academic establishment.^[76]^[77] This was due to the controversial nature of many of the performers as Red Sky Poetry Theatre allowed anyone to openly state anything about the society within we live.^[78] Many of these performers would have no formal academic training. Not everyone liked this approach^[79] but it would prove to be paramount to the success of Red Sky Poetry Theatre.^[80]

Karen Finneyfrock^[81] was one of the Red Sky Poetry Theatre featured readers who would become MC of the Seattle Poetry Slam between 2001 and 2005. Red Sky Poetry Theatre poets were more cooperative at first and not competitive as the Slams were.^[82] (The only competitions Red Sky Poetry Theatre would do would be to decide who would be reading at the Bumbershoot Literary Festival. Hundreds applied.)^[83]^[84] Kathleen Daviduke AKA Katushka, a frequent reader at Open Mics, would win a place in the 1992 Poetry Bus: The Metro Moving Poetry Series.^[85] Matthew Stadler also was a frequent featured reader. Ira Cohen, Sam Hamill and many other well known readers read at Red Sky Poetry Theatré. The list of influential or award winning poets who read at Red Sky Poetry Theatre is extensive.

While Red Sky Poetry Theatre was housed at the Ditto Tavern in the early 1990s, it had such an effect on the Belltown neighborhood that the local art magazine, Belltown's Brain Fever Dispatch would dedicate a full page to Red Sky Poetry Theatre for several months in the early 1990s.^[86]

Red Sky would continue with board members leaving and new members joining. Peter Sawicki AKA Tobeimean Peter would join the board in 1985 bringing his artistic flare to the Open Sky magazine with his images on the cover. Peter left the following year to pursue his art.^[87] Martina and Alan Goodin would leave in 1992 and Trudy Mercer, instrumental in the publication of early SkyViews and Open Sound, would leave in 1994. Stephen Thomas,^[88]^[89] who owned Cabaret Hegel which was a performance venue from 84 to 87, would become active in Red Sky Poetry Theatre. Although Thomas was not officially on the board, in 1981 he was a judge for the Bumbershoot Literary Competition. Thomas continued working closely with Red Sky Poetry Theatre until 1997.^[90] Steve Potter would join the Red Sky Poetry Theatre board in 1994 and stayed until the end.^[91]

Paul Hunter was an intrinsic member of the board, but left in 2004, the year before the last reading. Paul Nelson, who was also a DJ at KPLU-FM and KNDD-FM as well as other stations, would become a Red Sky Poetry Theatre board member in 1997.^[92] Nelson was on the board at the end.

Nelson, Bachman, Bart Baxter,^[93] another Red Sky Poetry Theatre board member from 1989 through 91, and board member Clarice Keegan^[94] were also on the board of the now disbanded Washington Poets Association.^[95] Keegan had previously been on the Seattle Poetry Slam board before joining Red Sky Poetry Theatre.^[96]

Jesse Minkert would join the board in 1998 and stayed until the end.^[97] Minkert recorded readings at the Globe Cafe and released a CD called Red Sky At Night: Poets in Seattle in 2002. Others associated with the Red Sky Poetry Theatre board at this time were Diane Westergaard, who was on the board for a year starting in 2004, Allison Durazzi, also on the board, Belle Randall, a frequent featured reader,^[98] David Lloyd Whited, whose book 3 & 1 was published by Red Sky Press,^[99] and many others continued the Red Sky Poetry Theatre tradition of an unfettered open mic.

Sunset

Don Wilsun, who according to Trudy Mercer was the 'Father of Red Sky Poetry Theatre', stayed on the board until 2001 although he started to participate much less after 1991. He died on May 8, 2003, taking with him much of the original Spirit of Red Sky Poetry Theatre.^[100]^[101] Wilsun's work is now in an Archive at the University of Washington.^[102]^[103]

Roberto Valenza left the World on January 19, 2010 leaving much of his work to the University of Washington.^[104]^[105]

Marion Kimes, the Grande Dame and guiding light of Red Sky Poetry Theatre, died on March 13, 2014.^[106]

Bill Shively, founding member of Red Sky Poetry Theatre, who formed the Bill Shively Band and others, died on September 28, 2014.^[107]

The works of everyone affiliated with Red Sky Poetry Theatre or nine muses books is being archived at the University of Washington.^[1] Most of this growing body of works by various authors, musicians, and artists has not yet been digitized. (A History about Red Sky Poetry Theatre written for that collection, contains inaccuracies which are corrected in this document.)

Red Sky Poetry Theatre went through many venues after it left the Five-O Tavern in the late 1980s. It moved to the Cause Celebre Cafe, also on Capitol Hill, for a few months, then moved to the Still Life Cafe in Fremont, "The Center of the Universe". It moved to Anna's Cafe briefly.^[108] From there Red Sky Poetry Theatre moved around but landed at Squid Row in the late 1980s. It showed in other venues, as well, moving in 1990 to the Ditto Tavern in Belltown, Seattle. Once the Ditto Tavern folded, Red Sky Poetry Theatre moved back up to Capitol Hill to the Globe Cafe. Robin Schultz, owner of the Globe Cafe, also published Poetry Around Press which published many Red Sky Poetry Theatre authors.^[109] In 2005, the Globe changed hands and the last continuous Red Sky Poetry Theatre reading was on October 23, 2005.

Paul Nelson, Teresa Bachman AKA Alley Greymond,^[110] who was on the Red Sky Poetry Theatre board between 1996 and 1998, Phoebe Bosché, and others have brought back Red Sky Poetry for occasional special events called Red Sky Redux.^[111]

References

1 2 Red Sky Poetry Theatre and Seattle Muse Community records at University of Washington
↑ Melanie Mcfarland, "If You're A Poet And You Know It?", Seattle Times, November 12, 1998 "Sundays, poets will find Red Sky Poetry Theater taking the stage. For 18 years the group has hosted poetry readings in venues throughout the city; the Globe, one of Red Sky's board members says, is the best place the group has even been in." accessed May 25, 2014
↑ The Stranger, Readings Listings, November 4, 1999 "Seattle's longest-running reading series turns 19 this season. Celebrate with poet Stephen Thomas, tonight's featured reader. Globe Cafe, 1531 14th off Pine, 633-5647, 7:30 pm, donation." accessed May 26, 2014
↑ Now It's Up to You Publications "Tom Parson (Now it's Up to You Publications) was active in Seattle's poetry community, organizing the first Small Press Book fair at the annual Bumbershoot Festival in 1977, helping to organize the Red Sky Poetry Theatre..," accessed May 26, 2014
↑ Joe Marshall, 'Scuse Me While I Kiss Red Sky, UW Daily, February 23, 1990 Pg 8, 10
↑ "Poetry Theatre", Seattle Sun, June 10, 1981 Page 7, 12
1 2 Rajhet Dirzhud-Rashid, "Finding the poetry in a Red Sky", Capitol Hill Times, February 28, 1990 Page, 5, 9
↑ Open Sound Volume 4 No 3, November 1992
1 2 3 Phil West, At Red Sky, "There's No Limit For Experimenting Poets", Seattle Times, January 17, 1992, accessed May 31, 2014 "It's a tight-knit group of regulars that meets each Sunday at the Ditto Tavern for Red Sky Poetry Theatre. They're not afraid to experiment with new poems in front of each other. They heckle each other from time to time. And at an open-mike session a few weeks ago, readers even took turns wearing a silly green top hat during their moments in front of the audience."
↑ Articles of Incorporation of the Red Sky Poetry Theatre, Ralph Monroe, Secretary of State, State of Washington, May 17, 1982
↑ Jack Straw Cultural Center, "2004 Writers' Forum: Elliott Bronstein" Archived May 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine accessed June 26, 2014
↑ Jeremy Gold, Publishing Lives: Interviews with Independent Book Publishers in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, (Mill Creek, WA, Black Heron Press, 1990), Page 76, 160, 567, accessed May 25, 2014
↑ Good Reads, Marion Kimes: about this author, accessed June 22, 2014
↑ MCI Writer's House, accessed June 10, 2014
1 2 Hugo House Event, Red Sky Reunion 2010 Accessed May 25, 2014
↑ Charles Mudede, Readings Listings, The Stranger, December 13, 2001, accessed June 10, 2014. "It's About Time Reading Series – A monthly open discussion on the writer's role in society. Featured readers this month are all teachers. J. T. Stewart is a poet and teaches English at SCCC...,"
↑ Modern Language Association Convention Program information from 2012, accessed May 28, 2014 "There one found a poetic procedure fueled by an allegiance to performance and informed by a resistance to canonical Euro-centric influences. At Red Sky one found anthropology and alternative ways of viewing the universe. One found study of Neolithic cultures, of tribal cultures, of Native American cultures, of anything that spoke to an ancient "oral tradition." There was history aplenty at Red Sky"
1 2 Ralph La Charity, Seek the Sacred / Share the Secrets accessed June 1, 2014
↑ KSTS 9, PBS NewsHour, "Hunter Discusses Reshaping 'Shopworn' Language", July 9, 2007 accessed June 16, 2014
↑ KSTS 9, PBS NewsHour, "Paul Hunter", accessed June 16, 2014
1 2 Kate Robinson, "The Battle of the Bards", University Herald, Page 1, 9, February 1981
↑ Dianne Simmon, They're Performing Poetry: 'Deserve to be Read Out Loud', Seattle Post-Intelligencer August 1, 1981 Pg D-1
↑ Tom Phalen, "Poetry As A Contact Sport -- Rhythm And Rhyme In Your Face Can Be Beautiful And Bombastic, But It's Never Boring", Seattle Times, March 4, 1993, accessed May 29, 2014
↑ Phoebe Bosché, Words Off the Page: Poetry in Performance, Arts Focus Volume 7 Number 6, January 1988, Page 1, 4, 5
↑ Donn Fry, [community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19900826 Author! Author! Readings, Panels Planned], Seattle Times Arts and Entertainment, August 26, 1990 accessed January 17, 2015
↑ David Berger, "Bumbershoot Is In Trouble; Here's How To Fix It", February 5, 1995 accessed July 11, 2014 "There's a model for this already: Judith Roche and Louise DiLenge mostly call the shots for Bumbershoot's literary arts. Not coincidentally, these are among the best aspects of Bumbershoot, consistently thoughtful and daring."
↑ Irish Writing Online, "Unpublishable? Do It Yourself" accessed June 25, 2014
↑ Internet Archive, Sound Poetry Night, 3/23/12, Seattle, WA, accessed June 13, 2014
↑ Stacie Lavine, "From 1994 Until Infinity, The Persistence of Language and the Subtext Poetry Reading Series",The Stranger, June 26, 2003, accessed June 13, 2014
↑ Up In The Air, Parallel Discourse (SkyViews Volume 3 Numbers 4/5) combined issue, January, 1989, Page 5
↑ Stephen J. Bernstein, On a Linoleum Print by Matt Lennon, Arts Focus Volume 4 Number 3, December 1990, Page 16
↑ Guard Rail Gallery, Ready Or Not, Here We Come, accessed June 9, 2014 "Roberto Valenza has 'been a poet longer than a painter' and his poetry overflows onto his canvas. His paintings, done in charcoal, pastels, and acrylic, display a fluidity of movement fitting to his scenes of animals, mother earth, and other-worldly natives."
↑ Cydney Gillis, Alternative To Loud Boats Arts Festival, Arts Focus Volume 3 Number 1, Page 5, 12 ^{[dead link]}
↑ Robert Degaetano, Video Artists Use Technology For Social Commentary, Seattle Downtown Magazine, April 1988, Page 13-15
↑ Washington Business 501- C, accessed May 25, 2014 Red Sky Poetry Theatre Washington Non-Profit Corporation The Registered Agent on file for this company is Elliott Bronstein... The company has 1 principal on record. The President and Treasurer is Marion Kimes.
↑ The Stranger, June 20, 1012 "Red Sky Redux at Hopvine", Accessed May 25, 2014
↑ The Stranger, "Hopvine Pub (Capitol Hill)", Accessed May 25, 2014
1 2 3 Donn Fry, "Take a Reading: Seattle's lively poetry scene provides listeners with a wealth of vibrant verse", Seattle Times/Post Intelligencer, April 13, 1986 Page L-1, 7
↑ Clark Humphrey, Metropolist 150, Misc Media,, October 16, 2001, Page 15, accessed June 11, 2014
↑ IMDB I'm Secretly an Important Man, accessed May 27, 2014
↑ Preliminary Guide to the Jeff Stookey and Jesse Bernstein Papers 1950-2010, accessed June 1, 2014
↑ James Sanford, "'Godfather of grunge': Documentary examines Seattle poet Steven Bernstein's life", Kalamazoo Gazette, accessed June 11, 2014
↑ Cydney Gillis, "Remembering poet Jesse Bernstein", Real Change News Vol: 17 No: 40, September 29, 2010, accessed June 9, 2014
↑ Daniel Enoch Tobin, Steven Jessie Bernstein History^{[permanent dead link]}, Scribd, accessed June 1, 2014
↑ Trisha Ready, "Marxist Circus The Art and Politics of Michael Perez-Hureaux" The Stranger, September 12, 2002, accessed June 7, 2014
↑ Ferdinand M. De Leon, "Wordsmiths Listen, Give Support" Seattle Times June 14, 1991 accessed July 11, 2014 "I think people are recovering their voice, picking up where the black arts movement of the 60s left off," Hureaux said."
↑ Carl Sander, Pioneer Square Theater, October 31, 2012, accessed May 29, 2014
↑ University Libraries University of Washington, Preliminary Guide to the Pioneer Square Theater Records 1980-1989, accessed June 18, 2014
1 2 Trudy Mercer, "The First Day of Spring", SkyViews, March 20, 1984
1 2 Regina Hackett, "'Deli Man': Poet's glorious mess is rescued by language", Seattle Post-Intelligencer What's Happening, February 7, 1986 Page 10
↑ Tony Seldin, Vagabond Poet Program Notes, 100 Poets Read to Benefit Amnesty International; it's a Poetry Marathon, December 5, 1982
↑ Bumbershoot 1983 Literary Arts Magazine, What is Red Sky Poetry Theatre? Page 8 "However it's described, everyone agrees on one thing - that Red sky Poetry Theatre is alive and well- and thriving all over the City. There is a monthly Reading hosted by Matt Lennon at the Comet Tavern and another hosted by Joe Keppler at the Greenwood Gallery."
↑ Jim Andrews, The First Remainder Series by Joe Keppler, Vispo, accessed June 25, 2014.
↑ Susan Noyes Platt, Art and Politics Now Cultural Activism in a Time of Crisis, (New York, NY Midmarch Arts Press, Mar 1, 2011)
↑ Raven Chronicles Archived 2014-04-25 at the Wayback Machine, accessed June 13, 2014
↑ Gary Heffern Bio, San Diego Reader, accessed June 3, 2014
1 2 Alternative to Load Boats Set for August 4, The Arts; King County Arts Commission Newsletter Volume 20 Number 5, July 1991
↑ Allied Arts Foundation, accessed June 1, 2014
↑ Regina Hackett, "911 Media Arts Center to the rescue: A ragtag band of art populists and techies turns a media-arts center into a success story", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 10, 2002, accessed June 3, 2014
↑ KRAB-FM Radio Program Guide 1984 Matt Lennon Red Sky at Night Page 2 accessed June 1, 2014
↑ Donn Fry, Video Verse: Poetry comes alive before the camera, Seattle Times Post-Intelligencer Joint Sunday Issue July 7, 1987 Pg L1,8
↑ John Vorhees, Casting is the savior tomorrow in 'A Father's Revenge', Seattle Times, January 23, 1988 Page C-8
↑ Lisa Radon, "Margareta Waterman" Oregon Arts Commission Friday, November 2, 2012, accessed May 25, 1014
↑ nine muses books, Access May 5, 2014
↑ Margareta Waterman Biography, Island Hills Books, accessed May 25, 2014
↑ Cydney Gillis, "Manifest Arts" Video Series, Arts Focus Volume 3 Number 8, October 1989, Page 2-4
↑ "Yeah, It's Me; But It's Also You, Seattle: An Interview with Emerald City's S.P. Miskowski" Seattle Star, March 1, 2012 "SStar: How would you describe Seattle during those days? SPM: Shambolic. My favorite cultural event was the Alternative to Loud Boats book festival." accessed June 7, 2014
↑ Regina Hackett, No Loud Boats at this Party: Commando poets take unsanctioned rooster-tale route, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 22, 1987 Page C-1,11
↑ Phoebe Bosché, Alternative To Loud Boats festival Moves to Myrtle Edwards Park, Arts Focus Volume 3 Number 12, Page 5
↑ Cydney Gillis, Alternative to Loud Boats: A Day of Sanctuary from Militarism, Arts Focus, September/ October 1990, Page 3
↑ Cascadia Poetry Festival Advisory Board accessed June 7, 2014
↑ Donn Fry, "Next Month Is Looking Very Bright", Seattle Times, May 26, 1991, accessed June 13, 2014
↑ Pete Leinonen, accessed May 28, 2014
↑ Stephen J. Bernstein, Pete Leinonen: Real Jazz Music Outlives Relics, Arts Focus Volume 4 Number 3, December 1990, Page 6
↑ Mark Higgins, Kimberly Marlowe, "Hydro race 'walk in the park' for police", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, August 6, 1990 Page B1, 3
↑ "Pragmatic Literature The Rendezvous Reader Announces the Current Northwest Trend: Poetic Nonfiction", The Stranger November 28, 2002 "Throughout the mid-'90s, the readings acted as a bridge between the UW and the Red Sky Poetry Theater--as a new place where readings were loud and raucous, yet serious.", Accessed June 2, 2014
↑ Matthew Stadler accessed May 25, 2014
↑ Mark Svenvold, "Gypsy Cathedrals, Invisible Seattle, the Infrastructure of Poetry: Red Sky Poetry Theatre Remembered" (Paper presented for "Pacific Northwest Poetics" Panel Modern Language Association, Seattle, Washington, January 8, 2012) "There one found a poetic procedure fueled by an allegiance to performance and informed by a resistance to canonical Euro-centric influences. At Red Sky one found anthropology and alternative ways of viewing the universe. One found study of Neolithic cultures, of tribal cultures, of Native American cultures, of anything that spoke to an ancient "oral tradition." There was history aplenty at Red Sky"
↑ Jack Cady, A look at three artistic attempts, TV, poetry theater, and a writer, Peninsula Daily News, 1983
↑ Tom C. Hunley, The Poetry Gymnasium: 94 Proven Exercises to Shape Your Best Verse, Page 217 (Jefferson, North Carolina, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, November 4, 2011), accessed May 26, 2014
↑ RW Blogger, "Seattle's Karen Finneyfrock: The Spider at the Center of a Web", Poets and Writers, August 17, 2012, accessed June 3, 2014
↑ Alyssa Burrows, "Slam Poetry: A Brief History from Chicago to Seattle", History Link, July 16, 2001, accessed May 30, 2014
↑ Phoebe Bosché, Poets Compete For Bumbershoot Readings, Arts Focus Volume 3 Number 7, March 1989, Page 2
↑ Phoebe Bosché, Writers Overwhelm Red Sky, Arts Focus, June/July 1987, Page 2
↑ K. Daviduke, et al Poetry Bus: The Metro Moving Poetry Series booklet, 1992
↑ Bart Baxter, Belltown's Brain Fever Dispatch, Vol. 2 # 6 June 10, 1991 Page 14; Marion Kimes, David Lloyd Whited, Belltown's Brain Fever Dispatch, Vol. 2 # 8 July 12, 1991 Page 14; Stephen Thomas, Belltown's Brain Fever Dispatch, Vol. 3 # 2, February 20, 1992 Page 7; Paul Harding, Garry Morris, Belltown's Brain Fever Dispatch, Vol. 3 # 3, March 1992 Page 14
↑ Peter Sawicki AKA Tobeimean Peter Bio, Art Slant, accessed June 3, 2014
↑ Belle Randall, 2004 Writer's Forum Stephen Thomas, Jack Straw Productions March 9, 2004, accessed June 3, 2014
↑ Kent Chadwick, "Northwest BOoks: Regional Writers in Review: Surprised By Truth", Washington Free Press, accessed June 1, 2014
↑ Stephen Thomas Bio, Poets Encyclopedia, accessed June 3, 2014
↑ 2012 -2014 Washington State Poet Laureate Kathleen Flenniken, Steve Potter, The Far Field, November 6, 2013, accessed June 3, 2014
↑ Global Voices Radio, Paul Everett Nelson, M.A., Resume, 2005, accessed June 3, 2014
↑ PoetsWest "PoetsWest Directory: Who's Who in Northwest Poetry" accessed July 16, 2014
↑ "Slam poets hit Astoria"^{[permanent dead link]}, Daily Astorian, February 6, 2003, accessed June 2, 2014
↑ Humanities Washington, Washington Poets Association disbands after 42 years, donates remaining funds to Washington State Poet Laureate program Archived 2014-07-25 at the Wayback Machine, February 27, 2014, accessed June 3, 2014
↑ Redmond Association of Spokenword, RASP: Gallery of Past Featured Readers, accessed June 2, 2014
↑ Splabman, Seattle's Poetry Scene, November 23, 2011, accessed May 30, 2014
↑ Paul Nelson, "Poetry and Poetics, Poetry Scenes: Seattle", The Poetry, accessed June 8, 2014
↑ Michael Upchurch, "Some Titles From The Northwest Bookshelf", Seattle Times, October 3, 1993, accessed June 8, 2014
↑ Associated Press (AP), "Obituaries in the News (Don Wilsun)", Edwardsville, IL Intelligencer
↑ "Celebrity deaths in 2003: Thanks for the memories: They entertained us in unforgettable ways; their work lives on", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 25, 2003, accessed June 5, 2014
↑ John Marshall, "Don Wilsun: 1946-2003 Poetry Theatre founder leaves legacy of his works", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 26, 2003, accessed May 25, 2014
↑ University Libraries University of Washington, "Preliminary Guide to the Don Wilsun Papers 1975-2003" accessed May 25, 2014
↑ Roberto Valenza Obituary, Tampa Bay Times, January 23, 2010 accessed May 25, 2014
↑ Guide to the Roberto Valenza Papers 1970-2005 accessed June 1, 2014
↑ Splabman, "Marion Kimes Dead at 84", April 4, 2014, accessed May 25, 2014
↑ “Bill Shively Obituary”, Seattle Times, October 22, 2014, accessed October 26, 2014
↑ Gillian G. Gaar, "Scratches" Builds Explosive Outburst, Arts Focus Volume 3 Number 4, December 1988, Page 2
↑ Seattle Poems by Seattle Poets. Poetry Around Press. 1992.
↑ Woon, Koon (December 17, 2013). "Contributors to the current issue of Five Willows Literary Review: Alley S. Greymond --- poetry (3 poems)". Contributors to the current issue of Five Willows Literary Review. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
↑ Original Author's note; The number of periodicals such as The Seattle Times, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The Rocket, The Seattle Weekly, The Stranger, and a host of others, that had calendar listings for Red Sky Poetry Theatre was extensive and the number of listings over the years makes it impossible to cite them all. Hundreds of poets, musicians, and performers appeared on Red Sky Poetry Theatre stages or in Red Sky Poetry Theatre publications and productions so listing them all is unwieldy and unnecessary. Any Red Sky Poetry Theatre venue listed above can be found in a calendar listing somewhere and is likely mentioned in one of the cited articles. All quotes in citation footnotes are short and should be considered Fair Use for educational purposes.

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States
Other	Yale LUX

Related Articles