Whitman on Walls!

Walt Whitman Comes to Buffalo:
International Theater Company Joins with Local Performance Poets 

Walt Whitman’s most famous poem, “Song of Myself,” is a “barbaric yawp” that celebrates freedom, inclusion, and democracy. Working with this iconic piece, Compagnia de’ Colombari has created seven short films with actors and musicians around the globe bringing Whitman’s words to life in startling and beautiful new ways.

On November 16, 2023 at 7pm, the films will be screened at the Burchfield Penney Art Center as part of a Whitman on Walls (WoW!) event. After each film, a local performance poet will offer an original piece of work written in response to the film – conversing with, talking back to, wrestling with Walt Whitman. The seven poets include Buffalo’s poet laureate, the Emmy-nominated Jillian Hanesworth, and Brandon Williamson, founder of Pure Ink Poetry.

The evening will begin with Curtis Lovell, accompanied by Luis Montijo, performing two of the songs Lovell has created from Walt Whitman’s poems for the Calamus Project and Ujima Company. The founder and director of Compagnia de’ Colombari, Karin Coonrod, who teaches drama at Yale University, will offer brief remarks. The event is free and open to the public.

The seven poets embody the diversity and dynamism of Western New York’s spoken word and performance poetry scene:

Jillian Hanesworth, Buffalo’s poet laureate, was nominated for an Emmy for “Choose Love;” her most recent book is The Revolution Will Rhyme. 

Brandon Williamson is the founder of the Pure Ink Poetry Slam, president of Ujima Company, and author of Critical Lens and A “How to” guide. 

J.B. Stone, a Neurodivergent/Autistic spoken word poet, writer, critic, teaching artist, and editor, has published and performed in many venues.

Autumn Echo, founder of Pulse Poetry Slam, was once called the “underground poet laureate” of Jamestown, New York. 

Brittany (Queen B) Johnson, author of two poetry chapbooks, “Shoreline Baby” and “Taboo,” has competed across the nation in the Women of the World Poetry Slam.

Steve Peraza, a writer, educator, and rapper with a Ph.D. in history from SUNY-Buffalo, serves as Senior Research and Policy Associate at the Cornell ILR Buffalo Co-Lab. 

Glenaida Mercado is a third-year law student at the University at Buffalo School of Law who spends her spare time writing poetry and songs and building equity in the community.