 |
REDBIRD STUDIO -- A WRITERS' PLACE
March, 2006
1. POETS POETS POETS
2. REDBIRD WRITERS' SHOWCASE
2. NEW CLASS DATES
5. NEWS OF REDBIRD WRITERS AND
FRIENDS
6. OTHER PLACES/FACES
1. POETS POETS POETS
Interested in poetry? Don't miss this special event -- a full day
in the creative atmosphere of Redbird Studio, learning from a master and
nurturing your poetic voice. You'll enjoy the company of others who love poetry
and a lovely lunch from Groppi's or Outpost Natural Foods. Call or email now to
have a space held for you (pending receipt of your registration).
--Poetry:From Personal to
Powerful--
A Truly Special Event
John Lehman, Saturday, March 18, 9:30am-3pm $195 Lunch included
What do you bring to the writing of a poem and what stays with
someone after they read it?
Come prepared to grow to intensify your poetry by sharpening its
drama; to shape its movement so its form fits its content. Discover how to
transform an entire piece into a metaphor for your reader by choosing the
correct titles and endings. Through discussion, short exercises, feedback on
the work of others and analysis of short pieces by such poets as Robert Frost
and Lorine Niedecker, youıll discover how to make that poetic leap from
personal to powerful.
You may submit one of your own poems prior to the workshop (send
to John Lehman, 315 E. Water St, Cambridge WI, 53523). There will also be time
after the seminar for individual conferences.
JOHN LEHMAN is a nationally published writer and poet with twenty
years experience teaching creative writing and twelve years as a creative
director/senior copywriter for Midwest advertising agencies. He is one of two
commended poets (runners-up for the Wisconsin Poet Laureate position) and
founder of The Wisconsin Poetry Initiative. He is the poetry editor of the
Wisconsin Academy Review and his poetry has appeared in over twenty literary
magazines and anthologies.
John has presented writing seminars in dozens of cities throughout
the country and is founder and first publisher of Rosebud, one of the fastest
growing magazines of short fiction, poetry and art in America today, as well as
publisher of the free quarterly Cup of Poems and a Side of Prose, distributed
in Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Iowa City and North Chicago. His latest
books of poetry, "Shorts:101 Brief Poems of Wonder and Surprise" and
"Dogs Dream of Running," as well as his book on Wisconsinıs Lorine
Niedecker, "Americaıs Greatest Unknown Poet," are available at local
bookstores and at www.WisconsinPoet.com.
2. REDBIRD WRITERS' SHOWCASE
Plan now to attend this delightful (free) evening. Hear members of
Redbird roundtable critique groups read excerpts from published and in-progress
novels, short stories, essays, poetry and plays. This is a great chance to
cheer the writers and hear samples of the kind of work Redbird writers do in
roundtables. Families and friends are encouraged to attend. The showcase will
be held on the main floor in the Marian Center Social Room. Robert Vaughan will
emcee. Judy Bridges will stand around and smile.
Representing Redbird roundtable writers: Tom Biel, Kirk Farber,
Les Huisman, Doug Jacobson, Felicity Librie, Jon Olson, Karen McQuestion, Nick
Petrie, Jeannee Sacken, Jean Scherwenka, Elaine Schmidt and Carol Wobig.
Thursday, April 27 6:30-9pm
Open to the public (free-will donation)
Marian Center Social Room (on the main floor)
3. NEW CLASS DATES
Registration is open for the following classes.
Notice that we've added dates for Shut Up and Write! and the
roundtable groups.
-- Playwriting --
Robert Vaughan, Saturday, April 1 9:30am-3pm $125
Do you have an idea for a play but no idea how to go about
creating it? Learn from a seasoned playwright how premise, story, characters,
dialogue and conflict all work together to make a unique piece of theater you
can be proud of.
Robert gives you pointers on finding your "voice" and
the unique "voice" for other characters. Learn about writing the
play, getting it read while in progress or finished, and getting produced as a
playwright. Also includes a look at the local Milwaukee theater scene.
Note: This seminar is designed for playwrights, but other writers
will find the material useful and are welcome to attend.
ROBERT VAUGHAN has worked on and off in New York and Los Angeles
theaters for more than 25 years. He has acted in and directed over 50 plays,
everything from Musical Theater and Comedy to Dramatic plays. His playwriting
career took off after schooling at New York University, and his own plays have
been produced in such places as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. He is
also an accomplished poet and is working on his first novel. He has taught
workshops in several states and leads writers' roundtable groups at Redbird.
-- Shut Up and Write! --
Flagship course at Redbird. Taught by studio founder Judy Bridges.
Ideal before entering critique groups or as an introductory, "switching
gears" or tune-up course. See description on web site: www.redbirdstudio.com
Summer Session: Mondays, June 19, 26, July 10, 17, 24, 31,
6-9pm, $345
Fall Session: Mondays, Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Nov 6, 13, 20,
6:30-8:30, $345
-- Roundtable Critique Groups --
Four Meetings per Session $85
Tuesday Afternoons 12-2:30 Judy Bridges
Session #2 - Mar 7, 21, Apr 11, 25 (filled)
Session #3 - May 9, 23, Jun 13, 27 (wait list)
Wednesday Evenings (The
Inkslingers) 6:30-9 Judy Bridges
Session #2 - Mar 1, 15, Apr 5, 19 (filled)
Session #3 - May 3, 17, Jun 14, 28
Thursday Evenings (one per month)
6:30-9 Robert
Vaughan
Session #1 - Jan 19, Feb 16, Mar 16, Apr 20 (okay to join late and
pro-rate)
Session #2 - May 25, Jun 15, July 20, Aug 17
Friday Mornings 9:30-12 Robert Vaughan
Session #2 - Mar 10, 24, Apr 14, 28 (Almost full. Okay to join
late and pro-rate)
Session #3 - May 12, 26, Jun 16, 30
-- Young Authors at Redbird --
Kids who like to write love our summer Young Author programs.
Imagine spending a week with other young writers, learning from professional
writer/teachers, writing outside and in the studio called "home" by
many published authors. Our goal is to give young authors the time, space and
support they need to nurture their passion for writing.
Sessions are led by accomplished writing teachers who tailor
activities specifically to the age and interests of each group. All ages spend
time in the studio and outdoors. They may walk on the beach, hike a wooded
trail or visit a cemetery; gathering inspiration and learning practical skills.
Each day includes some lighthearted activities, age-appropriate lessons on the
craft of writing and best of all, time to write.
For more information, ask for the Young Author brochure or see the
Young Author pages at www.redbirdstudio.com
Mon-Fri
9am-2:30pm
$325 ($100 deposit)
Students entering: Grades 4-6 July 2428
Grades 7-8
July 31Aug 4
Grades 9-12 Aug 711
Writer/teachers: Kim Suhr, Joan Boyce, Katie Lance, Pam Parker,
Robert Vaughan, Judy Bridges and visiting authors
5. NEWS ABOUT REDBIRD WRITERS AND
FRIENDS
Note: "R.W. and Friends" either attended Redbird
workshops, or taught them, or support the studio in some special way. If you
sent information and it did not appear, please forgive and send it again. Web
sites are listed but not necessarily linked.
Shannon Jackson Arnold was interviewed in New York for a documentary that will air as
part of the History Channel's America Eats show. The author of Everybody Loves
Ice Cream (Emmis Books, July 2004) Shannon also leads monthly Writer to Writer
meetings at Martha Merrill's book store in Waukesha.
Shauna Singh Baldwin will be traveling to India to research a novel in progress. Her
novel "The Tiger Claw" is a finalist for the Hutch Award, English
fiction category, to be announced on March 21. She is also being interviewed by
Jean Feraca, Wisconsin Public Radio,
for a segment on "Here on Earth,"
Sally Blommer's continues her biking travel reports on her site: www.ridetheroad.com. Her most recent
report is from Chiang Mai.
Karen Dahlman is helping Friends of the Elm Grove Library with their Used Book
Sale to be held Friday, March 7th, 9-6; Saturday, March 8th, 9-5 (Half Price Day); Sunday, March
9th 12-4 (Bag Sale, $3 per grocery bag). (Karen became a Redbird
legend with her Collected Recipes for Cooking Peeps.)
Jean Gietzen will facilitate "Poetry Mornings" in April to celebrate
Poetry month. Contact Jean at (414) 247-8791 or octodon31469@cs.com to find out more.
These sessions are for women only.
Eric Hansen will present a slide show and talk centered on the theme of his
book ³Hiking Michiganıs Upper
Peninsula A Guide to the Greatest Hiking Adventures in the U.P.² on Saturday,
March 11 at 3:30pm at Madisonıs
Alliant Center. Ericıs presentation is part of Canoecopia, a huge outdoors fair
hosted by Rutabaga. www.canoecopia.com
Kay Pliszka writes from Florida that six of her pieces were published in the
January "Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul -- Daily Inspiration."
She also visited Redbird friend Pat Lorenz in Largo, Fla., and is singing and
dancing in a group called Theatrical Variations.
John Lehman invites you to a free reading of his one-person show, "A
Brief History of My Tattoo: 13 Things I have Never Told Anyone Before" at
the Cornerstone Theater in Milwaukee, 7pm. Monday, March 13th. There
is no charge (though donations to
the theater are welcome) and there will be a brief feedback-discussion afterwards.
The theater is located in the Brumder Mansion at 3046 W. Wisconsin Ave.
414-342-2951.
James Maki's works of art (watercolor, pen and ink) will be featured at
Lakeshore Gallery, 401 N. Oakland Avenue, Milwaukee, from March 10 to April 21,
2006. There will be an artist's reception Friday, March 10, 6-9 pm. www.lakeshoregallery.com
Linda Mrochinski is producing "Southern Fried Murder" at The Academy
Theatre, Marian Center for Nonprofits, 3195 S. Superior St. This is a dinner
theatre production -- March 31, April 1, 2, 7, 8, 9. For times and ticket
information, phone 414- 483-2430.
Kim Suhr has been leading workshops for young authors in schools and at
the studio. One principal, Mary Ann Rudella of St. Joan of Arc Parish School in
Nashotah, sent the following note and said it would be okay to share with you.
"I just wanted to write a little note to say Thank You to Kim Suhr for her
creative writing workshop with our middle school students. Last November 15th,
we celebrated "I Love To Write Day"; Kim taught our middle school
students how to write creatively. They followed her lead and wrote "I
am..." poems for their parents for Christmas... They have told me that
their parents LOVED their poems! Some parents framed their son/daughter's writing,
and some made the poem their Christmas card! Thank You, Kim, for helping
us to be more creative and enthusiastic about creative expression!"
Soulstice Theatre Company announces its spring equinox production of Proof, by David Auburn.
Also coming this summer, theater arts classes for students of all ages. Call
414-431-3187 for more information. (Soulstice is in the Marian Center, home of
Redbird and The Academy Theatre.)
Barbara Fitz Vroman is starting a new writing community linked by her newsletter
called The Writer's Round Table. You can contact her through her website: www.barbarafitzvroman.com.
John Wallace wrote the kind of comment we love to hear -- and repeat. "I
wanted to report some good news on the publishing front. First off, my story
"The Red Brick" was accepted by "The Georgetown Review" and
will be published in their spring
issue. Second, another story, "The Breakfast Mute," was runner-up in
the 2005 Fiction Competition for "Caketrain" magazine. It will be
published in their next issue due out in February, and I also received a small
cash prize. Not enough to retire on, but I won't complain. I brought "The
Breakfast Mute" into Redbird and your comments on it were very
instrumental in me finally getting that one published. It had been getting
rejected for a number of years but after I did a massive revision of the first
couple pages, based on your comments, it was accepted very quickly. Thank you
so much for your help."
Robert Vaughan's play, "Interference," will be performed by Village
Playhouse of Wauwatosa in the 2006 One Act Play Festival, March 17, 18, 19, 24,
25, 26 at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, Brookfield. Tickets
262-781-9520. (The Redbird cheering section will attend the March 25th
performance. You can purchase tickets on your own and meet at the show.)
Jason Waltz publishes "The Custer-Hawk Gazette," a bimonthly of
Operation WWII Remembered, Inc. For more information, see www.operation-wwii-remembered.com
Carol Wobig's "Wheel of Fortune Monologues" will be performed by
Village Playhouse of Wauwatosa in the 2006 One Act Play Festival, March 17, 18,
19, 24, 25, 26 at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, Brookfield.
Tickets 262-781-9520. (The Redbird cheering section will attend the March 25th
performance. You can purchase tickets on your own and meet at the show.)
Judith Zukerman's piece about the artist retreat, Norcroft, appeared in BookWomen,
February-March 2006. (Note: if any of the Norcroft alums who are trying to keep
this fine institution going would like to contact Redbird, we'll be happy to
include news of that in this newsletter.)
6. OTHER PLACES-OTHER FACES
The Power of the Pen: A Day for Writers, Fox Valley Technical
College, Appleton
April 8. (www.fvtc.edu or
1-877-555-5151)
Day of workshops presented by Judy Bridges, Joanne Flemming,
Shannon Jackson Arnold, Ellen Kort and John Lehman.
Fourth Annual Spring Writers Festival, University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
April 28-30. (www.sce-arts.uwm.edu click on Programs, then Spring Writers
Festival)
Weekend conference includes presentations by A. Manette Ansay,
Jerry Apps, Martha Bergland, Judy Bridges, Liam Callanan, Kurt Chandler, Sharon
Miller Cindrich, Traci Clark, Katie Dublinski, Chris Fischbach, Jeffrey N.
Gingold, Kelly James-Enger, Maurice Kilwein Guevara, C.J. Hribal, Stewart David
Ikeda, Ron Kovach, Alec Yoshio MacDonald, Joanna MacKenzie, Jeff Muendel, Eva
Augustin Rumpf, Mary-Jeane Smoller-Phillips, Marilyn Taylor, Carolyn Kott
Washburne and Yolanda White.
Council for Wisconsin Writers Annual Awards Banquet
May 6. Milwaukee (www.wisconsinwriters.org)
Wisconsin Regional Writers Assn. (WRWA) Spring Conference
May 6. Appleton
(wrwa.net)
21st Annual Great Lakes Writers Workshop, Alverno College,
Milwaukee
June 23-24. (nancy.krase@alverno.edu)
The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI (Door County)
Full catalog of opportunities: www.theclearing.org
"Women's Writing Retreat" led by Judy Bridges, Sept
10-16
Woodland Pattern Book Center, Milwaukee
Workshops and special events: www.woodlandpattern.org
Broad Vocabulary, 2241 S. Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee 53207, 414-744-8384
Offers workshops and special programs in the bookstore, www.broadvocabulary.com